Reputation COUNTS

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard came from an HR director at a major corporation.  He talked about how to dress at work, particularly when you are a new employee.  He said,

“You dress up to start with, look around and see what others are wearing, and conform if you are dressing differently.  It’s not written down.  You just get it.  Your reputation is at stake.”

Not everything is written down in a dress code.   Sometimes there won’t be guidance about what not to do.  To make the best impression, it’s important to dress appropriately for your particular work environment.  Look around, but also ask if you are unsure.  Your reputation is at stake.

Tags: Professionalism, reputation by Marcia Hall
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Earlier this week, I left a voice mail message for a graduate student I do not know.  When she returned my call, the pitch of her voice was very high and she only gave me her first name.  It was hard to hear what she was saying since she spoke so softly.

How do you think I perceived her?

My immediate reaction was that she sounded unprofessional.  This student could make a much better impression by saying her complete name, talking audibly, and deepening the tone of her voice. 

Paying attention to small details can make all the difference.

Tags: Etiquette, Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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I was talking with my husband, Steve, the other day about the fine art of being friendly, but not too familiar with your boss.  Steve recalled that early in his career, he supervised several people.  There was camaraderie in the organization but one of his team members mistook his friendliness for something more when he requested time off to deal with a family matter.  This employee assumed Steve was his friend and would grant the request.  Because of the need to meet some very tight delivery requirements, it was not possible. 

As an employee, if you try to be too familiar with your boss it will likely be perceived in a negative way.  Your co-workers may be suspicious of what you are doing.  Your boss may think you are immature or unprofessional.  When you assume your boss is your friend you may tell inappropriate jokes or talk as you did with friends in college. 

From Steve’s and my experience, it is best to be positive and friendly, but don’t assume that your boss will or wants to be your friend. 

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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To help colleagues, clients and potential clients know how to get in touch with you easily, include your contact information in your signature line so that it goes out with each email.

People may want to send your address, phone number or website to others they know.  If they can copy and paste it, they don’t have to recreate the content.  This is a simple and effective way to make life easier for someone else and has the added benefit of you receiving a possible referral.

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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Last week, a friend of mine told me of a time she talked with a job candidate who wore a houndstooth sports coat to the interview.  The pattern in his jacket distracted her so much that she couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying.

In these times of high unemployment, it matters even more that job seekers pay attention to what they wear. The first impression may be the last, and it is important to allow the interviewer to focus on character and skills rather than on clothes.  My friend mentioned that a Mickey Mouse tie or really short skirt might not make the best impression!

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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I was listening to a radio program a couple weeks ago and one of the guests said, “A dirty shoelace is an indication of quality.”  Since I was driving at the time and tuned in during the discussion, I didn’t hear the person’s name.

But that statement made an impression on me.  The topic that day was about the little things you do that cause people to form an opinion about you.  They are clues the radio guest said, and the composite of all these clues creates a perception about a person and therefore the company for which he/she works.  When seeing dirty shoelaces, an untucked shirt or stained blouse, customers may ask themselves questions about the business and employees. “Are they competent?  Does this organization care?” they wonder.

Quality does matter.  Clean shoelaces or anything that is part of a professional looking appearance do affect customers – and your employer.

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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Whenever I see business emails with all lower case letters, I can’t understand why people choose to write them that way.  Using a lower case “i” to start a sentence particularly surprises me. 

While emails tend to be more casual, I think using incomplete sentences, no punctuation, improper grammar, or unusual acronyms in business correspondence can be perceived as unprofessional and even lazy.  People form impressions about your competence based on the things you do and say, even when it’s just a line or two in an email.

But I’d love to hear from people who use all lower case letters and why they make that choice.

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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Earlier this year I received an email from a person who asked me to send her a reminder about our meeting so she wouldn’t forget it.  She ended with the emoticon, “-).”

I had seen that symbol in other emails and thought it probably had some meaning, but never bothered to look it up.  So when I saw this email, a few thoughts went through my mind.  I wondered, why doesn’t she put the date in her calendar?  Why doesn’t she take responsibility for reminding herself?  I had never met the woman and yet I was already forming an opinion about her.

Later on, I decided to see what that emoticon stood for and found out it indicated that the statement preceding it was meant as a joke.  However, the emoticon was totally lost on me, and my reaction was negative rather than positive.

I recommend to students/employees that they avoid emoticons and smiley faces in business communications. The danger is that the person may have no idea what they mean (like me) and therefore they might be misinterpreted.  

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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How you ever found yourself trying to figure out someone else’s handwriting?  Just the other day I was looking at a list of names and couldn’t make out several of the letters.  It’s frustrating to have to guess what letters are right.

I think people have fun scribbling their signatures, but it’s the biggest waste of time for the person on the receiving end, particularly when accuracy is essential. Even with the advent of the computer, there are many times when you end up writing by hand.  I’m a big proponent of printing everything clearly.  It’s a subtle way to form a good impression.

Tags: Professionalism by Marcia Hall
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