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The Power of Professionalism

• Body Language • Interview Etiquette • Dressing for Success• Office Etiquette• Telephone and Voice• Resume Critique

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Body Language

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Body Language WarningBody language is not an exact science. No single body language sign is a reliable indicator.Understanding body language involves the interpretation of several consistent signals to support or indicate a particular conclusion.

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Body Language

• Bad posture• Breaking Eye Contact• Chopping and Pointing• Crossed Arms• Excessive Nodding

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Body Language

• Fidgeting• Hands Behind Back• Mismatched Expressions • Shifty Eyes• Staring

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Top Five Personality Traits Employers Hire Most

Professionalism (86%),high-energy (78%) confidence (61%) self-monitoring (58%) Intellectual curiosity (57%)

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Interview Etiquette

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Before the Interview – 10 tips

1. Research the company and review the job description.

2. Update your resume and any searchable online profiles.

3. Bring: A fresh notepad, a pen, and two copies of your resume.

4. Dress appropriately and avoid any oversized or layered jewelry. Women - wear natural makeup and keep your hair simple and out of your face.

5. If possible, Google the sector that you are interviewing for to get tips on basic interviews.

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Before the Interview – 10 tips6. Do something relaxing, or listen to your favorite song to boost your

confidence.

7. Turn off your phone and spit out your gum.

8. Arrive on time (and not too early, 10 minutes is usually best).

9. Be prepared to answer the following questions:• Tell me about yourself• How has your experience prepared you for this job?• What is your greatest weakness?• Why do you want this job?

10. Prepare a few questions of your own• Is there an opportunity for growth in this position? If so, where does it lead?• What was your career path to this job?

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During the Interview – 10 more tips

1. Be nice to everyone in and around the building. You never know who works at the company or who will be interviewing you.

2. Give them a solid, confident handshake.

3. Smile. You want to be approachable and it will ease nerves.

4. Be polite and energetic. No one wants to interview a slug.

5. Maintain good posture.

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During the Interview – 10 more tips

6. Don’t talk to much – you don’t want to be the chatterbox, but definitely don’t provide them with one word answers either. Also, do NOT interrupt the person who is interviewing you.

7. Remember to ask your questions at the end of the interview.

8. Do NOT ask about money during the first interview.

9. At the end of the interview, ask when a decision or a second round notification is expected to be made.

10. On your way out be sure to graciously thank them for taking the time to meet with you.

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After the Interview

1. Be sure to send a thank you email! This should be done within 24 – 48 hours.• You can also send a handwritten card via the mail.

2. Do NOT tweet, Facebook post, or blog post about your interview. Many prospective employers will Google an interviewee after an interview.

3. Follow up if you haven’t heard back by the date specified during the interview. Do NOT follow-up before that date.

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Hiring Managers Reveal Mistakes

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How Physical Attributes Influence

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“Dress for the job you want

not the job you have.”

Dressing for Success

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Attire• “Traditional Business Attire” vs “Business Casual Attire”.

What is the difference?• Business casual is a more relaxed option of dressing. Traditionally it

includes a sport jacket, button down collared shirt for men or blouse for women with a dress pant or high quality cotton fabric pant. It might also includes a short sleeve shirt, blouse, knit top or high quality polo.

• Attire should project a quality look that is properly tailored and groomed.

• Shoes, purses, briefcases and computer bags should be well maintained.

• Hair and nails should be properly groomed. All of these factors contribute to your success.

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Business Professional

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Business Casual

Questions to Consider:

Business Casual vs. Standard Casual vs. Bad Casual!

Manage Up !Dress Up! Act Up!

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Business Casual

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Casual Neat

• Polo shirt or button down shirt

• Khakis or nice jeans

• No holes, rips, tears, patches, and no writing on the pants.

• Company polo shirt

• Neat shoes – may be sneakers but should look nice

Men• Blouse• Khakis, nice

jeans, capri pants• No holes, rips,

tears, patches• Shirts should not

be low cut or too tight

• Company polo shirt

• Flats or low heels

Women

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Casual Neat

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Formal & Holiday Wear

Cocktail & Semi-Formal AttireFestive & Holiday AttireFormal, Black Tie & White Tie Attire

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Cocktail & Semi-Formal

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Accessorizing and Details

HairNailsJewelry/TiesFragranceMake-Up

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Manicure & Nail Colors

Ballerina

Pink

Sheer Lilac

French Tip White

Whisper Mauve

Clear

Buff for Men

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Makeup

• Women ~ subtle, natural, • Easy transition day to night

• Men ~ Groomed hair(s); clean, trim nails

• Skin ~ scrubbed, clean shaven

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Jewelry: Men and Women

• Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, piercings• Watches: simple with style• Rings: wedding, engagement, college,

signet• Pins: lapel, brooches• Belts match the shoes • Buckles match the watch• Ties = color

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Fragrance• Men and women: next to nothing or nothing!• Natural, light, citrus scents are safest• Deodorant vs. Antiperspirant or both?• One should only smell a fragrance when one is extremely close; not before

you enter the room!

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Men’s Shoes

Socks match the pants!

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Women’s Shoes

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Ladies – Frequently Asked Questions• Sleeveless tops?Should resemble an appropriate blouse or sweater w/o sleeves. Camisolesare not acceptable attire. When wearing sleeveless, it should be wornunder a jacket or sweater (sweater sets).• Capri pants?Should resemble a dress pant only a shorter version.• Shoes?Knee high and ankle boots are acceptable business casual attire in thewinter as long as they resemble the appearance of a shoe boot. Open toeshoes are acceptable as long as feet are well-groomed.

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Gentlemen - Frequently Asked Questions

• Shaving?A clean shaven or well maintained beards, mustaches are acceptablebusiness and business casual grooming.• Dockers and polo shirts?Cotton Dockers and informal ribbed shirts are not acceptable as business attire. Dockers can be acceptable as business casual.

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Helpful Tips• Tips for shopping for clothing and footwear. The best advice is to keep itclassic and simple.• A properly tailored suit can make or break your appearance.• Clothing styles and fabrics should be representative of the season. (i.e.short sleeve, cotton fabrics May – September, wools October – April).• Clothing and jewelry styles should portray a classic look verses trendyattire.• During the winter an overcoat or three quarter jacket is preferred. Casualand distressed leather type jackets and bright colored rain slicker are notbusiness or casual attire.

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What the Wall Street Journal Suggests

How to Dress for Success in Business

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Other visuals Suit Yourself – basics for men

Male Fit Guide

Do’s and Don’t of Women’s Business Attire

Decoding dress styles – men and women

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Office Etiquette

One of the biggest mistakes that you can make at work is not being aware of the various etiquette rules.

Missteps can impact promotions, raises, and especially your social cache in the office. Here are some rules that

you should keep in mind at all times while at work.

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Office Etiquette– 15 tips1. Don't be too loud. Be mindful of your volume, whether you are talking to a

colleague or on the phone. You don't want to invade anyone's personal space.

2. Don't Interrupt your colleagues. When you are in meetings or even simply talking to a colleague in the hall, be mindful of who is talking. You don't want to be disrespectful.

3. Be mindful of your colleagues' time. Don’t ask a long winded question right before “quitting time” or when someone is on his/her way out. If it is an especially busy time in the office, save non-essential conversations for later.

4. Don't eat smelly food. Tuna, spicy Indian food-eating smelly food can be really offensive, especially in an office with an open floor plan.

5. Hold back on the perfume. To the same point, be mindful of how much perfume that you wear at the office. Some people could be allergic.

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Office Etiquette– 15 tips6. Office correspondence should be formal. Think of email somewhat

like a formal letter. In other words, don't use slang or abbreviations

7. Share the credit. It is just good office etiquette to know when to share the credit with others. You'll come off as a team player, and more importantly, the act of good will is likely to be repaid in spades.

8. Dress for the office that you work in. Plan your office wardrobe to fit with the tone of your office. Look to your bosses for inspiration as to what is appropriate.

9. Keep your phone on silent. Your ring tone can potentially be distracting, so it's best to keep your phone on vibrate.

10.Keep the office clean. Throw your trash out on your desk, don't keep items in the communal refrigerator too long, and be mindful if you are sharing a bathroom too.

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Office Etiquette– 15 tips11. Behave appropriately in meetings. If a senior manager likes an idea, don’t

do a victory dance. You are there to participate, learn and be a team player.

12. Be on time. Being punctual says a lot about your personal values. You want to send the message to your colleagues that you care.

13. Don't take long personal calls at your desk. It is perfectly fine to take a personal call at your desk occasionally, but keep it short so you don't disturb everyone around you. Take the call outside on your cell phone if necessary.

14. Don't play with your hair during a meeting. Refrain from playing with your hair, especially in meetings. You should also refrain from brushing your hair or applying makeup at your desk.

15. Don't come to work if you're too sick. If you are contagious, stay home for the good of the office. Show your diligence by being available online for as much of the day as possible. That being said, if you just have the sniffles, you should probably come into work.

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Telephone and Voice Etiquette

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Looking for a job

Answering the Phone• Are you somewhere quiet you can talk? • Are you outside where there’s tons of

background noise?• Are you in a black hole of bad

reception? • Are you in a place that makes you feel

calm, collected and able to answer the questions he or she may want to ask?

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Looking for a job

Your Voicemail Message•Your voicemail greeting can tell hiring managers a lot about you.• Speak slowly and clearly on your

voicemail• State your first and last name• Avoid slang and informalities• Keep it short and sweet

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Looking for a job

Your Voicemail Message Cont.•Here’s an example:• “You’ve reach the voicemail of [First

Name Last Name]. I am unable to answer your call right now. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

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Looking for a job

How You Leave MessagesBefore you return a call, have all important information in front of you so you don’t forget anything. State your name State the purpose of your call And then leave your contact

information.

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Resume Critique

Please exchange your resume with someone next to you. Look for the key points from the handouts given during class one.

Offer any feedback you can to make the resume more polished and professional.

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Questions?