Job Interview Etiquette 101

If you recently worked for Bear Stearns or are about to graduate from college, chances are you're frantically interviewing for jobs. The competition is steep, but good interview etiquette can set you apart from other applicants in a tough employment market.

According to a recent Vault survey, 59 percent of employers believe job candidates' manners have deteriorated over the past few years. Interviewers have seen applicants show up drunk, cry, fall asleep, put on lipstick, pick noses, chew gum, and launch into inappropriate stories. Nineteen percent of employers say they've had interviewees bring along a child, and 43 percent have heard job-hunters use curse words. You know better than to act so atrociously, but here's some interview etiquette advice to help you land your dream job.

1. Dress professionally.

Most employers -- 87 percent -- say they've seen job applicants dress inappropriately for interviews. Unless you're applying for a position at Hooters, don't wear a low-cut leopard print dress or skin-tight jeans. Proper attire differs depending if you're trying to get a gig at a fashion magazine or an investment bank, but it's better to dress up than to be too casual.

"Even if the company is dress down, you want to impress them," says Debra Wheatman, manager of career and admissions services at Vault. She recommends a suit for men and a skirt or pantsuit for women. As one former recruiter for law firms says, "It's all about polish and how your carry yourself."

2. Be prompt.

Nearly 20 percent of employers say they'd eliminate a candidate who was just 10 minutes late for an interview, so make sure you're on time. Even better, arrive slightly early, but no more than 10 or 15 minutes before the meeting. One employer explains, "We're all busy and don't need the distraction of someone waiting, especially in a small and busy office."

If your bus breaks down or there's a fire on the freeway, call to apologize and explain why you're running late. One interviewee who got lost in an unfamiliar city and called for directions says, "After I was hired, I found out that the way I handled the situation resulted in a favorable mark, as it demonstrated adaptability and willingness to be accountable for mistakes."

3. Turn off your cell phone, or leave it at home.

Among employers, 26 percent said they've had a job candidate answer a cell phone during an interview, and 68 percent say they'd disqualify a candidate for taking a call during the meeting. One employer explains, "No matter how brilliant the interviewee, it would have an adverse effect on my opinion of them, short of a life-or-death family emergency." The same goes for glancing at text messages. One interviewer says, "It's not as bad as taking a call, but it lets me know they aren't completely engaged in our conversation."

4. Be curious.

Eighty-two percent of employers say it's very important for candidates to ask questions, and 16 percent say it's somewhat important. The type of questions you pose is crucial. Show that you know what the company does and what your expected responsibilities may be in the position. Also, ask the interviewer what brought them to the firm or what they like about its culture.

In addition, there are certain questions you should avoid. Don't ask about money, especially during the first interview. And don't inquire if a company supports medical marijuana use unless you're trying to get a position with the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

5. Express your gratitude.

Eighty percent of employers say it's somewhat or extremely important for an applicant to follow up with a thank you note. Kristen Smith, a recruiter for RubinBrown LLP, an accounting and consulting firm, suggests sending a letter within 24 hours to show that you're really interested. If you opt for an email, Smith says, "It should still be a formal thank you, not a casual note." Most interviewers feel an emailed letter is acceptable, but a handwritten, snail-mailed card will set you apart. Check your spelling and grammar, and don't use frilly stationery. Worried a snail-mailed letter won't get there on time? Email a note and send a hard copy, or drop off a thank you card with the receptionist later.

Finally, remember that interviewers can have bad manners, too. Job candidates mention that hiring managers have done everything from arrive late to send emails, eat lunch and answer cell phone calls during the conversation. Should something like this happen, take it in stride and show better etiquette than your potential boss.

Email Etiquette

E-mail has completely changed the way we work today. It offers many benefits and, if used well, can be an excellent tool for improving your own efficiency. Managed badly, though, e-mail can be a waste of valuable time. Statistics indicate that office workers need to wade through an average of more than 30 e-mails a day, while managers or people working on collaborative projects could be dealing with a much higher figure.

This chapter sets out steps to help you manage the time you spend dealing with e-mail so that you can get on with other tasks. It offers help on prioritising those incoming messages and deciding how quickly you need to respond. It tells you how to file e-mail according to its value or function and encourages you to clear the inbox regularly. Despite your best efforts, unsolicited e-mail or spam can clutter up the most organised inbox and infect your computer system with viruses, so this section gives guidance on protecting yourself. It also offers alternatives to e-mail that offer the same benefits of speed, convenience, and effectiveness.

Step one: Prioritise incoming messages

If you are regularly faced with a large volume of incoming messages, you need to prioritise your inbox—identify which e-mails are really important.

• Check the names of the senders. Were you expecting or hoping to hear from them? How quickly do you need to deal with particular individuals?
• Check the subject. Is it an urgent issue or just information? Is it about an issue that falls within your sphere or responsibility, or is it something that should just be forwarded to someone else?
• Check the priority given by the senders. Do they really mean it’s urgent? Remember that some people have a tendency to mark all of their messages ‘important’, even if they’re anything but.
• Is it obvious spam? Can it be deleted without reading?
• Check the time of the message. Has it been in your inbox a long time?
  

An initial scan like this can help you identify the e-mails that need your immediate attention. The others can be kept for reading at a more convenient time.

Step two: Reply in stages

Because e-mail is an ‘instant’ medium, it can be tempting to reply immediately but that might not always be necessary. You can reply in stages, with a brief acknowledgement and a more detailed follow-up. If you do this, give the recipient an indication of when you’ll be able to get back to him or her and try to keep to this deadline wherever possible.

• If the e-mail simply requires a brief, one line answer then by all means reply immediately. For example, if all you need to say is, ‘Yes, I can make the 10.00 meeting’, or ‘Thanks, that’s just the information I needed’, do it.
• If you are unable to reply there and then or choose not to, let the sender know that you’ve received the message and will be in touch as soon as possible. This is a useful method of dealing with a query when:
  • you need to get further information before replying in full
  • it relates to a relatively complex issue so you need time to consider your response, rather than giving a rushed answer
  • you are angry, upset, frustrated, or confused about a message you’ve received and need a ‘cooling-off’ period before you make a considered response

TOP TIP
Taking a staged approach is useful as it allows you to maintain contact while not interrupting other work that may be more important. It also gives you a bit of breathing space if you are feeling under pressure or worried about the issue under discussion.

Office Etiquette: Asking for Money

It’s probably one of the thorniest office issues – money. Whether it’s a birthday, a leaving do, or sponsorship for a charity event, what is acceptable to ask for, and what is, frankly, crossing the line? Here are our top tips:

The golden rule is never to make people uncomfortable, or put them in a position where they feel they have to cough up. This simply leads to resentment and is counter-productive - however worthy the cause in question.

Where office birthdays are concerned, my advice would be: keep it simple. A card is enough for people to know you wish them a happy birthday. Particularly in a big office, birthdays are frequent occurrences, and can end up being a big drain on the purse, especially for more junior employees. If as a manager you’re keen to mark the occasion of birthdays, why not offer everyone their birthday as an extra day’s holiday? I promise you it will mean more to most people than any gift you could buy as a result of a whip-round.

Leaving occasions are arguably slightly different, especially if someone has worked for the organisation for a while. It’s important to them and to the office to mark their contribution and their departure. But there’s no need to go overboard: it really is the thought that counts. My tip here would be to suggest a range (say £1 to £5) for any contributions, and not to press anyone who for whatever reason doesn’t wish to contribute.

Finally – and possibly most difficult of all to handle - the dreaded sponsored marathon/walk/bike ride/Everest climb. How on earth do you say no without looking like Scrooge?

A simple response is to say that you already support another charity and would prefer to concentrate your support on them. If you are the person seeking sponsorship, make it clear that you are not expecting sponsorship, and make sure that you personally thank everyone who does put their hand in their pocket. And don’t even think about asking for sponsorship more than once a year: I know several regular marathon runners who have really miffed their colleagues by constantly asking for funding. Little and seldom is the key!