If you're going to attend a lunch, networking event, volunteer activity and especially a conference, don't forget your business cards. Business cards should be something you carry with you like your cell phone. They are an easy way to remind those you meet of how to contact you. As I said in Follow Up with … Continue reading Don’t Forget Your Business Cards
It’s ok to Decline Invitations
Even though most work places have a clause in the handbook forbidding employees from soliciting their co-workers for fundraisers, the never-ending invitations to Silpada and Pampered Chef and Avon parties after hours can be dizzying. While at first it might seem that in order to fit in you have to attend every single party, I'm … Continue reading It’s ok to Decline Invitations
Use Your Inside Voice
A tweet this morning from the wonderful Laura Scholz made me laugh and shudder. She said, "People, please use your indoor voices! #coworkingetiquette" While we all learned about inside voices from our parents and teachers, I'm surprised how easy it is to forget. I am excitable and can have problems with volume control when I'm … Continue reading Use Your Inside Voice
Ability to laugh at yourself
I can't even begin to tell you how important this trait has been to me, personally and professionally. Laughter is a great way to diffuse a situation, let people know you aren’t perfect and bond. Inevitably, I am going to make a mistake. I’m going to let spell check change a word into something else, … Continue reading Ability to laugh at yourself
Treating Others Fairly
I’ve almost always been considered “Support Staff” in every job except in a newsroom. Maybe my personality keeps me from being brushed aside, but I also (wrongly) thought that we had moved on from treating secretaries and office assistants as second-class office mates. Everyone has had an experience in elementary school where someone was left … Continue reading Treating Others Fairly