Get Noticed With Good Manners
You never know where your next network reference will come from. Having good manners could get you noticed and make the difference in you landing the job you are seeking. Manners will leave a positive impression and help you to be remembered during your next interview. The first impression you provide for others is up to you, will it be a winning impression?
Whether in person or on the phone, being polite goes a long way. You’ve heard of or watched the scene play out on television where a person is running late and knocks down people, steals a taxi ride or cuts someone off in traffic to get to their interview or big meeting. Of course, when they reach their destination they find the person they were so rude to just a few minutes earlier is really the person they are in of impressing.
Don’t let that scenario happen to you. Practice improving your manners by starting small such as saying “thank you†or holding opens a door for someone. This will improve your manners and increase your joy during the day. Intentionally helping others always makes you feel better.
Another manner to work on is being friendly. By smiling at someone or asking how a situation is turning out, you show interest and using your manners will help develop friendly and productive rapports with others. It is often the simplest gestures that leave the most impact. Change how you choose to react to a situation by staying calm instead of yelling or making unkind remarks. Take a deep breath, smile or laugh to defuse yourself, this will help you remain calm and others from feeling uncomfortable.
One tip for improving your manners is to address people by using there name. Everyone loves to hear their name said. It will make others feel good and improve your relationship because they feel important. Remembering names however, can be very difficult so try a few of these tricks. First repeat the name a few times while you are in conversation with the person. While in the conversation find ways to associate their name with something to help you remember it. Secondly as someone comes toward you think of their particular name association so you will be ready to receive them using their name. It is definitely a habit that will take some practice before it gets easier. Start with people in the office or staff you see less frequently or those from other departments and work from there.
So, how is being nice, polite and friendly going to help you find a job? The professional benefits are endless! New networking contacts will be easier made when you are friendly to others including strangers. You never know how a little small talk can lead to finding your dream job. Helping someone catch the elevator or holding open a door can lead to conversations that just might put you in front of the CEO or hiring manager of a company you would love to work for. It might not be a direct meeting but you could be helping out the spouse, child or friend of a vital contact. You never know the impact you have on others. Try setting a goal of 3 or 4 daily acts of kindness. It will improve your job search and get you noticed.
It is important to use your manners on all the employees you meet while going through your interview process. Be friendly, smile, speak clearly and use proper English because a hiring manager will want a friendly, confident and well spoken employee to represent the company. After you have completed the interview don’t forget to send a thank you note to all participants of your interview process including the reference or contact that informed you of the job opening.
In today’s busy and competitive world manners still leave a positive impact. A friendly and inviting approach during your job search can make a real difference with networking activities and give you a competitive advantage over others with similar job skills and experience. Many times the race is close and it is the seemingly small things like manners that will make the difference and get you hired.