By Culture and Manners Institute

Too many people think an interview or sales call begins when you meet the interviewer or client.  Your interview begins with the security guards when you enter the building.  Kill with kindness any security personnel and administrative professionals you meet along the way.  They are all part of your interview process.  Be upbeat, pleasant and make eye contact with everyone you meet on your way in and out.

By Culture and Manners Institute

Your attire has the first word in any business meeting.  If you want to command authority, wear a suit with a jacket or wear a blazer.  This goes for women as well as men.  If a cute sweater set or a man’s sweater vest could talk, it would not say, “I am in charge.” (It would say, “What would you like from the deli?”)

If you have a casual office environment, wear a jacket or blazer when you have important meetings.  If you are the company spokesperson, have an emergency jacket or blazer in your office in case you need to go before the media in an emergency.

By Culture and Manners Institute

Ever get one of those voice mail messages where you couldn’t quite make out what the caller was saying?  The person could have been mumbling or talking like his house was on fire.  Perhaps the person was calling in from out where the elephants go to die and cell service was a little spotty.

When leaving a voice mail message, speak clearly with a smile in your voice.  State your name, company and phone number at the beginning of the message and repeat your name and phone number at the end of the message.  Say the phone number slowly each time, as if you are standing in front of the person who is writing it down.  That way, the person listening to the voice mail message does not have to keep replaying the message to take down your information.  Or if the number was hard to understand at the beginning of the message, the repeat number will confirm it.