How to come off as more professional?
March 7, 2012 10:21 AM Subscribe
How do I come off as more professional in the workplace? Especially when it comes to speaking to co-workers and clients? Any tips from professionals working in the legal field?
Within the past few months I've switched jobs to working in a business-type firm (I'm a legal assistant and have been for years) and I've been told by one of my bosses that I need to come off as more professional.
In the past he has stated that I don't enunciate properly (I have a slight accent ) and generally I'm causal and easy going. I never considered myself unprofessional - I dress in nice office outfits and tend to think that I was professional with clients. I've always had compliments with clients in my old firm - but I'm beginning to see that I was dealing with a different type of law (Family Law and Wills & Estates where being comforting and causal is more expected - and desired).
After the discussion with him, I really feel like I need to up my game. In my profession, assistants are incredibly disposable. Not only that, I enjoy what I do and I would hate to come off as lazy or anything like that.
Any tips from professionals (or non-professionals) on what I can do to assert a more professional demeanor?
If it helps, I am a bit young (only 25) which can sometimes make me seem a bit more immature then I am.
Within the past few months I've switched jobs to working in a business-type firm (I'm a legal assistant and have been for years) and I've been told by one of my bosses that I need to come off as more professional.
In the past he has stated that I don't enunciate properly (I have a slight accent ) and generally I'm causal and easy going. I never considered myself unprofessional - I dress in nice office outfits and tend to think that I was professional with clients. I've always had compliments with clients in my old firm - but I'm beginning to see that I was dealing with a different type of law (Family Law and Wills & Estates where being comforting and causal is more expected - and desired).
After the discussion with him, I really feel like I need to up my game. In my profession, assistants are incredibly disposable. Not only that, I enjoy what I do and I would hate to come off as lazy or anything like that.
Any tips from professionals (or non-professionals) on what I can do to assert a more professional demeanor?
If it helps, I am a bit young (only 25) which can sometimes make me seem a bit more immature then I am.
This is something that happens naturally over time. You will get to know people better and start replicating their behavior. If you want to speed up this process you can select a woman who is perceived as more professional, analyze her body language and speech patterns and practice these things. This, of course, assumes that your boss isn't an (insecure) jerk who can't handle people who are different from himself.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 10:32 AM on March 7, 2012
posted by Foci for Analysis at 10:32 AM on March 7, 2012
Hmm. Does he have any kind of concrete examples of what he means by "casual and easygoing"? Maybe he means something else but just picked a weird way to describe it.
Also: it could just be that particular office. I temped in a few different places, and there are VERY different cultures in some offices -- in one office I had to get someone to the phone in a hurry and speedwalked to his door to flag him down, and someone took me aside and told me that "it's unprofessional to run in a business environment." But the very next assignment was in a bank where people were not only running, but having rolling-chair races up and down the aisles between the cubicles, making goofy signs for over their desks, etc. Granted, that wasn't in front of clients, but the atmosphere was just different overall.
In general, maybe just trying to be polite-but-very-efficient with a client could be a place to start -- you know, rather than chit-chat with them when you get the phone (not saying you do, just giving a for-instance), just find out what they need and get it for them or take a message or whatever you need to do.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:33 AM on March 7, 2012
Also: it could just be that particular office. I temped in a few different places, and there are VERY different cultures in some offices -- in one office I had to get someone to the phone in a hurry and speedwalked to his door to flag him down, and someone took me aside and told me that "it's unprofessional to run in a business environment." But the very next assignment was in a bank where people were not only running, but having rolling-chair races up and down the aisles between the cubicles, making goofy signs for over their desks, etc. Granted, that wasn't in front of clients, but the atmosphere was just different overall.
In general, maybe just trying to be polite-but-very-efficient with a client could be a place to start -- you know, rather than chit-chat with them when you get the phone (not saying you do, just giving a for-instance), just find out what they need and get it for them or take a message or whatever you need to do.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:33 AM on March 7, 2012
Practice saying "Yes" instead of "yeah", "yep", "okay" and "uh-huh". Eliminate other slang from your conversation at work, including swearing (even the mild stuff). If you never swear at all at work, people won't really notice that you never swear, but they will think of you as having a very calm, very professional demeanor. Plus, that one time you deploy a good solid goddamnit, people really pay attention. Word choice is as important as accent and diction in sounding like a professional.
Practice not touching your hair. If you wear it in a style that tends to creep into your eyes or your face, style it so id doesn't, find a way to pin it in place at work, or change your hairstyle.
Also, never never never talk about your personal dramas. Not "never talk about your personal life" but "never talk about the dramas." The answer to how was your weekend is never about your sick cat or your best friend's cheating boyfriend, or your crazy neighbor leaving passive-aggressive notes on the mailbox. It's "I enjoyed the great weather we had." or "We saw an interesting exhibit at the museum" or "It was very relaxing. How was yours?"
posted by crush-onastick at 10:34 AM on March 7, 2012 [11 favorites]
Practice not touching your hair. If you wear it in a style that tends to creep into your eyes or your face, style it so id doesn't, find a way to pin it in place at work, or change your hairstyle.
Also, never never never talk about your personal dramas. Not "never talk about your personal life" but "never talk about the dramas." The answer to how was your weekend is never about your sick cat or your best friend's cheating boyfriend, or your crazy neighbor leaving passive-aggressive notes on the mailbox. It's "I enjoyed the great weather we had." or "We saw an interesting exhibit at the museum" or "It was very relaxing. How was yours?"
posted by crush-onastick at 10:34 AM on March 7, 2012 [11 favorites]
Response by poster: The office is definitely more professional then the last one I was in.
My boss didn't label me as causal or easy going - but he did say I needed to step it up in the professional department. I feel like it's more my personality - a few habits and mannerisms that keep creeping up. I'm just a friendly - outgoing person.
I never swear around clients, but I know I do at my cube - something I should work on.
posted by Danithegirl at 10:42 AM on March 7, 2012
My boss didn't label me as causal or easy going - but he did say I needed to step it up in the professional department. I feel like it's more my personality - a few habits and mannerisms that keep creeping up. I'm just a friendly - outgoing person.
I never swear around clients, but I know I do at my cube - something I should work on.
posted by Danithegirl at 10:42 AM on March 7, 2012
While some things vary from one place to another, others are universal
posted by bilabial at 10:46 AM on March 7, 2012 [11 favorites]
- Posture posture posture. Shoulders square
- look people in the eye when appropriate
- firm handshakes at the beginnings and/or ends of meetings
- Conversations brief with no personal questions
- Phone ettiquette - copy someone in the office who is considered professional
- No fidgeting - not with pens, not with your cuticles, not with your hair.
- No swearing, no deep sighing, no sucking air through your teeth, no sarcastic "oh jeez it's Mrs So and So calling. Not even if everyone in the office has already sighed, sucked air and moaned about Mrs So and So all in 30 seconds.
- No gossiping. Not about coworkers, not about the news, not about anything.
- Leave not only your personal drama out of the office, but any suggestion that you have a personal life beyond the minimum of a fun activity or the weather. Don't talk about boyfriends, parents, roommates, or friends with any specificity.
- Do something with your hair. I don't know why this is true, but on days that I put hot rollers in my hair, and a little bit of hair spray (or a lot), people take me more seriously. Is it fair? Absolutely not. But no matter what I'm wearing, hair just has that effect for me, and for many other women.
- No gum chewing.
- Keep a water bottle tucked down by your feet and remain hydrated so that your voice doesn't get hoarse. Depending on what others do, no beverages visible at your desk.
posted by bilabial at 10:46 AM on March 7, 2012 [11 favorites]
Regarding the swearing - if you do it in front of your coworkers, or just within earshot, they will be forever worried that you are going to drop an F bomb on Mrs So and So.
Who happens to be the biggest client. Or the most well connected client. So it's good that you're aware of that one already.
posted by bilabial at 10:47 AM on March 7, 2012
Who happens to be the biggest client. Or the most well connected client. So it's good that you're aware of that one already.
posted by bilabial at 10:47 AM on March 7, 2012
That's a bit more to go on; swearing in the office is probably somethng to be cautious about.
He may mean the friendly/outgoing stuff -- I know that a lot of the calls I take are from people who are in a hurry and want to just talk to whomever, and want me to be as efficient as possible. If you're friendly, that could get on their nerves if they have to make a ton of calls after this; so I just am as efficient as possible ("May I ask who's calling?....he's not here, may I take a message?....may i have your number again for his reference when he returns the call?....thank you!") so they can get done quick and move on. It feels cold and impersonal, but that's....kinda what they want.
Of course, this doesn't mean that you should completely ignore it if they make a joke or something. But wait for them to start joking first. And make your own joke small and quick; kind of like how you'd joke around with your grandmother or something.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:48 AM on March 7, 2012
He may mean the friendly/outgoing stuff -- I know that a lot of the calls I take are from people who are in a hurry and want to just talk to whomever, and want me to be as efficient as possible. If you're friendly, that could get on their nerves if they have to make a ton of calls after this; so I just am as efficient as possible ("May I ask who's calling?....he's not here, may I take a message?....may i have your number again for his reference when he returns the call?....thank you!") so they can get done quick and move on. It feels cold and impersonal, but that's....kinda what they want.
Of course, this doesn't mean that you should completely ignore it if they make a joke or something. But wait for them to start joking first. And make your own joke small and quick; kind of like how you'd joke around with your grandmother or something.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:48 AM on March 7, 2012
Talk less. Acknowledge via concise body language. Use time normally spent responding to formulate better response
posted by MangyCarface at 11:01 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by MangyCarface at 11:01 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
Less talk. Succint. Brief. Pause before saying anything.
posted by pakora1 at 11:02 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by pakora1 at 11:02 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Do you "uptalk"? You know? The thing where you make every statement a question? Even just a bit? I hear a lot of people (women more than men, but even men) uptalking these days, and it takes effort not to think of them as a little less mature. You might not even realize that you're doing it, so ask a friend to listen to you.
Don't lean. On anything. Ever. Stand up straight and face the person you're speaking with.
Wear "older" clothes. See what the other assistants -- especially the older ones and the ones who have been there a while -- are wearing, and incorporate that into your wardrobe. Hairstyle, too.
Every conversation is two-way, even if it's your boss telling you which file to get. Keep that in mind, and remember that you're always communicating with him.
Call everyone "Sir" or "Ma'am" until you're told not to by that person. And even then, if you're part of a three-person conversation with people you've been told to call Bob and Mr. Drysdale, call Bob by his last name.
Also, what MangyCarface and pakora1 just said.
posted by Etrigan at 11:09 AM on March 7, 2012 [3 favorites]
Don't lean. On anything. Ever. Stand up straight and face the person you're speaking with.
Wear "older" clothes. See what the other assistants -- especially the older ones and the ones who have been there a while -- are wearing, and incorporate that into your wardrobe. Hairstyle, too.
Every conversation is two-way, even if it's your boss telling you which file to get. Keep that in mind, and remember that you're always communicating with him.
Call everyone "Sir" or "Ma'am" until you're told not to by that person. And even then, if you're part of a three-person conversation with people you've been told to call Bob and Mr. Drysdale, call Bob by his last name.
Also, what MangyCarface and pakora1 just said.
posted by Etrigan at 11:09 AM on March 7, 2012 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Here are a few suggestions:
Voice/speaking mannerisms - practice speaking in a lower register (unless you already have a lower pitched voice). Most women, especially younger women, speak in their throats or through their noses which can be high pitched and squeaky. You want the sounds you make coming out of your chest.
Also, slow down when speaking and don't round off words, e.g., going to vs. gonna, have to vs. hafta. Cut the slang, such as reckon "I reckon I can do that." or fixin "I was fixin to go to the mail room." Don't say "huh" or "do what?". Do not use the words "like" or "totally" as a time filler when you are trying to think of what to say.
Don't shout, laugh super loudly or call down the hallway/aisle as someone is walking away. I work with someone who gets loud when they get excited and it can carry to the other end of the office.
Don't gossip, just don't. Especially if you live in cube world, it does not matter how low you speak, someone is going to hear you. If you walk up to a group of people in mid-gossip, just smile and keep on walking by.
Don't jump to get someones attention when they are on their way into or coming out of the office. Let them sit at their desk, check their email and sip their coffee/soda for a few minutes before you bombard them with questions. Don't interupt them when they are obviously on the way out the door, unless it's an emergency.
Clothing/accessories-If money is tight for you, save up and buy a few good quailty pieces of business clothing vs. getting a lot of cheap pieces that fall apart or look shabby after a few wearings. You can dress professionaly on a budget, but it may take some time to build a wardrobe. Accessories can be your friend when you are trying to spruce up a plain outfit. Wear only one or two rings on each hand, do not wear huge earrings with lots of bling-simple and elegant is the look you are trying to achieve.
This is all about actions & behaviors, and you can make small changes that will show really positive results. Start with just one thing - your voice. Really pay attention to how you speak, the volume of your voice and the content of your speech, and then proceed from there.
Good Luck!
posted by lootie777 at 11:16 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
Voice/speaking mannerisms - practice speaking in a lower register (unless you already have a lower pitched voice). Most women, especially younger women, speak in their throats or through their noses which can be high pitched and squeaky. You want the sounds you make coming out of your chest.
Also, slow down when speaking and don't round off words, e.g., going to vs. gonna, have to vs. hafta. Cut the slang, such as reckon "I reckon I can do that." or fixin "I was fixin to go to the mail room." Don't say "huh" or "do what?". Do not use the words "like" or "totally" as a time filler when you are trying to think of what to say.
Don't shout, laugh super loudly or call down the hallway/aisle as someone is walking away. I work with someone who gets loud when they get excited and it can carry to the other end of the office.
Don't gossip, just don't. Especially if you live in cube world, it does not matter how low you speak, someone is going to hear you. If you walk up to a group of people in mid-gossip, just smile and keep on walking by.
Don't jump to get someones attention when they are on their way into or coming out of the office. Let them sit at their desk, check their email and sip their coffee/soda for a few minutes before you bombard them with questions. Don't interupt them when they are obviously on the way out the door, unless it's an emergency.
Clothing/accessories-If money is tight for you, save up and buy a few good quailty pieces of business clothing vs. getting a lot of cheap pieces that fall apart or look shabby after a few wearings. You can dress professionaly on a budget, but it may take some time to build a wardrobe. Accessories can be your friend when you are trying to spruce up a plain outfit. Wear only one or two rings on each hand, do not wear huge earrings with lots of bling-simple and elegant is the look you are trying to achieve.
This is all about actions & behaviors, and you can make small changes that will show really positive results. Start with just one thing - your voice. Really pay attention to how you speak, the volume of your voice and the content of your speech, and then proceed from there.
Good Luck!
posted by lootie777 at 11:16 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
Seconding everything bilabial said. I'm an Executive Assistant to the CEO and my two rules for worklife are:
1. Never gossip with coworkers about anything, ever. Especially related to work, but also avoid any potentially explosive topic of conversation such as politics, religion, breastfeeding, whatever.
2. Maintain a positive attitude at all times. No complaining. Bitch all you want to your friends after you leave the office, sure, but at work smile and be polite and helpful.
posted by something something at 11:17 AM on March 7, 2012
1. Never gossip with coworkers about anything, ever. Especially related to work, but also avoid any potentially explosive topic of conversation such as politics, religion, breastfeeding, whatever.
2. Maintain a positive attitude at all times. No complaining. Bitch all you want to your friends after you leave the office, sure, but at work smile and be polite and helpful.
posted by something something at 11:17 AM on March 7, 2012
I noticed you repeatedly misspelled the word "casual" as "causal" here, and I'm not sure what your circumstances are right this minute, (might be on a phone, etc) but I've certainly seen many people judged, and a few resumes written off, because of things like these.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 11:34 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by StrikeTheViol at 11:34 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best advice I've never been able to fully implement is to be a "Business Chameleon." You'll have to learn to change your stripes a number of times a day, to suit the suit on the other side.
Actually, being a "Business Chameleon" is not that easy. It's draining not being yourself. It's draining acting how others want you to act. But suck it up because when mastered, you will see it is an integral part of office politics and office success.
posted by lstanley at 11:35 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Actually, being a "Business Chameleon" is not that easy. It's draining not being yourself. It's draining acting how others want you to act. But suck it up because when mastered, you will see it is an integral part of office politics and office success.
posted by lstanley at 11:35 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
great, great advice above!
one thing to watch out for in correspondence: "causal" is not the same as "casual"; you may want to get a friend or mentor to check your writing as part of this effort, because you might have similar incongruities in your otherwise well-presented writing.
posted by batmonkey at 11:37 AM on March 7, 2012
one thing to watch out for in correspondence: "causal" is not the same as "casual"; you may want to get a friend or mentor to check your writing as part of this effort, because you might have similar incongruities in your otherwise well-presented writing.
posted by batmonkey at 11:37 AM on March 7, 2012
Do you "uptalk"? You know? The thing where you make every statement a question? Even just a bit?
This to the nth power! It is sooo annoying and unprofessional. I was at a meeting recently where every 20-something in attendance (both male and female) had a habit of uptalking. It makes you sound unsure and insecure, and it's not at all "cute." Likewise, ask someone to listen to you and see how many times you use "like" and "y'know" during the span of a brief conversation. "Like" has somehow become such a common filler word that most people don't realize that they are literally using it two or three times in a five-word sentence.
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:53 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
This to the nth power! It is sooo annoying and unprofessional. I was at a meeting recently where every 20-something in attendance (both male and female) had a habit of uptalking. It makes you sound unsure and insecure, and it's not at all "cute." Likewise, ask someone to listen to you and see how many times you use "like" and "y'know" during the span of a brief conversation. "Like" has somehow become such a common filler word that most people don't realize that they are literally using it two or three times in a five-word sentence.
posted by Oriole Adams at 11:53 AM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I don't uptalk, but I know I say "like" way too many times. I hate that I say it :(
When it comes to the actual work that I produce, I've had nothing but compliments. I know that I am good at my job and am told so on a regular basis - I suppose the issue is how I present myself, specifically in the way that I speak.
posted by Danithegirl at 12:12 PM on March 7, 2012
When it comes to the actual work that I produce, I've had nothing but compliments. I know that I am good at my job and am told so on a regular basis - I suppose the issue is how I present myself, specifically in the way that I speak.
posted by Danithegirl at 12:12 PM on March 7, 2012
It's not about wearing 'nice' office outfits or being casual/comforting - your attire has to be appropriate for the occasion and you have to be polite and efficient. You maintain professional distance - if you are not clear what I mean by that consider professionals you have interacted with as a member of the public, as a customer, client or patient. What made you appreciate these people as professionals? Perhaps they treated you with respect and courtesy, they were efficient and got the job done with the least amount of fuss? Would you be happy to interact with them again? Did you feel you could rely on them to do what they were supposed to do and do it well?
So how do you become one of these people? Start by using whole sentences, focusing on doing your tasks well and quickly, by erring on the formal side, never the casual. That will make you more professional in general. But you need more; you need to learn the culture of this firm.
So while you start using whole sentences you also identify one or two well regarded long standing assistants in your firm. Observe them. How are they interacting with each other, with the lawyers, with clients. How is your approach and style different? This includes how you present yourself and how you communicate and what you communicate about - face to face, on the phone and in writing.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:17 PM on March 7, 2012
So how do you become one of these people? Start by using whole sentences, focusing on doing your tasks well and quickly, by erring on the formal side, never the casual. That will make you more professional in general. But you need more; you need to learn the culture of this firm.
So while you start using whole sentences you also identify one or two well regarded long standing assistants in your firm. Observe them. How are they interacting with each other, with the lawyers, with clients. How is your approach and style different? This includes how you present yourself and how you communicate and what you communicate about - face to face, on the phone and in writing.
posted by koahiatamadl at 12:17 PM on March 7, 2012
Replace that "the girl" self-image with a "Danithelegalassistant" image.
It's great to be a nice person and to be warm and gracious and all those feminine things, but in a button-down environment it's better to be fair and alert and serious and etc.
Can you channel Miss Manners? Judith Martin is the ultimate in being respectful and expecting respect without sacraficing warmth and humor.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 12:22 PM on March 7, 2012
It's great to be a nice person and to be warm and gracious and all those feminine things, but in a button-down environment it's better to be fair and alert and serious and etc.
Can you channel Miss Manners? Judith Martin is the ultimate in being respectful and expecting respect without sacraficing warmth and humor.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 12:22 PM on March 7, 2012
One trick I've learned for breaking people (myself included) of verbal tics such as 'like', 'um', 'you know': Borrow a friend and something that makes noise on command. A squeaky toy or a clicker works best, but anything in that category should do.
If you're prepping for a speech, run through it with your friend watching, and have them click/squeak/whatever it is when you say the offending term.
If you're looking to eliminate it in general (or don't have a speech to practice) have them use it when you're talking with them.
The key here is making you aware of when you're doing it, but not to the point where it derails you. "Like" has somehow become such a common filler word that most people don't realize that they are literally using it two or three times in a five-word sentence. This is exactly the problem. It's unconscious. You don't know that you're saying it. By making you aware of it, by making your mind focus on it; then you can eliminate it.
Your mileage may vary, but this trick is golden when it comes to curing unconscious tics.
posted by CrystalDave at 12:43 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
If you're prepping for a speech, run through it with your friend watching, and have them click/squeak/whatever it is when you say the offending term.
If you're looking to eliminate it in general (or don't have a speech to practice) have them use it when you're talking with them.
The key here is making you aware of when you're doing it, but not to the point where it derails you. "Like" has somehow become such a common filler word that most people don't realize that they are literally using it two or three times in a five-word sentence. This is exactly the problem. It's unconscious. You don't know that you're saying it. By making you aware of it, by making your mind focus on it; then you can eliminate it.
Your mileage may vary, but this trick is golden when it comes to curing unconscious tics.
posted by CrystalDave at 12:43 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
OH! I HAVE THE PERFECT THING FOR YOU.
I recently read Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers.
It is exactly what you are looking for, I promise you.
posted by ErikaB at 1:11 PM on March 7, 2012 [8 favorites]
I recently read Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers.
It is exactly what you are looking for, I promise you.
posted by ErikaB at 1:11 PM on March 7, 2012 [8 favorites]
It's almost certainly the swearing. Stop doing that.
The other suggestions here are good but they miss the point. You're getting called out because you've done something to annoy others, not because you don't have perfect etiquette. Work on the obvious stuff and that will be 90% of the solution.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 1:29 PM on March 7, 2012
The other suggestions here are good but they miss the point. You're getting called out because you've done something to annoy others, not because you don't have perfect etiquette. Work on the obvious stuff and that will be 90% of the solution.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 1:29 PM on March 7, 2012
Jumping aboard the "no swearing" train. I don't curse at all; I don't know why, I just never did as a child/young adult and eventually decided that I didn't want to use "swear words." Anyway, I remember one afternoon when I was a late 20-something employee in a small office and my boss, out of the blue, said to me "You are such a contradiction. You like those weird rock bands (I had little pictures of Kiss and Motley Crue on my cork board, and I occasionally wore skull earrings and similar accoutrements to work in an otherwise staid atmosphere) but you wouldn't say 'sh*t' if you had a mouthful of it." I was confused by his remark, but a co-worker (a female with a sometimes salty vocabulary) who'd overheard later told me "Haven't you ever noticed that Ernie doesn't like it when women swear? That's why he lets you handle a lot of his customer phone calls."
One other "trick" that has stood me well in the corporate world (helped to make me sound professional even at age 16) was to never answer a question with simply "I don't know." If I didn't know the answer I would say "Let me find out for you" or "I'm not sure, but let me look that up" or some similar type of response that indicated that I wasn't shrugging the question off and was willing to do some research to find an answer.
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:46 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
One other "trick" that has stood me well in the corporate world (helped to make me sound professional even at age 16) was to never answer a question with simply "I don't know." If I didn't know the answer I would say "Let me find out for you" or "I'm not sure, but let me look that up" or some similar type of response that indicated that I wasn't shrugging the question off and was willing to do some research to find an answer.
posted by Oriole Adams at 1:46 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
I came here to second Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office. It is a great book! Little things, like laughing at the end of your sentences, can make you seem unprofessional. I also like the Manager Tools and Career Tools podcasts -- both are great for career advice.
posted by Ostara at 7:55 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Ostara at 7:55 PM on March 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
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This thread is closed to new comments.
Ever seen Mad Men? Early on in the series, when Peggy is still an admin assistant, she shows concern for a co-worker crying in the women's bathroom. A few episodes later, she's starting to realize that being "one of the girls" isn't going to get her anywhere, and she is confronted with the same scenario again. This time, she walks away. It's kind of like that.
The best advice I can give you is to take the mantra of "each person's business is their own".
Good luck, and maybe see you on the weekend at the meetup!
posted by LN at 10:31 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]