Help me make a good impression!

April 5, 2007 2:48 PM

I'm going on my first business trip (4 days in Philly) where I will be visiting another branch of the company and be trained on a new program. I need tips so I make a good impression and don't screw things up.
posted by klwatts to work & money (11 comments total)

You will probably get the opportunity to be wined and dined. Accept it, but don't overindulge in the wine portion. Make sure you're always on time and prepared.
posted by substrate at 3:13 PM on April 5, 2007

And when substrate says be 'on time', he really means, 'be early'.

Traveling to new places almost always means unexpected delays, so leave extra time. You can always read the paper in the car for a few minutes if you don't want to stand around by yourself.
posted by WetherMan at 3:34 PM on April 5, 2007

make lots of friendly eye contact (eyebrows up, slight smile)
always greet everyone in the room
be extra-nice to underlings
try to remember everyone's names & say them a lot
send thank you cards / emails afterwards
posted by twistofrhyme at 3:42 PM on April 5, 2007

I've always found that a good way to impress people is to show that you know something about some aspect of them; since you'll be in Philly, maybe research it a little bit, and if conversations lull during social times, ask a few educated questions based on what you learned about the city (I'm from there, so feel free to email me (check my profile) if you want to know a little more about the city).

Better yet, if you know something more specific about one or more of the people you'll be dealing with, you can follow the same protocol.

The same rules might apply to whatever new program you're learning; if you can look up some info on it ahead of time and familiarize yourself with some of the ideas/talk/reviews surrounding it, you'll look like someone in the know.

The above suggestion of a post-meeting TY card is also great advice.
posted by hifiparasol at 4:01 PM on April 5, 2007

Get good sleep at night so you're not tired during the day - don't have a huge carby lunch eitehr or the mid-afternoon will be rough. Drink a lot of water throughout the day.

If you're getting in the night before, drive the route from your hotel to the office so you're familiar with it and not trying to figure it out in the morning.

Don't be afraid to stay quiet - a closed mouth gathers no feet. That said, ask questions when you have them to a) keep abreast of the content and b) show that you're engaged and want to learn.

Keep your cell-phone on vibrate and take calls only on break. Take good notes, MS Onenote is great for this if you have it, but a pad and paper works great too.
posted by allkindsoftime at 4:24 PM on April 5, 2007

If you're getting in the night before, drive the route from your hotel to the office so you're familiar with it and not trying to figure it out in the morning.

Seconded. This is very important when visiting new cities on business.
posted by voltairemodern at 6:43 PM on April 5, 2007

Seconded. This is very important when visiting new cities on business.

Third. If you have a personal car and are not relying on hotel transportation, driving out there the day before is very useful.

I also second the recommendation not to overindulge in the 'wine' portion of the trip. It's going to be tempting, especially since you're probably on an expense account, but you'll make a much better impression by being conservative with what you order.
posted by WetherMan at 9:09 PM on April 5, 2007

Key question to ask of any philaelphian: Favorite place to get a cheesesteak?

No matter what they answer, btw, the cheesesteak will be excellent. They'll go on about it for a bit - but they'll have an opinion.
posted by filmgeek at 9:12 PM on April 5, 2007

twistofrhyme is so right about being nice to underlings. They're the ones that run the operation so be nice to the receptionists, admins, security guards, etc. Learn their names, say hello and goodbye to them. It's especially nice at the end of the trip to stop by anyone that helped you and thank them for their time. An email or a note would be very nice.

A little of this courtesy goes a long way. I work for a big company and after we have trainees my boss goes around the office asking about their comportment. He makes mental notes about their behaviors in case they ever apply for a promotion.
posted by Soda-Da at 9:52 PM on April 5, 2007

This might seem obvious, but try to build in some alone time. My first business trip I was with 'people to impress' the ENTIRE time, and by the end I was shaking and weak with exhaustion. Maybe that's just me, but I found it surprisingly draining.
posted by sarahmelah at 7:19 AM on April 6, 2007

If its your first trip, you may not have had to produce a travel expense report before. Save ALL your receipts, put them in a fodler or something so they don't end up all wrinkled. Keep your boarding passes or trip coupons if you can, you will usually need them for the expense report.

If you have business cards, bring a lot more than you think you may need. It always sucks to run out.

Write down everyone's name if you have to.

Find something fun to do at night if you have time.

Always bring a swimsuit on trips, you never know when you'll get a chance to hit the pool!

If they have wifi in the building, don't end up surfing the net away all day during training.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:27 AM on April 6, 2007