We’ve all heard the old adage “Looking for work is work”. When applying for jobs it’s important to remain a consummate professional. There is a certain job search etiquette and appropriate behaviour that needs adhering to. How you present yourself could either impress or put off future employers.
For example, always turn off your cell phone during a job interview. Not just for the sake of being polite, but also if you are someone who enjoys eclectic ringtones, an interview is not the time to show them off.
Having “Bow-chicka-bow-bow” ring out from your phone while trying to impress a future employer is not only embarrassing, but may give the interviewer a sordid impression of how you spend your time out of the office.
You never want to open the door to the question: What does your ringtone say about you?
From answering your phone, to the message you leave, it is important to be aware of how you are representing yourself.
You only need to make this mistake once to learn your lesson. It happened to me when I was applying for a summer student placement position. I was lying in bed one morning when the phone rang. I picked up the receiver and the conversation went something like this:
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“Hello” I said.
“Hello, is this Jenna?”
“Yes, oh my god, hi how are you?” I enthusiastically responded.
“Um, I’m good, thank you”
“Oh my god, where are you, what time is it where you are?”
“Um, it’s 9:30″
“What, what do you mean?”
“Um, that it’s 9:30…”
“Wait, you’re here!?! No, where are you?”
“I’m in Toronto”
“What? I can’t believe you’re here. What are you doing here? When can we meet up?”
“Jenna, I’m phoning about the application you submitted for the summer student position. I’m wondering if you’d like to come in for an interview.”
There was a long pause.
“Hello? Jenna?”
Embarrassing, yes, but at least it was only a friend for whom I had mistaken the caller. In hindsight it could have been worse.
That was all it took to realize that when searching for work it is important to always be ready to receive a call.
Here are a few more job search etiquette tips:
Have a professional sounding voice mail message. No jokes or celebrity impersonations, please. (I once heard a very poor Yoda impression telling me that, “Patient, you must be. A message you must leave.”)
Don’t apply for jobs with an email address that reflects your hobby, your entire family or your sexual prowess. (golfmaniac@email.com, TheHendersons@email.com, or Ladiesman69@email.com) Create one that’s just your name, or as close as possible. JohnSmith500@email.com is fine.
It’s fine to have a sense of humour, but you have to be aware that not everyone is going to share it. If you misjudge your audience before you get to know them (or they get to know you), you stand a high chance of looking unprofessional or immature.
Find a job where you can be yourself. On the job hunt, however, it’s better to be the polite, respectful version of yourself that you send to dinner with your significant other’s parents.
This is so true. Wish I had seen this 4 months ago :-).
Wow, I can’t believe anyone actually acts like that when job hunting. That’s impressive.
Actually, I recommend *not* answering the phone while you are job hunting, but allow the (with professional greeting) voice mail to pick up all calls. That way, you can screen which employer called you for what position, so you can call them back when you are ready and well prepared for any questions.
The areas you’ve touched on, are in context with presentation, one thing I would add to that is the more these things take of your personal space the more second nature it becomes and less of something you got to remember.
In addition to all of these great comments I would like to share an experience from an employer who called me in for a second interview because the last person that she interviewed said “awesome” too much. She was more experienced but the annoyance of saying “awesome” too much is sometimes very fluent in some people’s vocabulary so if you avoid saying this you sound more professional. I got hired for the job because I didn’t say “awesome”. This is not very professional on the part of the employer, however, personality in an interview does make a difference.
My email is a pornstar name (which I didn’t know at first because it is also a nickname) and I got more calls from that one than the one with just my regular joe name, lol.
Walking around in shorts during work hours. I’ve seen guys (and girls too) in spring wearing shorts to do their work (teaching teenagers) and I`ve done it too. I’m trying to change my ways so I don’t have to learn the hard way.
@Andrew – that might lose you the position, but is *good* advice.
@Jenna – great article, I like the way you looked at the situation, most people tell you what to DO, but not what NOT to do. Thank you
Thess reminders left me into thinking if the same thing that happened to me not so long ago, during those times that i was looking for a job. Thanks.
If you want to find true love, look for someone who accepts you for who you are, warts and all. I think we are living in an era of unprecedented social openness, so I believe the same applies to the job search. If they are turned off by your handle, they likely won’t be retaining you for long once hired, anyway.
I also think that if you are an Engineer, quite naturally you will behave like one. And if you are a new media producer, like myself, you will have three vodka tonics, enjoy the company you are with, curse and still close a sale.
I totally agree with Andrew, I did that while I was searching for a job, and I was more comfortable to call the people back since I could reasearch them before returning the call. Sometime the first contact are small phone interviews.
Very interesting your article, and very telling of the lack of education given in Canada at home and school level.
Basic etiquette and appropriate behaviour is something that should be carry out through out our daily lives.
I had come across too many times with phony attitudes, people trying too hard to look professional, well mannered, to end up in business lunches with people who did not know how to eat properly at a table, or maintain a conversation.
Europe, in other hand, give an importance to good manners, especially in the growing up years, that sets them apart form our counterparts in North America /Canada.
It’s all useful advice that the article gives, but I think some of the points depend on the context and culture of the individual workplace. The article presumes a certain conservatism – for example, the bank culture. But many technology companies have a totally different culture. In my experience, the stuffiness is no longer so prevalent. Many people in hiring positions today behave much more casually than was the case a generation ago.
I have submitted many resumes/applications over the past year and had no success in finding a job but i have landed interviews which is good. Once I was on the GO train on the way to a volunteer thing of mine when my cell rang (well vibrated – i don’t have it on ring while in transit) and she left a message. I didn’t have my resume or notes on the ad with me so I decided to call her back the next day. I did so and she said to me “I EXPECTED a call from you yesterday” (something along that line) It really took me aback and irked me no end. Long and short of it i wasn’t sure if i wanted this job either because of her attitude. I went for the interview and it didn’t jive with me. First of all the job title was “Girl Friday” (ohmigosh – so old-fashion) and when I asked about the duties she was evasive and said the candidate would be helping in various departments. Vibe went off that I did NOT want this job. But since I hadn’t had any other bites i would have !
taken it short term while continuing job searching. – No call backs no nothing ever came of it – even though I was qualified –
I think that a call back 24 hours later is appropriate as I don’t think employers EXPECT candidates to sit by the phone waiting!
Another rude employer (lack of ettique for her) was this: I sent my resume to this person for an office job and when she called I was out (probably volunteering) and so i got the message and called her back less than 24 hours later. I called and she wasn’t in, didn’t leave a message. Called again, not in, no message and the 3rd time I finally left a message. No return call no email no nothing. I followed up again via email to make sure she got my voice mail and received nothing.
Etiquette certainly works both ways!