Interview: Christie Leigh Mueller

Happy Labor Day! Speaking of...would you like to get a job?

Our friend Chelsea Hanson  interviewed Christie Leigh Mueller, business etiquette consultant and author of "Gridiron Belles: A Guide to Saturdays in Dixie." (Remember: we'll announce the winner of our FREE GIVEAWAY of her book on Sept. 5!)

Before we give her book away, however, we’re going to help you get a job —or at least prepare to get a job, thanks to Mueller’s wisdom. Here we go!

Chelsea Hanson: What the key point to focus on in a cover letter?

Christie Leigh Mueller: The key to a cover letter is to give a personal touch in a professional tone. In your cover letter, you have the opportunity to highlight a few of your experiences and explain why they will make you the perfect candidate for the position.

Are unconventional resumes a way to stand out or can they harm you?

You always want some degree of uniqueness to your resume, but that’s not to be confused with being unprofessional.  Stay away from scents, bright papers, items that fall out of an envelope, or singing e-mails.  Rather, be unique in your ability to present a clean, well-organized, impressive resume.  You’d be surprised how much format can influence your interviewer.

If the owner of the company is very young, maybe only a few years older than yourself, do you address them as Mr. or Ms. or their first name? 

Despite their age, the owner of the company is still your superior in the business world.  Always err on addressing them as Mr. or Ms. until they advise you otherwise.  You always address people how they have asked you to.

When it comes to soliciting for unlisted jobs, how can a young person investigate opportunities without being a bother?

Simple and sincere conversation. It’s too forward to ask for favors before you’ve established a relationship with someone.  However, it is acceptable to ask someone for advice for getting into your desired career. Asking for advice gets them thinking about that particular field and is a natural segue for them to offer to introduce you to the people they know that could offer you a job.

If you do ask a professional for help, always be considerate of their time be it during a conversation or reading your e-mails.  Do your homework on the subject, follow up if you say you’re going to, and above all, do not expect them to do all of the work for you.

Where’s the best experience—interning for a big company, or a smaller, lesser-known company that might offer more freedom?

I don’t think they are mutually exclusive.  There are countless benefits to both.  If you worked for a big name in the industry, a reputable company obviously saw you as someone worth hiring. But, what if your main responsibility was making sure the boss’s coffee had one cream and two sugars?

With a smaller, lesser-known company, your work experience and creativity was likely developed. Your abilities were likely seen by your colleagues.  

In either case, play up your experiences, the projects you were a part of, and what you learned simply by being around the office.  You’d be surprised what you can learn by a boss you observed from a distance at a large company.

Many young people market themselves online with blogs or otherwise establishing a brand presence. Is a recommendation from someone you only know online as good as one from a personal recommendation?

Establishing yourself and a brand in cyber-world is an accomplishment in itself and should be used to your advantage during the interview process.  It is in essence, a small business.

It is, however, easy to hide qualities or shortcomings behind a computer so for recommendations I would stay with a stronger reference from someone you know well.

What about clothes—what do you recommend wearing for an interview?

When dressing for an interview, do your due-diligence and figure out what the dress code is at the office.  Dress accordingly.

Note, it is never, under and circumstance, acceptable for you to wear jeans to an interview. There are plenty of options available to be less formal than a suit but more put together than jeans if the company warrants such dress.

Remember, your first impression is at stake here and your outfit directly reflects on your abilities as an employee.  

Thank you, Christie Leigh Mueller! Check in with us on Sept. 5 to see if you've won a copy of "Gridiron Belles!"

Free Giveaway!

We are honored to offer a FREE GIVEAWAY of “Gridiron Belles: A Guide to Saturdays in Dixie,” by Christie Leigh Mueller, a business etiquette consultant living in Austin, TX and Louisville, KY. Mueller’s book is not only a guide to football and tailgating—it’s a “a romance novel, a fashion guide, an etiquette handbook, an advice column, and a rulebook all rolled into one pretty package,” she says. 

Christie Leigh Mueller

It’s the perfect time to give this book as a gift or just enjoy it for yourself—tailgating season is fast upon us!

For your chance to win, leave us a comment (one per person) in this post, telling us your favorite college football team, before 8 a.m. EST Wednesday, Sept. 5. We will announce the winner (selected via Random Number Generator) shortly after on this blog.

Watch this space for an upcoming interview with Mueller—in the meantime, comment away!

UPDATE! Comments are now closed! The winner is:

"I love the Georgia Bulldogs! And I love Perfectly Polished!"

Posted by: Lee Thornton, August 29, 2012 10:06 AM

Congratulations!

Invites & Answers

We love a good party and bet you do, too. Let's talk about RSVPing — something everyone should do once an invitation arrives, whether it's paper or online.

Why RSVP?
Think of the host, trying to figure out food, drinks, possibly seating. Head counts can be critical! It's also the thoughtful thing to do. 

How to RSVP
If you get an invitation online, your answer is usually as easy as clicking a button. If you respond "maybe," be sure to change your response "yes" or "no" before the party. No need for a follow-up e-mail.

If your invite is by mail, use the phone number or e-mail provided. For formal events, use the notes that are usually enclosed in the envelope (think wedding invitations).

If an invitation says "Regrets Only," respond only if you are unable to attend.

When is it too late to RSVP?
Technically, after the party! But make your host's life easier and give an answer well in advance. Some invites include a helpful deadline. In any case, let them know whether you're coming at least a week in advance.

What if I need to change my answer?
No worries—cancel if you must, but let the host know as soon as possible. No need to go into elaborate details, but do thank the host for inviting you in the first place.

If you discover that you can attend a party after you've said you can't, consider the kind of party before you call or e-mail. If it's a formal party with exact seating arrangements, and you discover you can attend at the last minute, leave well enough alone and sit this one out. If the party is less formal, ask the host whether you can still attend before just showing up.

What if I'm invited but my friend isn't?
In short, keep the party information to yourself unless you are 100% sure your friend is also invited. And don't ask if they've been invited.

What if my friend is invited but I'm not?
Try to be gracious and happy for your friend. If it seems like a glaring oversight — invite lost in the mail? E-mail acting weird? Absent-minded, well-meaning host?—you still have to wait until the host mentions something about it, which means you may never get to address the issue. This is one of those things you might just have to let go. Remember: there are a lot more parties in your future, anyway.

Acting accordingly

Today’s blog post comes from Cindy! Take it away, Cindy...

“All persons shall conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the intended use of the premises.”

That sign, in the lobby of the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park, is a fabulous example of how our manners should adapt to the environment.  As someone who has studied and taught these rules for a career, I would be the first to say there are some manners that are always consistent. For example, being respectful is always important just as being a great listener.

But there are moments when proper etiquette might be rather unusual—even counterintuitive—but still befitting the circumstances. Let me explain. 

Earlier this year, famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma presented a solo concert at Hodgson Hall on the campus of the University of Georgia. He was dressed in a beautifully tailored suit playing a one-of-a-kind antique cello.  The audience was spellbound as he played.

After the intermission, he arrived on stage with his suit jacket off wearing a red UGA sweatshirt!  And, the crowd went crazy, yelling “Go Dawgs!” and even woof-woof-woofing! 

After the concert, a friend saw me and expressed her dismay that people would start yelling in the concert hall.  I agreed that for one second I thought I was at a football game, but very quickly added how wonderful it was that a professional cellist at the top of his game could share his expertise and get a rousing response from the audience when he chose to identify with their home team and home town!  I would equal it to someone bringing me a favorite bottle of wine when they were invited to my home for dinner.  After this exchange, my friend was accepting and even thoughtful about what she had experienced. 

So, back to that sign in the hotel lobby. We should all think about where we are and how we should act accordingly! Even yelling in a concert hall has its place. BRAVO!

Back to school!

It’s time to go back to school! Which means that a lot of young children (and their parents!) are nervous about the first day.

First of all, your child will be fine, and you’ll be fine. Take some deep breaths, meditate…if that didn’t work, follow our tips for a smooth transition back to class!

Be prepared. Find out what’s expected in terms of backpacks, dress codes, and school supplies (this information should be available on your school’s website). Attend the back-to-school open houses for both parents and students—these events are great opportunities to not only socialize, but also check in with your child’s teacher, who might have a supply wish list different from the school’s.

Visit, but thoughtfully. Some parents may want to walk their child back to their classroom on the first day and maybe even take a photo. That’s fine, but be aware that a lot of other parents want to do that, too, so make sure you aren’t blocking any hallways or doorways.

Introduce yourself. Both adults and children, no matter their age, can introduce themselves to the teacher (remember to smile and make eye contact as you shake hands).

Keep in touch. Teachers love involved parents, so make sure when is the best way and time to get in touch if you need to make plans or discuss issues. Find out whether they prefer calling or e-mail, and what hours they are free to talk.

Be on time! This counts for drop-offs, pick-ups, and parent-teacher meetings. Teachers are busier than ever these days. Let’s make their lives of packed meetings a little easier so they can focus on their vocation—educating the most precious people in your life!

How to e-mail your college professor

Actual e-mail received (and illustrated) by Dr. Janet Frick

See that e-mail up there? That's an example of how not to address your college professor.

We talked with UGA Psychology Professor  Dr. Janet Frick, about e-mail etiquette, as the above sample is hardly unique among all she's seen in over 15 years of teaching.

When she started her career, e-mail from students was more formal and thoughtful, possibly because at the time, "it was much more effortful for students to have access to a computer," she says. 

But over the past couple of years, Frick has noticed a change in the quality of e-mails she gets from her students.

"Today's undergraduates are a little 'Post E-mail,'" she says. "They are more likely to text. That engenders a quicker style, a  less formal style, a  familiarity." And they transfer that style to their e-mail.

It pays to be respectful in your e-mails for many reasons. For instance, Frick admits that students with solid e-mail etiquette stand out, that they appear to "be more polite, take school more seriously, and approach school as a professional environment."

Here are some quick tips from Frick on how to convey that respect to your professors:

• Make the subject line informative—instead of "hey," try, "Help needed with online quiz."

• Use the proper address. Unless you've been told otherwise by your instructor, always address them as "Dr." or "Prof." While it's a safe bet to call many high school teachers "Mr." or "Ms.," some college-level instructors bristle at that. Never use "Mrs.," even if you know your instructor is married—she may not have the same last name as her partner.

• Introduce yourself. Professors teach a lot of classes with a lot of students. Keep it short and helpful: "Hello, this is Joe Smith, I'm in your intro class at 11 a.m."

• Keep the tone respectful. Imagine you are writing the parent of a brand-new boyfriend or girlfriend.

P.S. - Frick gently responded to the student who e-mailed her the above sample, making suggestions on how to improve his next e-mail to her. The student thanked her for her advice!

 

National Cell Phone Courtesy Month

July is National Cell Phone Courtesy Month! 

Etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore founded the month in 2002, seeing the need to address proper cell phone use. Check out Whitmore's blog on this year's National Cell Phone Courtesy Month for some great tips, plus a video that illustrates how one should not use their phone during a date!

 Jacqueline Whitmore

Last year, we interviewed Whitmore about overall cell phone courtesy. In the past, we've also discussed when you should turn your phone off. 


This year, we're going to get to the heart of what cell phones provide: communication, and how to make it most effective when you have to leave a message.


That's right—voice mail! First of all, let's talk about...


The outgoing message
Think of your outgoing message as your own personal assistant. Personalize the message, keeping it current and updated as necessary. Remember to speak clearly and slowly. Keep the message friendly, but concise—a far more effective approach than a meandering "novelty" greeting that may seem hilarious at first, but quickly becomes annoying (especially if someone is trying to reach you in an emergency).


Leaving a message
Be brief but specific about why you're calling, and repeat your phone number at least twice. Include good times for them to return your call, but encourage them to call at their convenience. (If you're needing a quick response, you could say "earliest convenience.")


Use the voice mail!
And let others use it, too. If the phone rings while you're busy and there's no obvious emergency, let it ring and go to voice mail. You can excused yourself and check messages when it's appropriate. (If there's an emergency, you'll get multiple calls and/or texts in a row—go ahead and answer in these cases!

And, in general...
Always identify yourself with both your first and last name.


Before you get the conversation started, ask if it's a convenient time to talk, and offer to call later if it's not.


If you're calling to get information, have paper and pen ready to take notes.


Remember your tone of voice, whether you're speaking to a person or leaving a message.


After someone has helped you over the phone, feel free to thank them with a follow-up note. E-mail is fine, but getting an actual note in the mail is a special treat these days—as is a well-mannered phone call or voice mail!