{"id":585,"date":"2025-01-08T00:28:19","date_gmt":"2025-01-08T00:28:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter-s\/?post_type=stories&#038;p=585"},"modified":"2025-07-18T23:45:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T23:45:34","slug":"professional-etiquette","status":"publish","type":"stories","link":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/news\/professional-etiquette\/","title":{"rendered":"Professional Etiquette"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Understanding Professionalism<\/h3>\n<p>Professionalism is more than just presenting yourself well\u2014it\u2019s about earning trust and respect. Whether you&#8217;re navigating the workplace or building new connections, maintaining professionalism is key.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some essential tips to help you stay polished in any professional setting.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Small Talk<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>In professional settings, avoid discussing sensitive topics like politics or religion. Be cautious with personal questions, such as \u201cDo you have kids?\u201d For more small talk tips, visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/networking\/\">networking<\/a>\u00a0page.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Handshakes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>In the U.S., a handshake is a standard greeting in professional situations. Maintain firm, but not crushing, handshakes\u2014no &#8220;fish hand&#8221; or sweaty palms. Align web-to-web and give one or two solid shakes while introducing yourself with a greeting like, \u201cHi, my name is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Your Online Presence<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Be mindful of how your online presence is perceived. Posts, comments, and shared content shape how others view you, including potential employers. Avoid sharing personal opinions or trivial details that could be misinterpreted.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set your social media privacy settings to private, but remember anything online could be seen by anyone.<\/li>\n<li>Use LinkedIn for professional networking, not platforms like Twitter or Snapchat.<\/li>\n<li>Google yourself regularly to see what employers might find.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"group\/conversation-turn relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\">\n<div class=\"flex-col gap-1 md:gap-3\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words text-start [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"2997ee05-037c-4dad-b85e-f4b9a17df9df\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-4o\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light\">\n<h4><strong>Lunch Meetings &amp; Interviews<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Place your napkin on your lap immediately when seated.<\/li>\n<li>Start with the outermost utensils and work your way in for each course.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid messy foods like spaghetti, and never order the most expensive item.<\/li>\n<li>Wait until everyone is served before eating, and treat waitstaff respectfully.<\/li>\n<li>Do not order alcohol during an interview.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Alcohol &amp; Substances<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Alcohol<\/strong>: At company events, drink responsibly and avoid overindulgence.\n<ul>\n<li>Never order alcohol during an interview.<\/li>\n<li>Once employed, stick to one drink and avoid trying new drinks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Marijuana<\/strong>: Be aware of your employer\u2019s stance on marijuana use.\n<ul>\n<li>Some industries prohibit its use, even in states where it\u2019s legal.<\/li>\n<li>Always follow company policies and avoid anything that could impair judgment or motor skills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Professional Email Etiquette<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Emails are essential for professional communication, but can be easily misinterpreted.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Always use a clear subject line and professional language.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid abbreviations and emojis, and always check for grammar and spelling errors.<\/li>\n<li>Respond within 24-48 hours, and acknowledge emails if more time is needed.<\/li>\n<li>Use standard fonts and formatting, and avoid &#8220;reply all&#8221; unless necessary.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure attachments are correct and appropriately sized.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>RSVPs &amp; Cancellations<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Always respond to invitations, even if you can\u2019t attend. If you accept an invite, make sure to follow through. If you need to cancel, communicate promptly and professionally.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Dress for the Situation<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Dress according to the professional environment and occasion. When in doubt, opt for a more professional look. For examples of business attire, visit our \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/ewucareers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pinterest page<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you ever find yourself unsure about handling a professional situation, reach out to a <a href=\"mailto:careers@ewu.edu\">Career Advisor<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/appointment\/\">Make an Appointment.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Understanding Professionalism Professionalism is more than just presenting yourself well\u2014it\u2019s about earning trust and respect. Whether you&#8217;re navigating the workplace or building new connections, maintaining professionalism is key. Below are some essential tips to help you stay polished in any professional setting. Small Talk In professional settings, avoid discussing sensitive topics like politics or religion.<a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/news\/professional-etiquette\/\">&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":433,"featured_media":597,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-585","stories","type-stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","stories_categories-professional-standards","stories_tags-resources"],"acf":{"display_featured_image":true,"display_byline":false,"display_date_published":false,"featured_video":"","Links":false,"Resources":false,"subheading":"","featured_image_format":"cover","page_override_title":"","page_hide_sidebar":false,"page_enable_page_nav":false,"blocks":[{"acf_fc_layout":"hero","hero_size":"hero-sm","background_pattern":"","background_type":"","background":{"ID":77,"id":77,"title":"2023-10-17 fall campus photos-9","filename":"2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9.jpg","filesize":5246830,"url":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9.jpg","link":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/news\/professional-etiquette\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9\/","alt":"","author":"433","description":"","caption":"","name":"2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":585,"date":"2024-12-16 18:44:20","modified":"2025-01-07 23:57:08","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2400,"height":1601,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-1536x1025.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1025,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9-2048x1366.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1366,"gform-image-choice-sm":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9.jpg","gform-image-choice-sm-width":300,"gform-image-choice-sm-height":200,"gform-image-choice-md":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9.jpg","gform-image-choice-md-width":400,"gform-image-choice-md-height":267,"gform-image-choice-lg":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/36\/2024\/12\/2023-10-17-fall-campus-photos-9.jpg","gform-image-choice-lg-width":600,"gform-image-choice-lg-height":400}},"background_vertical_alignment":"center","mobile_image":false,"background_video":false,"preview_image":false,"text_alignment":"center","text_style":"allcaps","readability_aid":"overlay","intro_title":"","title":"Professional","bold_title":"Etiquette","content":"","include_cta":false,"button_text":"","button_link":"","button_style":"","give_heading_text":"","give_heading_tag":"h2","give_intro_text":"","give_fund_explorer_url":"\/give\/funds","give_fund_slug":"","give_campaign_code":"","give_default_amount":"","give_button_text":"Continue","give_read_more_link":null,"component_options_toggle":false,"component_options":{"disable_component":false,"nickname":"","identifier":"","navigable":false}},{"acf_fc_layout":"article-content","columns":[{"type":"text","text":"<h3>Understanding Professionalism<\/h3>\n<p>Professionalism is more than just presenting yourself well\u2014it\u2019s about earning trust and respect. Whether you&#8217;re navigating the workplace or building new connections, maintaining professionalism is key.<\/p>\n<p>Below are some basic tips to keep your professionalism on point.<\/p>\n","pull_quote":"","image":false,"caption":""},{"type":"pull_quote","text":"","pull_quote":"Professional etiquette is about presenting yourself with polish and professionalism that demonstrates you can be trusted and taken seriously.","image":false,"caption":""}],"component_options_toggle":false,"component_options":{"disable_component":false,"nickname":"","identifier":"","navigable":false}}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/stories\/585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/stories"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/stories"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/433"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/stories\/585\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86276,"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/stories\/585\/revisions\/86276"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test-www.ewu.edu\/careercenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}