Comments on: Good Manners Never Go Out of Style http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/ All about the issues that arise when workforce issues converge with business management. Sun, 8 Nov 2009 05:18:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 By: Deborah http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31119 Deborah Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:20:52 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31119 I work at a One-Stop Career Center where I teach workshops on resume, cover letter, and thank you letter writing, among other subjects. Two things I always tell the participants: 1. I work with one colleague who got her job as a result of the thank you letter she wrote. It was a tie; her thank you note put her over the top. 2. Thank you letters are a chance for job seekers to reiterate their strengths and revisit questions they might have answered weakly. I work at a One-Stop Career Center where I teach workshops on resume, cover letter, and thank you letter writing, among other subjects.

Two things I always tell the participants:

1. I work with one colleague who got her job as a result of the thank you letter she wrote. It was a tie; her thank you note put her over the top.

2. Thank you letters are a chance for job seekers to reiterate their strengths and revisit questions they might have answered weakly.

]]> By: Sari http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31086 Sari Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:00:20 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31086 What's up with all you neighsayers? Yikes, a thank you note is nothing more than a polite civilized gesture extended to the individual to tell them thanks for taking time to speak with me. And, although some might call this brown nosing, the correct term is FOLLOW UP. If you can't follow up with a potential employer for something that must be highly important to you, what are you going to do as a representive for the organization? The written note is a dying art and totally underrated. And you say old school like it's a bad thing. BTW, if you send an email and it is dumped in spam, does that still count? I'd say no. A thank you note won't guarantee you the job, however without one, you might not get the job. That's all I'm saying. What’s up with all you neighsayers? Yikes, a thank you note is nothing more than a polite civilized gesture extended to the individual to tell them thanks for taking time to speak with me. And, although some might call this brown nosing, the correct term is FOLLOW UP. If you can’t follow up with a potential employer for something that must be highly important to you, what are you going to do as a representive for the organization? The written note is a dying art and totally underrated. And you say old school like it’s a bad thing. BTW, if you send an email and it is dumped in spam, does that still count? I’d say no. A thank you note won’t guarantee you the job, however without one, you might not get the job. That’s all I’m saying.

]]> By: Mary Elizabeth Bradford http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31085 Mary Elizabeth Bradford Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:16:19 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31085 If you look down upon someone for caring about putting together a good resume, preparing well for an interview or sending a thank you note, then perhaps you should consider alternative positions to human resources. One of HR's jobs is to be able to (on behalf of their company) understand what to look for in a star candidate - including virtues. Have you considered that when YOU look for your next position, potential employers may Google your name(s) and find these posts? So, by the time you realize that the courtesy of sending a thank you note isn't a BAD thing, it may be too late. If you look down upon someone for caring about putting together a good resume, preparing well for an interview or sending a thank you note, then perhaps you should consider alternative positions to human resources.

One of HR’s jobs is to be able to (on behalf of their company) understand what to look for in a star candidate - including virtues.

Have you considered that when YOU look for your next position, potential employers may Google your name(s) and find these posts? So, by the time you realize that the courtesy of sending a thank you note isn’t a BAD thing, it may be too late.

]]> By: Darlene Craven http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31083 Darlene Craven Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:34:55 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31083 Dear Gen Xers/Gen Yers - Good manners never go out of style. Of course, your idea of good manners is light years different from someone who was born before technology took the place of good manners. Instead of berating you for your obvious lack of experience, I would encourage you to ask yourself how you would want to be treated if you were the one interviewing for a job. Oh yeah -- that's old school, too. It's called the Golden Rule. Thank you notes are a sign of class in a world where reality shows spew foul language bleeps more often than dialogue. Thank you notes are a sign of consideration in a world where people are shot for looking the wrong way at the wrong time. Thank you notes are a message of respect in a world that values a bargain more than a human life. Breanne and Michael, I don't know you, and you're probably pretty okay young people. And no, you shouldn't hire someone simply because they took the time to exhibit good manners in a commonly acceptable form. BUT to view a thank you note as an Old School symbol of brown-nosing exhibits a distinct lack of class and portrays a sad picture of the cynicism rampant in our culture today. Signed, An Old School Broad with Good Manners because she had a mother who made her write thank you notes. Dear Gen Xers/Gen Yers -

Good manners never go out of style. Of course, your idea of good manners is light years different from someone who was born before technology took the place of good manners. Instead of berating you for your obvious lack of experience, I would encourage you to ask yourself how you would want to be treated if you were the one interviewing for a job. Oh yeah — that’s old school, too. It’s called the Golden Rule.

Thank you notes are a sign of class in a world where reality shows spew foul language bleeps more often than dialogue. Thank you notes are a sign of consideration in a world where people are shot for looking the wrong way at the wrong time. Thank you notes are a message of respect in a world that values a bargain more than a human life.

Breanne and Michael, I don’t know you, and you’re probably pretty okay young people. And no, you shouldn’t hire someone simply because they took the time to exhibit good manners in a commonly acceptable form. BUT to view a thank you note as an Old School symbol of brown-nosing exhibits a distinct lack of class and portrays a sad picture of the cynicism rampant in our culture today.

Signed,

An Old School Broad with Good Manners because she had a mother who made her write thank you notes.

]]> By: Coffey http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31078 Coffey Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:45:16 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/02/good-manners-never-go-out-of-style/#comment-31078 The Fort Worth HR Management Association recently hosted Colleen Rickenbacher. Ms. Rickenbacher is an etiquette coach to international business professionals and what she has to say makes a lot of sense, even to a elbows-on-the-table, napkin-in-the-collar Texas boy like me. Letter writing gave way to emailing which is giving way to text messages and Twitter. We are moving at such a break-neck speed that taking the time for simple good manners may make an applicant stand out among his peers. The Fort Worth HR Management Association recently hosted Colleen Rickenbacher. Ms. Rickenbacher is an etiquette coach to international business professionals and what she has to say makes a lot of sense, even to a elbows-on-the-table, napkin-in-the-collar Texas boy like me.

Letter writing gave way to emailing which is giving way to text messages and Twitter. We are moving at such a break-neck speed that taking the time for simple good manners may make an applicant stand out among his peers.

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