Thursday, March 27, 2008

Business Etiquette: Your Image


This blog post comes from information received from the University of Utah Career Services Department, with adaptation of the content in regards to investment banking.

"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it."


Dale Carnegie (1888 - 1955) American Educator



How Etiquette Benefits You

As your career progresses, you develop skills that are respected and expected - these skills are called professional etiquette! Professional etiquette builds leadership, quality, business, and careers. It refines skills needed for exceptional service. Whether you are a seasoned executive or just starting out, professional etiquette will help you. Without etiquette, you limit your potential, risk your image, and jeopardize relationships that are fundamental to business success.

One line takeaway: Don't give people a reason to not like you, not help you, or not do business with you.

Etiquette Pays Off

Result oriented professionals (ie. Investment Bankers) have found that professional etiquette influences their success because it:

  • Differentiates them in a competitive market place

  • Enables them to be confident in a variety of settings with a variety of people from all walks of life (ie. so if you are doing a biotech deal with a management team of PhDs or a buyout of a cardboard company in Alabama, you can work and get along with people from all backgrounds.)

  • Modifies distracting behaviors and develops admired conduct

  • People will want to be around you and work with you - banking is all about getting deals done. Deals get done many times because of the people involved.


Your Image is Important

Never before has one's personal presentation, presence, or "image" been so critically linked to success - Success is reported to have 60% to do with your image.

Business Etiquette Tests
Test Your Business Etiquette Here!
USA Today Business Ediquette Quiz

Additional Business Etiquette Links
Business Etiquette Links

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi

i really like your listing of recruiters and investment banking companies, do you have a such list of companies for hedge fund or company focused on sales and trading?
thanks
greg.

David Bonnemort said...

Greg,

Most of the investment banks listed have trading desks. I would go to their websites and look under the career section to find out more.

I do not have a hedge fund list, although I know they are out there. Keep searching the web and you'll find something.

Dave

Anonymous said...

ok thanks David!
If you have any link or list you can send, please feel free to pass it around....i will be more than happy.
best
greg
greg_zammit@hotmail.com