More than keeping your pinky up at tea parties.......

.....and eating outside-in at dinner parties.  

Recently Mrs. Dallas Tegue-Snider spoke to the UAB chapter of the PRSSA about the importance of etiquette in business.  For me it was a shameful reminder of all the things I should do as a budding professional that I don't.....  More than a couple times I thought, "Haven't I read that somewhere before?  Why am I not doing that?!?!?!"

Here is a little background info on Mrs. Snider:

She went to the University of South Alabama, started in Tourism and Hospitality, she has around 20 years of experience in Hospitality and Marketing and she got a business lead while dressed up as a seasonal vegetable.  In her few spare moments, she writes a column (Protocol and Etiquette) for Rejuvenate.

Mrs. Snider believes that networking is key to success.  She says that about 85% of professional success comes from networking.....  And it's not just getting a job.  Mrs. Snider says that networking can help a student get scholarships and internships, too.  Need a non-academic Letter of Recommendation?  You had better start networking........ NOW!!!

She has more tips and here are my Fav Five:

1. Join professional organizations to begin networking.  Here in Birmingham we have organization like Media Of Birmingham, or MOB is you're nasty; Ed2010, a group of writers, editors and journos; and then there are Tweet-ups; shame on you if you don't know what Twitter is.  And those groups and meeting are all free.  There are ton of paid professional groups, but that's a blog for another time.

2. When you're talking to someone, make that person feel like he/she is the only person in the room.

3. Did you notice that WORKING is over half of the word netWORKING?  You should never go to an event where you plan to meet someone to eat, drink and be merry.  Go with a plan and know the who, what and when of the event.  Also, never have two hands full, cause how are you going to shake hands?  

3.  Send a handwritten note to interviewers after the interview is over.  There is a 24 to 48 hour opportunity here.  Carry stamps with you.

4. Treat people the way they want to be treated.  That's what Mrs. Snider calls the Platinum Rule and platinum sounds more fancy than gold.

5.  Anticipate the needs of others.  It sounds kind of like the Boy Scouts' Motto of, "Always Be Prepared," but it's a good motto.  

If you're interested in finding out more info on Dallas Teague Snider she has a blog and will be releasing an e-book on business etiquette very soon.  You can check out her linkedin profile, too.