Common Courtesy

It's amazing and somewhat sad, but in today's world, if you use common courtesy when dealing with prospective employers, you'll more than likely give yourself an edge over the many other candidates who fail to do so. I realize this seemingly obvious concept is somewhat hard to believe, but it's true. So as you deal with prospective employers, do the right thing - and make yourself stand out from the crowd - by demonstrating your class.

• Thank employers for their interest. According to one estimate, only about 10% of job seekers bother to send thank-you notes to prospective employers after the interview. You've asked for and received someone's time and energy, so the least you can do is say "thank you." When you do, you'll be seen as one of the few candidates who shows care for others - not a bad message to send.
• Be respectful to everyone you meet. The administrative assistant you see when you first show up for an interview is just as important and deserving of your respect as the CEO and everyone else in between. So be polite. Make small talk with the assistant and be genuine about it. If he asks you if you want a cup of coffee, say "Yes, please." Impress the assistant with your uncommon graciousness, and your stock will rise in the company's eyes.
• Respect people's time. Most everyone has too much to do and too little time. So if you've scheduled an interview, be on time. Arrive exactly five minutes ahead of time. Meanwhile, if you call an employer, ask, "Do you have a moment to talk right now?" before launching into what you want to say. Give the person a chance to reschedule the conversation if he's in the middle of something more important. He'll appreciate that you honor his time.
• Be flexible. Most things in life don't go exactly according to plan, especially in the work world. The interviewer who shows up 10 minutes late for your interview, for examples, probably had to "put out a fire" and didn't intend to keep you waiting. So demonstrate that you're willing to cut people some slack. If the plan changes at the last minute, roll with it. Employers know that the people who succeed in business are the ones who are flexible and can deal with the daily curve balls that life tends to throw.

Taken from FullColl.edu