Etiquette survival

Business etiquette is more than just knowing your dessert spoon from your soup spoon. You also need to know the art of dressing to impress, adhering to unwritten codes in different settings and above all, carrying yourself well. Here are some tips to bear in mind.


Look the part
Generally, it is necessary to wear a power suit for business events. However, it can also depend on the degree of formality and the direction of playing for power authority of the business event. But there are subtle ways to stand out. For ladies, wearing the right type and amount of accessories will allow others to remember you better. For men, wear a tie that matches your shirt, and put on a pair of classy cuff links or a tie pin.

What you should do
There are a few things you can do to impress at networking sessions:
• Take the initiative. Walk up to people and start a conversation.
• Be familiar with current news and social issues to help you initiate small talk.
• Network. Make sure you bring sufficient name cards and mingle with everyone.
• Be generous with your compliments, acknowledge everyone with sincerity and bid farewell to everyone when you leave.

What you shouldn’t do
If you’re mingling in a big group, do not offer handshakes to only some people and not the others; it will seem incredibly rude. Also, do not put others down, gossip or divulge confidential information about your company. If you’re not sure hether the information is safe to share, it’s better not to talk about it.

Do not dominate a conversation. Listen attentively and contribute accordingly. Whenever necessary, change the subject to a common interest that everyone shares, and always try to involve the quieter ones.
Give business cards out sincerely after having a good chat and understanding the need to network with that particular person. Do not give them out randomly like flyers.

Observe and learn
Finally, it pays to observe and learn how people interact at such functions.