Unlocking Your Future: Keys to Professional Success

1
Unlocking Your Future Keys to Professional
Success

• Christine Bates
• Assistant General Counsel
• University of Akron

2
Agenda

• Top mistakes to avoid as a new professional
• Business dress v. Business casual dress
• Determining appropriate dress
• Cocktail party management

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Avoiding Top Mistakes

• Selling items in the office
• Work
• Phone calls
• E-mail
• Alcohol
• Inappropriate dress

4
Keys to Business Dress

• Looking the part
• Good grooming provides the foundation
• Hair
• Fingernails
• Teeth
• Breath
• Body
• Perfumes/Colognes/After-Shave

5
Ladies Business Dress

• Makeup
• Jewelry
• Suit/Conservative dress
• Blouse
• Hosiery
• Shoes
• Dangerous items

For a photograph of acceptable ladies business
dress, go to http//www.symsdress.com/basicswomen.
htm
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Mens Business Dress

• Facial Hair
• Good quality, wool suit
• Shirt
• Ties
• Shoes
• Socks
• Jewelry
• Belt/suspenders/braces

For a photograph of acceptable mens business
dress, go to http//www.symsdress.com/basicsmen.ht
m
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Mens Shirt Collars

• Spread Collar
• Point Collar
• Snap/Tab Collar
• Button Down Collar

For photographs of mens dress shirts their
components, go to http//www.josbank.com/BuildYour
OwnShirt.process?IWActionLoadMerchant_Id1Secti
on_Id2300RestartFlowtPage1
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Mens Shirt Cuffs

• Button Cuff
• French Cuff

For photographs of mens dress shirts their
components, go to http//www.josbank.com/BuildYour
OwnShirt.process?IWActionLoadMerchant_Id1Secti
on_Id2300RestartFlowtPage1
9
Mens Dress Shoes

• Cap Toe
• Wing Tip

For photographs of mens cap toes, go to
http//www.luckyshoes.com/categories.asp?id1opID
126stID126
For photographs of mens wing tips, go to
http//www.luckyshoes.com/categories.asp?id1opID
125stID125
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Mens Shoes

• Dress Oxfords
• Casual Oxfords

For photographs of mens dress oxfords, go to
http//www.luckyshoes.com/categories.asp?id1opID
127stID127
For photographs of mens casual oxfords, go to
http//www.luckyshoes.com/categories.asp?id1opID
131stID131
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Business Casual Dress

• Origin
• Retreat!
• Does not mean casual
• Should fit the profession
• Gives way when going to court or meeting a client
• Is based on the basics
• Has many variations
• Tips

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Business Casual for Men

• Things to avoid
• Jeans
• Athletic/tennis shoes/Dress shoes/Bare feet
• Short-sleeved dress shirt
• Shirts without a collar/Tropical shirts
• Double breasted jacket
• Wrong tie
• Colorful pants or white pants
• Relaxed grooming habits

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Business Casual for Men

• Standard choices
• Charcoal pants/Dress slacks
• Khaki slacks
• Blazers/Tailored Jackets
• Shirts with collars and buttons
• White oxford button down shirts
• Polo or golf shirts
• Leather belt

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Sample Business Casual
For photographs of mens casual attire (a.k.a.
business casual attire), go to http//www.quintcar
eers.com/dress_for_men.html
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Business Casual for Women

• Things to avoid
• Midriff baring outfits/Halters/Tank tops
• Going without hosiery
• Going without appropriate undergarments
• Provocative garments
• Frills
• Relaxed grooming habits
• Mistaking TV or magazine dress for business casual

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Business Casual for Women

• Standard choices
• Dress slacks or long skirts
• Blouses
• Sweater sets
• Dresses

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Sample Business Casual
For photographs of womens casual attire (a.k.a.
business casual attire), go to http//www.quintcar
eers.com/dress_for_women.html A word of caution
This site appears to have confused the captions
for its photographs of professional and casual
dress.
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Determining Appropriate Dress

• Consider the environment
• Consider your goals
• Consider the clues
• Consider others dress
• Consider the impression you want to leave

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Cocktail Party Management

• Before the party
• R.S.V.P.
• Logistics
• Layer your items
• Napkin
• Plate
• Glass
• Business card arrangement
• Keep right hand free to shake hands

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Cocktail Party Management

• Handshakes
• Universally accepted
• When to use
• Proper grip
• Handling food
• Items passed on trays
• Food from buffet
• Discarded toothpicks or cocktail sticks

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Small Talk

• Research
• Set goals
• Use open body language/smile/make eye contact
• Introduce yourself
• Allow others to introduce you to people they know

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Common Cocktail Faux Pas

• Things to Avoid
• Making food the focus
• Drinking to excess
• Uncomfortable topics
• Lengthy conversations
• Gossip
• Complaining about the event
• Flirting
• Being rude/disrespectful to staff

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After the Party

• Say goodbye/excuse yourself to other guests
• Thank the host/hostess as you leave
• Send thank you note

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References

• www.casualpower.com
• www.businesscasualdress.com
• www.MnWorkForceCenter.org
• www.symsdress.com
• www.quintcareers.com
• www.collegegrad.com
• www.kiwicare.com/dress.htm
• www.askmen.com/fashion

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References

• www.josbank.com
• www.luckyshoes.com
• www.zyworld.com/etiquette/cocktail20party.htm
• mn.essortment.com/cocktailparty_rklc.htm
• www.etiquetteintl.com
• http//www.cuisinenet.com/digest/custom/etiquette/
  finger_food.shtml

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References, contd.

• http//www.savannahnow.com/exchange/stories/121501
  /SOLetiquette.shtml
• Letitia Baldrige, Letitia Baldriges New Complete
  Guide to Executive Manners, (Simon Schuster,
  Inc. 1993)
• The Business Journal of Kansas City, available at
  www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/1998/smallb
  2.html

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References, contd.

• Esquire Magazine
• Special Thanks To
• Russell Sibert, Jim Simon, Mike Sermersheim

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Good Luck!