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Hold the Phone: The Line Between Personal and Business

By Miranda Wilson on Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Today it seems impossible to find someone who doesn’t have a cell phone of some kind. It’s also becoming impossible to find someone who’s not on their phone all the time. Your company may or may not have policies that forbid cell phones at work, so be sure you know the rules. If your company does allow you to have cell phones at work, there are some important things you need to be aware of. In a recent survey conducted by Express on smart phones versus workplace etiquette, 59% of voters said that most people are irresponsible with their smart phone use while at work. Phones can be an easy distraction, but follow these tips to help stay focused on the tasks at hand during your work day, and make sure your phone doesn’t become a distraction.

Keep it quiet. When you get to work, turn your cell phone to silent or vibrate mode. This will prevent your ringtone – however great you think it might be – from blaring across your workplace, alerting everyone that you’ve got an incoming call.

Limit your personal phone calls. If there is a reason you have to accept or make a personal phone call at work, keep it short and sweet. Don’t make too many personal calls at work because that will take time away from doing your job and might create a negative situation between you and your manager.

Excuse yourself. If you work in close proximity with your co-workers, like a cubicle, and do get a personal phone call, quietly step out to take it. Go to a quiet spot where you can possibly shut a door to keep your conversation private. Having a phone conversation could distract your co-workers and not everyone in your workplace wants or needs to hear your conversation.

Keep it tucked away. It’s not necessary to take your phone with you everywhere you go throughout your work day. Unless you are expecting an emergency phone call from someone, it is better to leave your phone in a secure place, like your desk, keys, or locker. If someone does call and you’re away, they can leave you a message and you can call them back at a later, more convenient time. By leaving your phone behind during a meeting, it won’t be a distraction to you or others if someone calls you.

Create texting ground rules, too. Different generations have different expectations, so be mindful of others’ communication preferences. Be mindful that when you’re engaged in face-to-face conversations with co-workers, it’s important to give them your full attention. Make it a rule to not text at the same time you’re speaking with them.

Be cautious about smartphone apps. Smartphones are growing in popularity, and what they are capable of doing is quite impressive. With a smartphone, you have the ability to download applications for games such as Words with Friends – a scrabble game you can play with co-workers – or for social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. However “cool” these apps might be, they can cost your employer a lot of money in lost productivity if you’re more focused on your smartphone through the day than your job. Be responsible with your time while on the job and save your smartphone fun for your free time, such as lunch, breaks, or after work.

It’s important to know about cell phone etiquette in the workplace. Always be aware of your personal phone usage and be sure that you’re getting your work completed first and foremost.

Job Interviews New Job Tips The Daily Grind The Job Search

How to Excel on a Phone Interview

By ibk on Friday, July 2, 2010

Have you ever had a phone interview? Every interview can be a little nerve wracking, but a phone interview can be particularly terrifying. Like calling a crush for the first time, it can put your stomach in knots. If you’re nervous about this type of interview, don’t panic. The following tips will give you a head start on how to be a success.

Be prepared. The first thing to remember is you have to treat phone interviews like you would face-to-face interviews. Be sure to research the company ahead of time and practice answering interview questions beforehand. A great advantage is that when you are interviewing over the phone, you can have a cheat sheet of important facts right in front of you. In addition to a cheat sheet, keep your resume or an outline with different points you will like to cover close by during the interview. Having the right information in front of you can be a great reference to help you answer potential employers’ questions.

Dress the part. Just because you’re not going to be seen during an interview doesn’t mean you should stay in bed during the call. Take a shower, get dressed, and present yourself as though you were expecting a guest. Your appearance will determine the way you communicate during an interview. If you interview looking like you just rolled out of bed, chances are, you will sound like that over the phone.

Conduct a sound check. Just like you should dress the part for an interview, you also need to sound the part. Also, warm up your voice with a phone call to a friend if your interview is early in the morning so you sound awake and alert. Remember, you can’t communicate non verbal cues over the phone, so having an enthusiastic and professional tone in your voice will go a long way to make a great impression. Be sure to enunciate, speak audibly, and exaggerate voice inflection when necessary. Since you’re probably having a conversation with this interviewer for the first time, don’t speak too fast. Take your time to get your message across, and ask for clarification when you don’t understand something. And, don’t forget to smile. A smile will enhance your mood and can be carried through the phone to sound warm and friendly.

Choose a good location. Location is key to any interview. Your location for your interview should be free of distraction and noise. Find a quiet place where you can concentrate. To be sure you have a good location, call a friend ahead of time from this quiet location to ensure they can hear you clearly and audibly. If they can’t, make adjustments. If you’re conducting your interview over a cell phone, make sure your phone service has good coverage in your chosen location to prevent the call from dropping.

Be respectful. Except in absolute emergency situations, never put an interviewer on hold. Value the time they are taking to interview you and make the best of it. Also be sure charge your phone in advance. You don’t want your phone to die mid-conversation! You want to show the employer that you are very interested in the position and that you are a responsible individual. In addition, follow the lead of the interviewer. Don’t rudely cut him or her mid-sentence, and take time to pay close attention to what he or she is saying. Also, let the interviewer hang up before you do, because you don’t want to accidentally hang up before they’re ready.

Ask questions. It’s important to ask questions during this time, because you may need to clarify certain things. By asking questions, you show you’re really interested in the position you’re interviewing for. You also want to make sure the position is the right fit for you, not just practice your conversation skills.

Follow up. Since you will not receive business cards after your phone interview, be sure to ask for contact information and how the interviewer prefers to be contacted. Just like with face-to-face interviews, send a thank-you note. Ask if they need you to take any other actions or send any necessary documents. Lastly, find out when you should expect to hear back from them about the decision and show your gratitude for the interview by thanking the interviewer for their time and willingness to speak to you. Also, be sure to send them a thank you note via e-mail or in the mail immediately following the interview. This will help you stand out from other candidates for the job.

Phone interviews don’t have to make you nervous if you follow these helpful steps. On the upside, these interviews are actually more convenient and time efficient than face-to-face interviews. Your personality is something that sets you apart so, just relax and let yourself shine!

At Work Cube Life Reader Surveys Teamwork The Daily Grind

The iPhone Versus Workplace Etiquette: Take the Poll

By tiffany monhollon on Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Smart phones are once again the talk at the water cooler as co-workers chat up the recently-launched iPhone 4's features (and bugs) and compare notes on the latest in smart phone technology – from Android to Blackberry to iPhone and beyond. According to a recent ComScore study, over 45 million people in the U.S. own smart phones, the largest-growing segment of the 234 million-strong U.S. mobile phone market.

Now that mobile phone technology has advanced to the stage that people are carrying small, hand-held computers around with them on a day-to-day basis, the culture is definitely changing. From impacting e-mail habits to altering the way our brain processes information to changing the intrapersonal communication styles of a generation, mobile technology plays an important role in the digital age.

So this month, we want to know how smart phones affect etiquette in the workplace. Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below:

Job Interviews The Job Search

Post-Interview: Following Up with a Phone Call

By james on Thursday, December 4, 2008

After you’ve prepared to ace a job interview and the interview is over, you might feel like you knocked it out of the park. Now what? Sending a polite thank you card is a great idea, but what else can you do?

Calling to follow up with a potential employer can help you stay fresh in the hiring manager’s mind. But be careful – with phone calls, there is a fine line between sounding like an enthusiastic go-getter and becoming just plain annoying. To help you make a post-interview follow-up call that will leave a positive impression, practice using these tips.

Stay Patient.
You may feel that you should be a shoe-in for the job, but it may take the interviewer a while to get back to you. Time seems to move incredibly slow when you are waiting for “the call.” But, keep in mind that hiring managers can have substantial workloads and may be physically unable to get back to you. If you call too soon, they might not have much news for you. It’s best to wait two to three days before following up.

Speak with a Person.
When calling, try to speak with a person instead of leaving a message on a machine. Preferably, speak to someone who was present at your interview. If you reach a receptionist and the interviewer is unavailable, ask when they would be available to take a brief call. If you must leave a message, limit the number of voicemails you leave to one or two spread over a couple days – flooding the interviewer’s inbox will likely annoy them. After a significant amount of time has passed and if they still haven’t returned your calls, focus your time on other opportunities. Would you really want to work for someone who doesn’t respond to you anyway?

Keep it Brief.
When you’re able to speak to someone, keep your conversation short. There is no need to recite your credentials or detail why you’re perfect for the position. Hopefully, you already covered that in your interview. Instead, just express your continued interest and enthusiasm for the position. Use this opportunity to politely ask if the position has been filled or if you’re still under consideration. If you’re still in the running, ask for a timeline for their decision. Finish the call by saying “thank you” for the opportunity to speak with the interviewer.

When trying to reach the interviewer by phone, being assertive can sometimes come off as over-anxious, so restrain yourself from being too pushy. Taking a proactive and confident, yet relaxed, approach to the post-interview follow up can be a simple act that helps you land the job.

The Daily Grind Workplace Goofs

Cell Phone Etiquette in the Office

By shannon on Monday, June 9, 2008

Have you ever been interrupted or disturbed by a co-worker using a cell phone in the office? You might even be the perpetrator and not know it. If your employer has a no cell phone policy, make sure to follow their rules. But if you’re allowed to carry yours with you, here are four tips for cell phone etiquette to keep disruptions to a minimum and keep peace in the office.

Use silent or vibrate mode – In an office environment where you are in close quarters with co-workers, the simple ringing of a cell phone can break your concentration or disrupt others. Turn your ringer on silent, or use the vibrate mode if you’re expecting a call. Or, simply turn your cell phone off altogether. Callers can leave a voicemail, and you can return your personal phone calls on your break, during lunch, or after work instead of during company time.

Keep talk quiet – If you do take a personal call on your cell phone while in the office, keep your voice down. Most people don’t want to hear the conversation you’re having with your sweetheart or your doctor, so be considerate of others. Better yet, take your conversation down the hall to an empty conference room, or step outside to talk.

Don’t talk in the bathroom – Cell phones and restrooms don’t mix. Period. No one in the bathroom wants to hear your conversation, and the person on the receiving end of your call doesn’t want to hear toilets flushing and running water, either. End the conversation before you go into the restroom, or return the phone call later.

Avoid using your phone during meetings – During a meeting, don’t answer your phone, text your friends, or check your e-mail. Otherwise, you’ll appear distracted, bored, and unprofessional. If you’re texting or e-mailing someone for important information pertaining to the meeting, let others know what you’re doing so they don’t think you’re being disrespectful. The best thing to do is leave your cell phone at your desk, and be sure to turn the ringer off.

Cell phones give us easy access to others, and vice versa, but at work they can be a tempting distraction for ourselves and interrupt others. Follow these cell phone etiquette tips the next time you take your phone to work so you won’t be the one committing a cell phone faux pas in the office.

Job Interviews

3 Tips to Ace a Phone Interview

By shannon on Thursday, May 22, 2008

You may think that phone interviews are easier to coast through because you don’t have to shake hands, dress up, or think about nonverbal communication. But, phone interviews can be tricky if you don’t prepare, are easily distracted, or pick the wrong place to answer your phone. Here are three tips to help you get through your next phone interview.

Be prepared – Just like with a face-to-face interview, you should take your preparation seriously. Familiarize yourself with the company, and find out who you’re interviewing with. Also, prepare questions to ask the interviewer, and practice answering commonly asked interviews questions. For a phone interview, make sure your phone is fully charged and has a good signal if you’re using your cell phone. If you can, use a land line instead. You want to be able to clearly hear the interviewers and have them hear you as well.

Stay focused – Schedule your phone at a time of day that will allow you to prepare, and pick an appropriate location to answer the call. Place yourself in a room or a corner away from distractions where you can fully concentrate on your interview. Put your résumé and cover letter in front of you so you can reference them if the interviewer asks you a specific question regarding either one. Have a pen and notepad ready so you’ll be better suited to take notes. Write down questions you think of during the interview so you can remember to ask them when it’s time.

Limit background noise – Creating a distraction-free area will help you sound professional and stay focused. Phones can pick up background noises very easily, so be sure to limit what you can. For example, avoid chewing gum, drinking, or eating during the interview. It’s okay to have a glass of water available, but don’t gulp it loudly. Turn off the radio or television, and stay away from children and pets because they’ll only create unwanted noise and distractions.

Just like a face-to-face interview, a phone interview can lead you to a job offer, or keep you from landing a job. So, make sure to treat a phone interview with the same preparation and professionalism you would for an in-person meeting.

ExpressJobs App

ExpressJobs App: Work Has Become a Lot Less Work

By Asia Johnson on Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Looking to leave your current job but need help figuring out where to start? In search of the perfect part-time job? Or maybe you want to break into a new industry altogether.

The ExpressJobs app keeps you in direct communication with your Express Employment Specialist with up-to-the-minute details about new positions available through Express, job assignments, work, job location details, and more! (more…)