Advance your career by learning how to behave in the office

“THE times, they are a-changing.”

Ever since the singer Bob Dylan used those words in his 1960s song, they’ve been uttered by many social observers to imply the deterioration of manners and etiquette. Are these two still relevant in this day and age? More than ever. Most of our interaction now with other people is done electronically. In the few times that we do physically connect, these rules of conduct tell us how to behave.

For example, etiquette dictates that when your neighbours greet you “Hello,” you should acknowledge them and say “Hello” back. If you don’t, you will make them feel uncomfortable. At the end of the day, manners and etiquette are there to make sure human beings exist in comfort and harmony.

These rules of conduct are all the more important in business environments — offices, meetings, and conferences — because, in those scenarios, something more important than your reputation with your neighbours is at stake: money and economic resources. Incidents that call for you to be polite and considerate of other people vary. Even a basic situation like attending a job interview demands a lot of consideration.

For example, how much makeup should a woman wear? Not a lot, says former beauty titlist Audrey Quek, who now runs her eponymous image consultancy firm and is scheduled to head a business etiquette workshop for JobsDB members in November. “Wear colours that compliment the skin tone. Use a foundation, suitable eye colours (avoiding smoky eyes or bright colours) to enhance the eyes, blusher and lipstick (non-bright colours). If eye shadow is not used, try a mascara to open up your eyes,” she advises JobsDB members.

And perfume? “Use it sparingly if you must,” says Ms Quek. “Just remember, ‘If you can smell yourself, you are killing the people around you.’ Avoid it totally if you have body odour.”

Ms. Quek will be giving the resource person in “Professional Behaviour At The Workplace,” a JobsDB Career Event that hopes to addresses the impact of establishing immediate rapport with potential clients or employers, as well as the importance of being in sync with your business environment.