Professional Etiquette Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned 1
LESSONS LEARNED
Janine DesVoignes
Professional Etiquette
February 22, 2005
Ms. Palma Baker
Lessons Learned 2
Professional Etiquette – Lessons Learned
The way you present yourself through appearance, conversation, the written document and reputation is all essential to ensuring that you are successful in the professional business world. Good professional etiquette indicates to potential employers that you are a mature, responsible adult who can aptly represent their company. Not knowing proper etiquette could damage your image, prevent you from getting a job and jeopardize personal and business relationships.
I began my foray into the professional business world twenty years ago as a high school senior beginning my first job through the co-op program. Upon graduation, I secured a position with an agency within the Department of Defense, and so began the refining of my professional etiquette skills.
Military agencies follow certain protocols, procedures and regulations for every action they take. However, through the process of unionization, the issues of how to dress can only be suggested not mandated for civilian employees. Starting out as a high school graduate and newly enrolled college student, funds were directed at tuition rather than proper business attire. However, I quickly learned that in order to fit in with the culture of the work environment, I needed to refine my appearance and began to wear the 1980’s uniform of choice for women, the skirt with matching suit jacket. I began to enjoy this new phase of my life and discovered a love for shoes. I didn’t have one
Lessons Learned 3
particular role model when it came to choosing my personal style of appearance, but took different aspects of people I admired and developed my own style.
Having minimal office experience prior to being selected for a position within the command office (1-2 years), I soon found opportunities to meet new challenges and...
View Full Essay