Photo by Edubirdie
In order to be successful in a job environment in United States, you should learn about U.S. business/professional culture. I try to provide some useful etiquettes such as introductions, dress code and business language.
Introduction: When you have an interview or if it is the first day of your job, the first thing is to introduce yourself. A firm handshake and a friendly smile are always appropriate. As far as I noticed, Americans have a larger personal space than the other cultures; therefore make sure to stand about two feet (a little more than half a meter) away during a conversation.
Americans are more informal than any other nation. You can call your co-workers by their first names. It would be safe if you call your boss/manager with their title and last name at first, but if they ask you to use their first name don’t ignore such a request because it may be interpreted as distance.
In case that you needed to introduce someone, make sure to first introduce the lesser important person and also mention a few details about him/her such as the position and area of expertise.
For Americans, time is money; therefore, never show up late for your meeting or interview.
Dress Code: The dress code in US varies among companies and positions. However, if you have an interview or if it is your first day of work, it would be wise to go for a business or smart casual business attire. I once had an interview and the company, in their email told me there was no dress code and you could come in your comfortable clothing. I am glad that I chose to go with my smart casual business attire because all other interviewees and also my interviewer happened to come with a business attire (people do judge you by your appearances even they don’t want to). Here is the description of business attire:
Business attire:
Men: formal suit, tie, business shirt, leather dress shoes and briefcases or business portfolios.
Women: skirt suits or pant suits with formal business blouses or tops, closed toe and heel leather shoes, and a briefcase or a business portfolio. Women were encouraged to have limited jewelry, light or no makeup and little or no perfume.
Business Language: Having small talk with your boss or co-workers is nice and makes you closer but political discussions, religion and controversial topics (such as abortion or gun control) should be avoided.
As you may heard or noticed, “how are you?” is not the question that needs an explicit answer about your health or situation. It’s just a polite greeting that can be answers with a “Fine, thanks”. Besides, in a work environment your co-worker, at the end of a conversation, may tell you “Let’s have lunch sometime”. It is an empty courtesy and another way to say “Let’s keep in touch” unless you are given an specific invitation or arrangement.