Good Manners: It’s the Little Things that Make a Difference

My husband, Rick, has a passion for baseball.  He’s coached baseball or softball for most of his adult life and if there is one thing I have heard him preach over and over through the years that always results in success, it’s pay attention to the little things.  Work on perfecting the fundamentals.

The same can be said for teens and young adults on the job.  An important, and often ignored, fundamental is good manners.  The basics like “yes sir”, “no mam”, “thank you”, eye contact, and a firm handshake will set you apart from other candidates.  It will also impress your manager, and customers. People appreciate common courtesy and might just make a special trip to a business where they encounter polite, friendly employees. Likewise, if customers encounter a rude cashier, indifferent stock boy, or rude waitress, they may never return.  There’s a lot of power in attitude and a conscious decision to use good manners.

It’s one of those little things you may not have considered when thinking about how to succuessfully interview for a job, or how to succeed once you get that job, but it’s fundamental that once you get in the habit will stay with you and help you in all your future endeavors.