From Business Cards to Business Relationships: Personal Branding and Profitable Networking Made Easy, 2nd Edition

General Business Etiquette

Grammar and Spelling

“c u l8r” is not a sentence; “See you later” is. Texting has become the norm. These short forms, used by the masses, myself included, are replacing acceptable written and verbal communication skills. As a young professional who wants to connect with more-established professionals, leave these short forms for your best friends and others who speak in text talk.

Starting a conversation with “Yo! Wassup?” creates a completely different gut feeling about a person than “Hello! How are you?” To be taken seriously as a professional, using the second phrase would be more impressive than the first.

Addressing people as “girl,” “hon,” “sweetie,” “babe,” “dude,” “bro,” etc. is inappropriate in business settings. Make sure all of your professional interactions are just that—professional. While these nicknames can seem like they create a tighter bond and familiarity, they can make others feel uncomfortable. It's just not worth the risk.