Etiquette & Attire

 In its broadest sense, etiquette is about judgment – demonstrating that you know the appropriate ways to present yourself to and interact with colleagues, clients and senior managers. Etiquette is not any one thing, but a combination of behaviors (professionalism, courtesy, etc.) and presentation (e.g. attire, hygiene, etc.).

Your goal is to present an integrated and consistent set of actions, communications, and personal presentation that convey professionalism and good judgment. At the basic level, your goal is to make people feel comfortable interacting with you by matching their expectations of what is appropriate. At a higher level, you want to make those assessing you feel confident in your ability to properly represent their organization.

Therefore, beyond thinking of etiquette and attire as assessment instruments (like resumes, cover letters and interviews), keep in mind that during your interactions with others you’re representing not only yourself but also Franklin & Marshall.

Career Services highly recommends that you consult with experts in your field of interest to understand the culture and etiquette in a given organization or industry (e.g. how formal or informal is the daily attire? is the organization informal and collegial or hierarchical and formal?). Also, look out for etiquette dinners (an event that combines a nice meal with a review of table manners) and plan to attend one. With a little effort, making a good impression can become second nature to you.