On any given day, most professionals send and receive hundreds of emails. And, although you assume your email signature goes unnoticed, it doesn’t. Your email signature is the last impression you leave the recipient; so, don’t ruin your otherwise professional email with an email signature that is tacky, immature, and unprofessional.

These are the things you need to remove from your email signature:

1. Quotes and words of wisdom. Your email signature is not the place to change the world. The end of your email should be void of quotes or religious scriptures that may rub your audience the wrong way. While you think you are making the world a better place, one email at a time, the recipient of your email thinks you are unprofessional and insensitive to views and religions that differ from your own.
2. Large, colorful text. Your email signature is also not the time to express your creative side. An email that ends with your name in large, purple, cursive text makes you look immature. Your email signature should be in the same size, color, and font as the body of the email—which should be black or dark blue, size 11 or 12, and in a traditional font.
3. Emojis and symbols. The best way to end your email is with a salutation, such as “thank you,”  “kind regards,” or “best” followed by your name. Smiley faces, emojis, and “xoxo” should never be used.

If you eliminate the above things from your email signature, you will appear more professional and the recipients of your emails will take you seriously.

Whether they’re at a formal networking event or they casually meet someone walking out of yoga, successful people do these three things when introducing themselves:

1. They have a firm handshake: Successful people show assertiveness by shaking hands firmly and making eye contact. So, avoid the wet noodle handshake and keep your eyes off of the floor. A firm handshake and eye contact show the person you’re meeting that you’re confident. Also, don’t be afraid to put your hand out first.
2. They eliminate pointless introductions: When you shake hands and introduce yourself, eliminate the “hi, my name is Heather Brown” introduction. Instead, simply put your hand out and say “Heather Brown.” Successful people don’t rely on pleasantries to win people over. When you are assertive and confident, the person you meet will know you mean business.
3. They don’t recite their resume: Successful people have nothing to prove. If the person you’re meeting wants to know what you do for a living, she will ask. When you first meet people, ask them questions before you dive into your life goals. Don’t use the moment as a chance to rattle off your Ivy League credentials either. If the person you just met is interested in getting to know you or wants to do business with you, she will ask. So, have your business cards ready but, wait until the right moment presents itself.

You’ve been with your Houston-based company for seven months when your boss tells you that she needs you to go to Los Angeles tomorrow for a client meeting. You panic because not only is this your first business trip but, you have mere hours before you leave.

Don’t worry, here’s what you need to know:

Packing for the adventure:

Remember, this is a business trip so, your clothes should reflect that. Bring business casual outfits based on what you wear to work every day. Blazers are great for business trips, and they can be paired with dark jeans. You should also bring a pair of comfy flats and a purse that isn’t too cumbersome. Make sure to pack your laptop and something to write on for meetings. And, bring a stack of business cards for potential networking opportunities.

Navigating the airport and check-in:

Arrive early, don’t wear yoga pants, and leave your furry pink neck pillow at home. Wear something you would wear to work like slacks or jeans (no holes) and a button-down shirt. If you’re not a fashionista, don’t fret, websites like Latest Outfit Ideas have cute looks, like the one below, that you can modify based on what’s in your closet.

Boarding:

Because you never want to be the hold up, have your ID and boarding pass ready. Don’t be the person who fumbles through her things and holds up the boarding process. If you choose to carry on, make sure you can lift your luggage into the overhead compartment. Your boo isn’t on this trip to help you, so you have to be Ms. Independent;  either lift your bag like a champ or check it for convenience.

Managing the agenda:

Once you arrive in LA the real work begins. Make sure you have a copy of the agenda. Don’t be late. And, when the group says meet at 7am for breakfast, be 5-10 minutes early. This isn’t a personal trip so, tell your cousin who lives in LA that you may be able to grab coffee but, ditching the group to go shopping on Rodeo Drive is out of the question.

Being social:

If the group decides to go to dinner or grab drinks at the hotel bar, you should go. But use your discretion and remember that you’re at a work event. Anything you do on a business trip can be used against you back at the office. So, proceed with caution.

Reporting Back to your Boss:

Make sure to have a few talking points post trip that you can report to your boss when she asks how everything went. Your report should be work-related and not about the awesome bars in downtown LA. Be sure to also follow up with any contacts you made in LA and let them know it was a pleasure meeting them.

 

 

Although work is not about winning the award for most popular, what many success-seeking people fail to realize is that being likable is a rung on the corporate ladder that cannot be overstepped. Being likable doesn’t mean you have to go to every happy hour or attend every baby shower; but it does mean that you should try these three things:

Stop making everything about you.

We all  have that coworker that makes everything about her. If that coworker is you, stop. Try to be a better listener. If Liz from accounting simply needs to vent about the new intern, let her vent. Don’t interrupt her to tell her about how you got caught in the rain this morning. Liz doesn’t care. She just needs you to listen. You will be more likable if you are a person that is able to listen and empathize without always shifting the focus back to yourself.

Don’t be so negative.

Maybe you were late to work because of traffic, but that doesn’t mean that you’ve had the worst day of your life. And, your coworkers will thank you if you stop acting like you have. People who find the negative in every situation are exhausting. Instead, without over doing it, try to highlight the good in situations.

Support the accomplishments of others.

It’s easy to toot your own horn; not many people can toot someone else’s. When a colleague wins a big case or has the highest sales for the month, let her know how awesome and exciting that is. Even taking the time to give them something small, as a “congratulations,” goes a long way. Your colleagues will not only appreciate the gesture but, they will trust you and know that you are in their corner: which is extremely valuable when advancing your career.

Your boss walks over to your desk and asks you a question about the company’s sale projections for next month. Without missing a beat, you confidently answer her question with the exact information she needed. She is impressed and satisfied with your response. But, after you finish answering her question, you ask:

Does that make sense?

Because you inserted doubt into your otherwise confident response, she now questions your answer and whether you are giving her correct data.

Asking if you make sense is the fastest way to strip away your confidence and expose your self-doubt. When you ask someone if you make sense, you are assuming that you do not make sense and that people have a hard time understanding you. And, further, you are giving the listener a chance to confirm the same.

In some situations, you may also be implying that the person you are speaking to is not smart enough to comprehend what you are saying—which can be condescending. Now, if you’re a teacher or counseling someone with less experience than you, asking this question may be ok. But if you are talking to your peer or your boss, stop asking her if she can make sense of what you are saying. If people are having trouble understanding you, they can ask you for clarification.

So, stop asking if you make sense.