Re-entering the Work Force

Dear Frank Manners,

Ten years ago, I decided to put my career on hold so I could stay at home and raise my two boys. Now that they are older, I have decided to re-enter the workforce.

It has been a while since I was in a professional atmosphere. Could you offer any tips on interviewing to get a good job at my age and experience level?

Sincerely, New Working Mom,
NWM

Dear NWM,

First you will need to refresh your resume. There are many different styles and templates of resumes to choose from so just pick one you like. Have a friend help you proofread for errors and to make sure you’re not missing anything. Always dress nicely for your interview. It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. You don’t have to spend a lot to look professional. A professional wardrobe can be crafted from a stop at a thrift store or two. You’ll need at least one white shirt, a black skirt or slacks, nylons, and black pumps. This should get you through your interviews and the first day on the job.

In the interview, making the best possible first impression is key. Display a confident attitude while not seeming overly boastful. Give a firm handshake, maintain eye contact, and make sure you are speaking loud enough to be easily heard while you discuss your prior experience. Many women tend to raise the pitch of their voice when they get nervous. As hard as it may be to avoid, fight this impulse. An unnaturally high-pitched voice may belie a lack of confidence. Lastly, there is absolutely no reason to feel or act apologetic about taking a break from your career to raise your family. If and when this question comes up in an interview, simply tell the truth and use it as an opportunity to describe the skills you learned while running a household.

As for what it will be like for you on the job, while much has changed — the internet, new versions of old programs, people many years younger than you working around the office — the basics have remained the same. If you work hard, ask good questions, and behave in a professional manner, you will be fine.

How can I politely get myself out of sticky situations?

Q: I was recently at a dinner party at a friend’s house. All was going well until one of the guests started asking me where my wife was. Although we’ve been married for nine years, we’ve recently decided to divorce. Because it’s so recent, I am not telling many people the details, aside from family and close friends. I didn’t know what to say, so I wound up divulging more information than I really felt comfortable with. In the future, how can I politely get myself out of these sticky situations?

A: In this situation, you have two possible options: lie or tell the truth. Although common morality tells us that lying is bad, telling the inquirer that your wife had prior engagements or was staying home with your children will politely deflect attention from your separation. The second avenue is to tell the truth. Let the questioning party-goer know that you and your wife are separated, and leave it at that. If he
or she asks further questions, just say that it’s still very new and you’d rather not discuss it. If he or she prods deeper, it’s time for you to find someone new to talk to.

Rules of Civility

Show Nothing to your Friend that may affright him.

Kids like to freak each other out. They quickly learn how fun it can be to jump out suddenly from behind a corner or hide a garden snake in a classmate’s lunchbox. As adults they will learn that good relationships are built on trust. If you can’t trust your friends, who can you trust?  Yet pranks and practical jokes still happen all around us, in the movies, at home, or at the office, and they usually take place between friends. Though no harm may be intended, pranks and practical jokes can undermine trust.

Webster’s Dictionary defines a practical joke as ‘a prank intended to trick or embarrass someone or cause physical discomfort.’ Your friend may seem game for a laugh at his or her own expense, but you have no control over the way your actions will be received. Even the most harmless prank may be deeply hurtful to someone. To protect your friendships, it may be best to avoid practical jokes altogether.

Frank Manners articles address the 110 “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation,” by which George Washington lived and present them in an applicable fashion, both for you, and your children.

Fidgeting and Other Behaviors

“When in company, put not your hands to any part of the body, not usually discovered”

With so many people in the United States, it would be impossible for everyone to agree on what is the correct way to behave in public. So, societal rules regarding behavior etiquette have evolved into a universally accepted norm in order for us all to peacefully tolerate one another. Knowledge of the acceptable ways to behave in a variety of social settings is an invaluable asset to one’s character.

A job interview is always dreaded. No matter how nervous you are this is not the time to fidget with your hands, phone, keys or anything else in your pocket. If you have an itch in an inconspicuous place, do not give into the urge. Wait, and the discomfort will shortly pass. Smile and sit with good posture during uncomfortable moments. Remember, you are there to advance your career, not stall it.

When at any meal, be it formal or casual, you must act in accordance. If a personal hygiene matter is bothering you, it is better to excuse yourself to the bathroom than tend to a failed bandage or torn pantyhose issue at the table. Also, never blow your nose at the table unless it is an emergency. Blowing one’s nose is also a matter when excusing oneself is appropriate. When eating, picking teeth is unattractive. The only exception is when the host provides a toothpick. Your goal is to be invited back, not banished from the host’s guest list.

In other social settings such as a party or in other public venues like a grocery store, always remember people are watching and judging you. This is not the place or the time to be biting nails, picking at infected scabs or practicing other filthy habits that will repulse others. Your peers will not soon forget these hideous images. Remember, the actions you present in front of others determine how you are viewed in society.

The developed society we are fortunate to live in has accepted these general principals as normal. Any deviation from the norm will only cheapen your reputation and you will only be hurting yourself. 

Table Manners

When George Washington was sixteen years old he wrote down a list of 110 “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.” This list of rules, found in a 16th century guidebook, was intended to assist him in shaping his behavior in order to improve his general moral fiber.  From rules such as – How to comport oneself in company or how to take and give criticism or general guidelines on table manners, Washington took these rules seriously and worked hard to follow them.  In so doing, he put in place a groundwork that served him well his entire life. As an adult, Washington was well respected, not only for his accomplishments, but for how he comported himself in public. Today, the practice of such rules has become even more of a rarity than it was during Washington’s lifetime.

Of course, Americans always admire those who are naturally dignified. In sports, entertainment, or politics, it is clear to us when someone is well respected.  On the other hand, we’ve all run into many rude, obnoxious or selfish people, and sometimes it seems as if a majority of people have little grasp of etiquette and how to behave respectfully toward others. Fortunately, it is not impossible to teach your children the same etiquette lessons Washington used to distinguish himself.

Subsequent Frank Manners articles will address the rules by which Washington lived and present them in an applicable fashion, both for you, and your children. While some of the rules are a little stuffy, the majority of them are still highly relevant today.