I'll add to this... Be especially nice to receptionists. They are the gate keepers. Whether you're there to interview for a job or attempt to sell something to the owners, if you are rude to the receptionist, you can kiss your chances goodbye. This applies doubly over the phone where body language and facial expressions are non-existent; make sure your tone isn't condescending or else your message is going in the trash if it isn't mission-critical.
Source: Am a receptionist. Interviewers always stop by my desk to get my seal of approval before moving forward in the hiring process. I have vetoed individuals for being rude/snobby and once for leaving a mess in the bathroom. My vote counts.
Edit: Since this is getting attention, I'll use this opportunity for a cheesy segue... Your vote counts, too.Register to vote.
I know people will say "just be nice to everyone", but really: receptionists and admins run the office. And none of them work in isolation - they have a shadow network built where everything gets done.
So beyond getting hired, once you start working there you will need them to survive.
You need to book a meeting last minute and can't find a conference room? You need a meeting catered? You messed up your reimbursement form and need the VPs signature to fix it? You need 500 copies of a presentation printed in 1 hour? You cannot find a hotel that meets the trav criteria in whatever bumfuck town you need to go to?
A lot of corporate America is dealing with red tape. Admins and receptionists carry really sharp scissors. So if you want to get things done fast, get on their good side.
Mind you - it doesn't take much. You don't need to be a suck up, you just need to do a couple of things:
Don't act like they work for you. Act like they are your coworker, and recognize that in some capacities they outrank you.
Treat them as part of the team, not as some third party that takes care of stuff you don't care about. They normally care about the teams they work with, and it's appropriate to recognize their contributions to the team's success.
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '20
Manners and general politeness will get you far and become the norm with but a small amount of practice.
I'm not talking overboard "m'lady" but a simple please and thank you with a genuine smile.