Posts by Arden
To eat or not to eat before a party
Michelle Obama is celebrating her 50th birthday. Hard to believe she’s 50, she sure doesn’t look it. Her party invitation stated it was Snacks & Sips & Dancing & Dessert, and specified to wear comfortable shoes, eat before you arrive and practice your dance moves.
Read MoreInformational Interview Etiquette Answers
I received a very nice email from a graduate student who was seeking answers to coffee meeting and informational interview etiquette dilemmas. He wrote: I found your “Coffee Date Dilemmas” (blog post) very informative and helpful, with its consideration of small but important details, and enjoyed browsing your blog. I do have a few follow-up…
Read MoreThe world’s best brownies
Every year this time my husband bakes goodies for the various people he works with or his Toastmasters clubs’ holiday events. I’m always happy he leaves some for me. One of our favorite recipes is Double Chocolate Brownies with Dried Cranberries. The cranberries and pecans add a tasty surprise.
Read MoreFurther your career this holiday season
Despite what you may think, the holidays are actually a great time to further your career. That’s because it’s a time when we most interact with others, whether it’s mingling at holiday parties, flying to see family or friends or spending time with relatives or pals you don’t see very often. So, whether you are…
Read MoreThe scary thought of in-flight cell phone use
The Wall Street Journal interviewed me and some of my etiquette consultant colleagues for an article on the etiquette of cell phone usage on airplanes. As you may have read the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering allowing airline passengers use their cell phones in flight.
Read MoreThe sweetest sound
Are you good at remembering names? If you answered no, you’re not alone. Whenever I teach networking or my First and Lasting Impressions training I ask the participants if they are skilled at remembering names. Usually only a handful of people will raise their hand. Yet, people admit that forgetting names is one of the most…
Read MoreWhy LinkedIn?
I had the honor of teaching networking skills to South Seattle Community College students who enrolled in the Career Smarts program. Career Smarts, part of the Seattle Jobs Initiative, is a program that connects students with HR professionals to teach job related skills. I taught four 30 minute classes on networking. Each time, I asked…
Read MoreWhat graciousness and heated seats have in common
On my way to yoga class this morning I was willing my heated seats to hurry up and get warm because it was chilly in the car. Despite wanting to get warm, I smiled as I recalled a time shortly after buying my car when my sister-in-law, Beth, was visiting over the holidays.
Read MoreWhat do I do when I spill food on the table & other dining etiquette dilemmas
Sometimes you don’t realize what you don’t know until you’re faced with a situation you haven’t dealt with before. Many of my clients and class participants ask me questions about things they have no idea how to handle or that they aren’t sure how to properly navigate. I especially tend to get a lot of…
Read MoreDear Ms. Clise
When people I haven’t met first email me they often address me as Ms. Clise. It always takes this casual Seattle gal by surprise. I understand why people are addressing me in a formal way; they assume it is the proper thing to do with someone who teaches etiquette.
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