Here are seven etiquette tips that will enhance your reputation throughout your job search (and beyond):

1. Be courteous to everyone, everywhere all the time. Of course it should go without saying that you need to be polite to everyone when you are being interviewed. But you never know what cameras record in the reception area, or if your muttering in the restroom is unknowingly addressed to the hiring manager you are about to formally meet for the first time.

Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale and U.S. News blogger, counseled in a recent tweet: “Be courteous in the gym – it’s possible your next prospect [i.e. hiring manager] is working out next to you.” (@smoothsale)

2. Don’t waste people’s time. Hiring managers, human resources professionals and recruiters are all busy. Don’t be the person who keeps applying to the same job multiple times in the same week in order to keep popping up on the radar.

When you are in an interview, keep your answers short, focused and to the point. Sometimes searches take longer than anyone anticipated. You can be sure that if you are the No. 1 candidate, you’ll be getting called along the way. Don’t allow yourself to be seen as a pest by overly frequent or demanding communications. Recognize that sometimes no news is simply that: no news.

3. Listen carefully to what people ask. For example, “Tell me about yourself” isn’t a historical question about how you got to where you are. Instead, it asks about what kind of person and professional you are.

Of course, you should be well prepared to talk about any aspect of your professional life in an interview. That doesn’t mean, however, that you should give an all-encompassing narrative when it hasn’t been requested. Make sure you are answering the questions people actually ask, rather than the questions you want or expect them to ask.

4. Listen carefully to what people say. For example, it is typical for a hiring manager to describe the job or how the company goes about things at the beginning of an interview. It is the kiss of death when, later in the same conversation, you ask for information  you’ve already been given. Of course, you can ask for a clarification or an expansion of an earlier subject, but don’t do so in a way that suggests you never even heard the information that a person has just conveyed to you!

5. Turn off your phone. When you are in a business meeting, nothing conveys a sense of “you’re not worth paying attention to” or “you aren’t my highest priority at this moment” than fidgeting with or answering your cell phone. Make a point of leaving your phone home, in the car or at least entirely turned off. Your interviewer deserves and expects your undivided attention.

6. Dress appropriately and take care of your personal appearance. Most professionals are expected to wear business attire (so for men, no khakis, jeans or open collar). Yet there are many settings where business casual is accepted and even expected. If you have any doubt at all, don’t hesitate to inquire of the person who invites you in for the interview. If you are expected to show up dressed one way, and you fail to conform, it will likely be seen as a sign of disrespect.

7. Extend your appreciation, and promptly follow up all interviews. A thank you note is expected generally by email the same day as the interview, and certainly not longer than the next day. If you promise other information, such as references for samples of your work product, be prompt in supplying them. It is simply rude not to follow up and recognize the courtesies that have been extended to you.

Happy hunting!

Source: US News

1. Treat everyone you meet as a potential employer, every task you complete as part of your interview and keep every door open. You’ll never know what is out there for you if you don’t allow every possible opportunity to come your way.

2. Do your research. You should know the ins and outs of every company that you apply to before you even submit an application or resume. If you don’t know them, then you don’t know how to make yourself fit.

3. Take advantage of every single opportunity that an employer presents to you. Though you may be hired into one position with a specific set of responsibilities, do not be afraid to move outside of those areas of responsibility. Volunteer for special projects, volunteer to be on committees and always look for ways to expand your skill set. This will serve you well as you look to move forward and advance in your career.

Regularly Take On New Challenges

Does your company have a client that no one else wants to service? Then this is your chance to learn more about handling difficult customers. When you take on new challenges, you expand your resume and you often surprise yourself at how much you already know.

Become a Resource for Others

Part of feeling fulfilled in your career is being able to share what you know with others. If there are new people working for your company that seem to be struggling, then pull them aside, offer a hand, and help them reach success. Your personal career success is only complete when you’re able to share that knowledge with others and help to influence a new generation of people in your field.

Have Goals that You Constantly Strive For

There’s always a new height you can achieve and new goals you can reach in your career. The key is to identify those goals, and then put together a plan to achieve them. Instead of coasting along in your job, you should always have short- and long-term goals to push your career forward.

Always Be Prepared for the Next Step

One day, you might look around your office and realize that you’ve completely maximized your potential with your current employer. Does that mean that you’ve maximized your career? No, it means that it’s time for you to move on to that next step in your adventure. You should always keep your employment options open and never be afraid to take that next step in your personal development.

Beat the Clock to Beat Your Nerves!

Nothing can make a stressful situation more stressful than anticipation and dread… Having to wait all day for an interview is a quick and easy way to build up a major case of the butterflies. Rather than spend the whole day worrying and building yourself into a frenzied ball of anxious nerves, try to schedule your interviews for early in the day.  

Not only will you have more confidence, but you’ll appear fresher and more alert.  

It’s also been proven that interviewers tend to remember the first few people they interview in a day much more clearly than those they subsequently interview later.  Remember, it’s the early bird that gets the worm…or job!

Focus on professional success before looking for happiness in your career.

It sounds weird to tell someone that they shouldn’t seek happiness in their job, but it really is a great piece of advice. Why? Because often times, the company you work for could care less if you’re happy with what you do. Your company is only interested in results, which is the only thing you should be concerned with.

If you think about it, this is a piece of advice that actually leads to happiness in your personal life. When you focus on results in your career, then you’ll make more money. When you make more money, you’re able to enjoy your personal life a lot more. So rather than trying to find happiness in your career right away, shoot for better job productivity and results instead.