Evening star., 1937-05-22

Etiquette
Problems
Answering Telephone
Requires Both Tact
and Efficiency.
BY EMILY POST.

BY EMILY POST.
THE following QUESTIONABLE was sent
me by group OF young women
who signed themselves The Secre-
taries."
!. am at the head OF my depart
ment. II the boss (Mr. SMITH Is
speaking to me, or giving me dicta-
ton or instructions, and my telephone
rings, what shall I do?
Answer-Let Mr.. Smith finish his
sentence, then answer the telephone.
If 1t Is for him and you know 1t is
one that he wants to take, hand the
receiver to him. If you don't know
who 1t Is, ask the name and then
say, "One moment, please" Hold your
hand over the receiver and repeat
the name or the message to Mr.. Smith
Then either give him the receiver or
relay Mr.. Smiths reply. II he shakes
his head no." then make a conven-
is in conference or busy with a client
or customer, or that he must have
gone out. All these excuses to protect
Mr.. Smith from being interrupted are
permissible in business in the same
way that mot at home" Is permissible
when lady IS not able to receive
visitors. II the call is personal
make the briefest possible answer or
ask whoever 1t is to call you later.
On no account may you carry on 4
conversation and let your employer
wait for you II the call Is for YOU,
but concerned with the ONCE, then
also ask to be called about the matter
later. Or, if 1t Is Of immediate i'm
portance, then tell Mr.. Smith the
cause Of the interruption.
X
T. II the head Of q department re-
fuses to recommend 3 raise for her
secretary who has worked for her
for flve years, on the ground that
no one else Is getting raise, should
the secretary, knowing that with the
responsibilities she has been asked to
assume her salary Is less than that
received by others doing similar work,
appeal to the head Of the organiza-
ton?
Answer-Generally speaking, it Is
very bad policy to go over the head
Of ones superior officer. However, If
you know your work is satisfactory
and you feel certain that the reason
given above Is the only reason your
superior will not recommend raise,
I would suggest that you 60 to the
head Of your organization and explain
the facts clearly and briefly. You
must not do this, however, without
having frst notified your superior
Of your intention.
;. If you had position Of trust
and you knew definitely that an en-
ploye was doing something irregular,
/. e., using unscrupulous methods In
his daily work and financially profit
ing by it, would you bring this to
the attention Of your employer?
Answer-It would be fairest to 60
first to the individual and tell him
that this behavior was in question
and that If he persisted In using the
same methods you would be obliged
to bring 1t to the attention of your
employer.
4. Is it proper that secretary ac-
cept invitations from her employer
(a) If he Is single and 90 II he Is
married?
Answer-Naturally his attitude to-
ward her and, the when and where
he asks her to 60, must be taken into
consideration. But if he Is unmar-
ried. there Is no reason why his SEC
retary may not accept almost any
conventional invitation. Even should
he be married there are occasions
when it might be quite all right and
perhaps necessary to have lunch or
possibly dinner with him. But any
invitation outside of and not essential
to business should not be considered.
5. May cosmetics be used by busi-
ness women?
Answer-Under all circumstances
makeup to be fattering should be
carefully applied. It should be be-
coming without looking unnatural.
Wopyr1sht. 1879