"Good Morning" came the greeting with a smile. Rahul was beaming with confidence. He was wearing a neat sky blue shirt and a pair of black formal trousers. The tie complemented his attire well, and his belt and shoes showed he was careful about choosing the right wardrobe. The interview panel had one look at Rahul and got an impression of a confident, young professional.
"Please sit down. Make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you!"
Rahul was asked many questions, and he made the best efforts to answer the questions. Sometimes he could answer them well, and some were not the best questions for him. The interviewers showed anger at times, asked him difficult questions, and tested him in all ways possible. Throughout the interview Rahul remained calm, respected the panel, answered questions with confidence, and maintained the courtesy expected of a gentleman. When the interview was over, Rahul thanked the interviewers once again, and left the room quietly, gently closing the door behind him.
The interview panel would definitely not select Rahul only for his good manners and behaviour, but they would also not select a knowledgeable candidate with rude or distasteful behaviour. A balance is what everyone looks for.
This is where I would like to make a point on Etiquette. We here a lot about it, but do we practise it all the time? A greeting may seem simple but it is extremely important, and so is a smile. Respecting others is shown through one's manners, shaking hands the right way, holding the door for the person right behind you, thanking someone who has helped you - all this and more are important etiquette that makes a better professional at work (and in general everywhere).
Information and training programs on Business Etiquette / Corporate Etiquette are available in plenty, so a little time spent on them would be of immense use to build a successful career. Remember, when you are practising Etiquette while most don't, you automatically become the noticed one! It happens otherwise as well, but only for the wrong reasons and not so like-able results!