Harry Chapin was not wrong when he sang about his life being circular and everything going round and round. It’s been my experience that you really have to be nice to everyone because you just never know when you will be talking to your neighbour’s best friend. You make one unkind remark and all of the sudden; no one on the street is talking to you.
This is especially important in the world of work, which is, frankly, a tighter and more fickle community than your neighbourhood block.
In my line of work, this is especially true. After all, everyone is a candidate sometime and should be treated with respect and dignity. Today’s candidate is tomorrow’s hiring manager.
But this is true in other spaces as well. Your manager and colleagues are future references or current recommendations on your linkedin profile. They are also great sources of information about what’s happening in the industry/space/company. By the way, this is not an invitation for gossip, it’s a reminder to keep your eyes and ears open for the information that might lead to the next opportunity.
We are not perfect. There are days when we are not in the mood to be friendly (blame the moon!) and there are days when we over react to a situation or lash out in anger that’s unrelated to the situation. It’s okay. It happens but own up to it as soon as you can. That’s where a good reputation comes from. People will remember that you came forward and dealt with the issue in a way that was clear and authentic, not that you threw a temper tantrum in their office.
Recruiter's Couch 