6 Techniques for Subtlely Sucking Up

No one likes a brown noser but a certain amount of kissing up is required if you’re going to land a job.

The key is to do it on the down low so no one realizes you’re stroking their ego to get what you want. Try these tricks to hone your behind smooching skills.
 

1. Remember the names of the people you meet and use them later in the interview. Directly address each person to show attention to detail and that you value them as individuals.
2. Create a compliment based on something you notice about the interviewer. Is the color they are wearing particularly flattering? Do they have any interesting collectibles in their office you could comment on? Can you tell where they went to college by their décor or diplomas? Slip one brief sincere statement of admiration into the conversation and move on. To be on the safe side make sure it is impossible to interpret anything you say in a sexual way.
3. Be aware of your body language to put your best foot forward. Good posture and positive eye contact will show you are interested in what the interviewer has to say. Everyone appreciates an engaged audience so send the signals that what they are saying is important to you.
4. Use magic words. Please and thank you are a good start but show you respect them and their position by referring to the interviewer as ma’am or sir as the case may be.
5. Offer additional information that could be useful in the future. Present other perks you can offer to benefit the company. If you happen to know a discount store where office supplies are half off be sure to mention you’re a member.
6. Leave a parting gift. It’s customary to leave a thank you note for the interviewer so the simple gesture alone might not set you apart from the rest of the competition. You’ll need to step up your sucking up. Attach your thank you note to a sweet treat to leave a good taste in their mouth. Baking brownies might be taking it a little too far but a bag of tootsie rolls is yummy, cheap, and peanut allergy friendly.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer with experience in web, film, photography and animation as well as traditional fine arts like painting and sculpting. In addition to writing for CommunicationsJobsBlog.net, she is co-founder of design and promotion company. Heather’s spare time consists of making puppets, teaching Sunday School, building Legos and doing science experiments with her children.