Business Etiquette Quiz

Not sure if you need an etiquette expert to visit your firm? Take this simple business etiquette quiz to find out.

1. You are at your office holiday cocktail reception. Regarding introductions:

   1. Always introduce a woman before a man
   2. Always introduce the highest-ranking person first, regardless of gender
   3. Always introduce the client first
   4. Always introduce your boss first
   
   

2. True or False? It is better to leave someone unacknowledged than to botch their name or misidentify them.

3. Appropriate business attire should consist of:

   1. Conservative suits and shoes
   2. Women wearing stockings at all times
   3. Men never wearing necklaces, bracelets, or earrings
   4. All of the above
   
   

4. The proper way to indicate to the wait staff that you are finished with a course is to:

   1. Push your plate away from you
   2. Place your silverware in the "10:20" position on your plate, as on a clock
   3. Crossover your silverware on your plate
   4. Quietly catch the wait staff's eye and discreetly point to your plate
   
   

5. At a formal dinner party, you will find your dessert fork:

   1. Directly to the left of your dinner plate
   2. Served with your dessert
   3. Above your dinner plate
   4. Served to you by wait staff right before dessert is served

Answers:

1. C. Always introduce the highest-ranking person first, except when there is a client present. A client always takes precedent.
2. False. It is a most egregious breach of etiquette to allow someone to stand around ignored and unacknowledged.
3. D. Definitely all of the above.
4. B. Always place your silverware in the "10:20" position to indicate you have finished the course. Knife (on the right) and fork (on the left) are parallel with the tops pointing to 10:00 and the bottoms pointing to 4:00. Hence, the term "10:20". Crossing over your silverware indicates that you are taking a break.
5. C. Your dessert fork and spoon are always above your dinner plate, fork tines facing to the right and the spoon bowl facing to the left.