Ask Ms. Magnolia

If you have a question for Ms. Magnolia, please mail it to P.O. Box 669, Vidalia, GA 30475, or e-mail to msmagnoliaadvance@yahoo.com.

Letters have been edited for length and clarity.

Dear Ms. Magnolia, I’m fairly new to the working world

and have just gotten a job after . nishing my certi. cation as a business administra-

tive assistant at STC. I am meeting new people all the time, and I am still a little wobbly about the rules for making and responding to professional introductions. Can you give me the short version? Linda

Dear Linda, It is important to make introductions among people who need to know each other's names. You may . rst ask,

“Do you know each other?”

The rule states that a lower ranked person is introduced to an older, higher ranked or more important person. That just means that you should say the higher ranked person's name . rst such as, "Mr.

Jones, I would like you to meet our new Technical Assistant, John Smith. John,

Mr. Jones is our Of. ce Manager." Your boss's name is called . rst when introducing other people or your fam- ily. (However, when introducing your mother socially, you may call her name . rst, to designate her importance, even

to your boss.)

If you are introducing and forget the

name, just say, “I’m sorry. I’m having a

dif. cult time remembering your name." Or you can suggest that the people intro-

duce themselves.

When you introduce yourself to someone, give your . rst and last name and your position title. If a person introducing you to someone forgets your name or position, just . ll in the details. When you are being introduced, stand unless you are physically unable to, and say, “I’m pleased to meet you.”

Ms. Magnolia