Getting Personal

By Jayne Harris

Our generation complains when internet service is down for less that fifteen minutes and thinks the world is ending when a cell phone has no signal.  A generation of technologically savvy 20-somethings, we rely so heavily on the internet and our cell phones for communication, many of us don't even know where our local post office is.  The lack of face-to-face communication is incredibly apparent in our generation...how many of us have texted somebody in a different room of the same apartment or house?!

Using technology to communicate with others can be an indispensable resource - just yesterday I participated in a conference call with people in over 20 different states.  On a broad scale, technology does bring us closer; however, in our personal lives we're becoming separated by such heavy use of impersonal communication.  This impersonal attitude toward communication often extends toward more professional arenas.  Do you know the names of your coworkers or the secretary in your advising office?

Miriam Salpeter's article How Learning Names Can Boost Your Career is a fantastic resource for tips and tricks to use to remember names and makes a lasting impression.  How do you feel when somebody can't remember your name or calls you something that doesn't even start with the same letter?  It's frustrating and makes you feel like that person wasn't paying attention to you.  Salpeter quotes Lee Silverstein, who made a strong and valid point when he said, “How often have you heard the excuse ‘I’m not good with names?’…What the person is really saying is, ‘I don’t have the listening skills, or the patience, to remember people’s names.’ Remembering someone’s name shows you care.”

Salpeter doesn't mention using social media to help remember names, but it can be an additional tool.  If you just met a group of people, write down their names.  When you get home, you can look for their profiles on facebook to put a name with a face one more time (you usually don't have to be 'friends' with someone to see their name and picture).  You can do this before you meet people for a second time to refresh your memory and avoid an embarrassing forgetful moment. 

Whichever method you employ to help you remember names, it's an investment in your career and your personal brand that will communicate that you pay attention, are personable, and that you care.