This post originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review. It was published by Paula Caligiuri and Diane DeCaprio.
Most of us tend to judge our colleagues and their professionalism, trustworthiness, credibility, and communication skills through the lens of our own backgrounds and culture. Our families, countries, generations, educations, and the like, all shape how we behave and interpret the behaviors of others.
As someone who is entering the workforce during the era of hybrid and remote work, this is important to keep in mind. With new technologies comes many new opportunities to apply to companies headquartered around the world. But to land a job in a country different than your own, you need to understand and impress your interviewer. Small differences in how you and the hiring manager interpret behaviors could impact whether or not you come across as “professional.”
