@office

The road to job success starts after you study up on these 10 real-world work rules.

On an interview, wear neutral colors. Research shows that bosses view candidates better when they wear blues and grays with pastel accents.

Don’t up-talk. Speaking in a singsong voice and posing statements as if they were questions leave you sounding girlie and unsure.

Pipe up first in meetings. Staffers who contribute at the start of a meeting are judged more favorably than workers who wait until the end.

Stop over-apologizing. Women tend to say they’re sorry even when they didn’t do anything wrong, taking blame for others’ errors.

Keep your emotions tightly under wraps. No matter what’s going on in your life, crying or getting angry will make you seem immature.

Never assume you’re disposable. You may be entry level, but if you quit, it’ll cost your boss time and money to find a replacement.

Shake firmly. A limp handshake makes you seem unenthusiastic and nervous, but a strong grip will convey that you are confident.

Bag pointless bitching. It’s fine to voice a complaint or concern, but only if you propose a solution to the problem as well.

Don’t be the workplace narc. Say something if you witness an illegal going-on, but it’s smarter to bite your tongue when you spy a minor incident.

Get rid of your giggle. Develop a good laugh that shows you have a sense of humor. A giggle sounds childish and isn’t appropriate for the workplace.

[CR]