Professionalism can be defined as many different entities including sound judgment, communication, responsibility, respect, etc. The pointers below are important first steps to remember as you move from an academic setting into your professional working world.
E-Mail Etiquette – Use a formal writing style, politely greet, state the purpose in the subject, be concise and don’t use the caps lock. Don’t hit “reply to all” unless you really want your message going to everyone. And check your spelling before hitting send.
If you are the group leader of a meeting, set ground rules, manage your meeting time, encourage group/team participation, and keep your meeting tasks moving.
If your role is as a participant, be on time, stay on task, ask questions and take notes.
Time management and organization is important. Meet all deadlines. If you are behind on your project make sure your supervisor is aware. Put together a plan to address the issue(s) and try to get the project back on schedule.
Respect and learn from your supervisor and from your experience; use the opportunity to build your skills, to stretch and to grow. Seek out advice when needed.
Be well groomed.
Wear proper attire; no jeans unless advised you can do so, no shorts or revealing tops, and no tennis shoes. For a business casual environment, you may wear clean and pressed slacks or khakis; for men, collared shirts or sweaters; for ladies, sleeved blouses, tops or sweaters.
Be prepared to work with individuals from different generations; be aware of the differences in working styles – take a step back and embrace what you can learn instead of assuming your way is the best way.
Explore different opinions and styles, to gain more perspective. Acknowledge other workers experience, expertise and dedication. Don’t circumvent these valuable co-workers. Be interested in learning about the history, legacy and perspective that other workers in the organization can provide. And take advantage of the insights your fellow workers have gained from their years of experience. Ask their advice, use them as resources and learn.