“Professional is not a label you give yourself - it's a description you hope others will apply to you.”

– David Maister

Many people are looking for jobs, and many want to change jobs. What do all employers look for when hiring? They really want that top 10%, the ‘cream of the crop,’ and they are paying well for it.

Why is the top 10% so attractive to employers?

Because they know that top-performing employees make the company, the work environment, and the bottom line more successful - like a well-oiled machine, and the skills they bring to the table change everything!

🤔 What is the one thing all of those top 10% have in common? Professionalism.

So - what does “professionalism” actually mean, and how do you know if you have that?

No matter what you do, every job has a ‘top 10%’ and they display professionalism.

Professionalism is not one skill; it is a combination of skills that, when put together, present a package that makes both the employee and the employer happy and successful.

Professionalism involves consistently achieving high standards, both in the work you do and the way you behave.

Let’s take a look at the key traits of Professionalism:

1. Knowledge: (this is very different from competence). Every job requires specific tasks or decisions. Knowing ‘what’ to do is different than demonstrating it. Knowledge doesn’t always require book learning/schooling; it can also be learned by experience. Every professional keeps their knowledge up to date and is committed to improving their performance.

2. Competence:  This means not only do they get the job done, but they also do it in a timely, effective, and efficient manner, and they deliver a high-quality end result. Competence is a skill; like all skills, it takes time to develop. Rarely does someone go from book learning to full-on competence the first time they do a complex task or job.

3. Accountability:  Most people think of this as accepting responsibility for their actions. However, it also means being reliable and caring about the quality of your work, as well as your actions, and accepting full responsibility even when you have made a mistake. Professionals step up to fix the mistake or make amends for them as well. Professionals don’t take shortcuts. They know they are responsible for doing the job right.

4. Integrity:  This is just as much about yourself as it is about others. If you don’t have the skills to do it professionally, you say so. If you say you will do something, you do it (unless it is a true ‘once in a while’  extreme emergency).  Your beliefs and behaviors match up, and everyone can see your authenticity. Professionals don’t compromise their values, even if that means giving up a job or taking the ‘hard road.’

5. Emotional Intelligence:  They care about the needs of others, try hard to consider the emotions and situations that others are in, and empathize with them. They are as polite and respectful as possible and try to remain calm even under pressure.

6. Dressed up to show up for the right impact:  Whatever you do, it is important to ‘look the part’. First impressions matter, and so do the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. People make assumptions about you based on how you show up. Professionals don’t always have to wear a suit! They do, however, show up clean, tidy, and appropriately dressed for their job and their situation. This gives them the air of Confidence, which leads to the last point.

7. Confidence: A professional knows the value they bring, the results they offer, and the process that will be followed. They know that if they have the right information and do the right work, the result will be what is expected. They know they can do the job right.

🤔 Are these important if you are working from home? YES! Remember, you won’t just be sitting in your home office for the rest of your life. You WILL be out in the world eventually.

In addition to HAVING these traits, you must be DEMONSTRATING them to people - above you, below your peers - and those you haven’t even met yet. Your online presence must demonstrate these characteristics as well.

🤔 So, not much will change if you keep doing what you are doing. You may not get the next promotion or new opportunity, and you could even lose the one you have.

However, you CAN make changes and evolve in how you demonstrate your professionalism.

Conclusion

By finding ways to strengthen each of these characteristics, you can be confident you will act professionally wherever you find yourself working and within any job you decide fits your life.

Start by taking these 3 steps:

1. Take a deep assessment of yourself and the characteristics above. Which do you feel 100% confident that you are doing most of the time and which needs improvement?

2. Choose the 1st one you feel would make the biggest improvement in your professionalism

3. Get started and see the changes in how people see you when you interact with them

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