Professionalism involves being reliable, setting your own high standards, and showing that you care about every aspect of your job. It’s about being industrious and organized, and holding yourself accountable for your thoughts, words, and actions.

Additionally, professional appearances, manner, and etiquette are all important facets of professionalism. Practicing and mastering your personal professionalism leads you to better chances of employability. 

Why is it important to develop professionalism? 

A commitment to developing personal professionalism means: 

• A commitment to continuous self-development
• Willingness to involve yourself in and deal with complexity 
• Seeking to improve knowledge and competence 
• Always trying to gain deeper understanding and insight maturing 
• Knowing your own limits

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Which are the eight characteristics of professionalism?

While technical skills and knowledge are important to employers, employability skills are essential to students’ professional development. Employability skills are the core, transferrable skills that are needed in nearly every job—such as conflict resolution, communication, and professional etiquette. 

When students learn how to conduct themselves in the 21st-century workforce, they will be equipped to succeed in a broad range of careers—not just their field of interest. 

Learn more about employability skills and how to put it into practice:

Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful solution to a disagreement among them. Some ways to achieve this includes:

• Stepping back and thinking
• Communicate feelings without placing blame
• Seeking common ground
• Knowing that conflict can be healthy
• Separating people from problems

Accepting criticism: When others give advice on how they think you can improve, they are giving criticism. When you accept criticism, you need to:

• Look at the person. Don’t give negative facial expressions.                
• Stay calm and quiet while the person is talking.                
• Show you understand (“okay” or “I understand”).                
• Try to correct the problem.

Use of Workplace Technology: Asking “How does technology help students?” is like asking “Does school prepare you for life?” or “Does college prepare students for the workforce?” Education, no matter what form it takes, capitalizes on your natural need to develop skills. 

Read the article: How Does Technology Prepare Students for the Future?

Workplace Etiquette: A first job or internship is a huge step in your life. You are starting to learn about how things function in the “real world” and what will be expected from you later in life when you start a career.  The article below has great etiquette tips for you  to learn before you start your first job:

Read the article: Etiquette in the Workplace

Interviewing Skills: When applying for a new job, the interview process can be stressful, even for the most experienced of candidates. Job candidates might be nervous or unprepared, making it difficult for them to demonstrate their skills in full during the interview. 

It’s important for students to recognize the differences between good and bad interview skills in order to be prepared, develop confidence and leave a positive impression on potential employers.  

Working with a team: Much of the dislike of group projects comes from students not trusting their peers to pull their weight and place an equal amount of time and effort into the work. 

Why teamwork is an important skill? When work is divvied up among members of a team, it gets done faster, making the overall business operate more efficiently. Your team will develop a sense of comradery as you work toward a common goal. Teamwork builds morale. You’ll feel that your work is valued when you contribute to something that produces results.

Read the article: Six Teamwork Myths(opens in a new tab)

Working Communications:

 Communicationis the key element in maintaining and progressing through a satisfying occupation. It’s the ability to tell someone else what you’re thinking while hearing (and understanding) what others have to say. 

Watch the video: 8 Tips to Communicate Effectively in The Workplace

SKILLS CHECK: Do you have any of the employability skills listed above? If so, add them to your Career Highways Skills List

Regardless of your job role or industry, professionalism is an employability skill that employers value — it encompasses most of the qualities sought in an employee. However, it’s not a skill that grows overnight — it takes time and practice!

Do you feel ready to get that  job or internship? Apply these core skills of professional and employability for success!