Professionalism in the Professionalism in the WorkplaceWorkplace

Hard WorkHard Work

““I do not know anyone who has got I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work- that is to the top without hard work- that is the recipe. It will not always get you the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but it should get you to the top, but it should get you pretty near”pretty near” Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher

Qualities of a Good Qualities of a Good EmployeeEmployee

Being CooperativeBeing Cooperative Being a hard workerBeing a hard worker Being dependableBeing dependable Being trustworthyBeing trustworthy Having a positive attitudeHaving a positive attitude Respecting othersRespecting others Handling criticismHandling criticism

Being CooperativeBeing Cooperative

This means you work well with othersThis means you work well with others This requires flexibility, and the This requires flexibility, and the

awareness that everyone is different awareness that everyone is different and may have different ideasand may have different ideas

You must be willing to work for the You must be willing to work for the good of everyonegood of everyone

Ex. Following the rules of the job siteEx. Following the rules of the job site

Example- CooperationExample- Cooperation

You work in architecture and are on a job You work in architecture and are on a job site. Everyone at your job site wears a site. Everyone at your job site wears a hard hat in construction areas. You hard hat in construction areas. You don’t want to mess up your hair so you don’t want to mess up your hair so you refuse. You aren’t cooperating with the refuse. You aren’t cooperating with the policies of the site and they won’t let you policies of the site and they won’t let you on to finish your work. They may choose on to finish your work. They may choose another architect who is more another architect who is more cooperative.cooperative.

Being a Hard WorkerBeing a Hard Worker

Being willing to workBeing willing to work Doing your best in every areaDoing your best in every area Neatness and attention to errorNeatness and attention to error Fulfilling your responsibilities at Fulfilling your responsibilities at

home is a great way to practice hard home is a great way to practice hard workwork

Example- Hard WorkExample- Hard Work

You are working as a clerical assistant You are working as a clerical assistant to a large company. You are in charge to a large company. You are in charge of writing out purchase orders to of writing out purchase orders to ensure the right materials are ordered. ensure the right materials are ordered. The vendor (person filling your order) The vendor (person filling your order) cannot read your handwriting and so cannot read your handwriting and so he send 3,000 instead of 300 items. he send 3,000 instead of 300 items. Your boss is angry because you cost Your boss is angry because you cost your company a lot of money.your company a lot of money.

Being DependableBeing Dependable

Punctuality- being on time Punctuality- being on time REGULARLYREGULARLY

This is why employers may require a This is why employers may require a background check and referencesbackground check and references

Your boss MUST be able to depend Your boss MUST be able to depend on you to get your work done, with or on you to get your work done, with or without supervision.without supervision.

Example- DependabilityExample- Dependability

You work in fashion in a retail store You work in fashion in a retail store and you’re in charge of opening the and you’re in charge of opening the store every day on time. You wake store every day on time. You wake up late often and open the store up late often and open the store about 15 minutes late. The store about 15 minutes late. The store begins to get complaint letters and begins to get complaint letters and customers begin to shop somewhere customers begin to shop somewhere else. You are in danger of losing your else. You are in danger of losing your job because you aren’t dependable.job because you aren’t dependable.

Being TrustworthyBeing Trustworthy

Trustworthiness includes honestyTrustworthiness includes honesty Honesty is important in every job.Honesty is important in every job. Most jobs include the payment of Most jobs include the payment of

some sort of money, which your boss some sort of money, which your boss is trusting you with.is trusting you with.

Example- Trust WorthinessExample- Trust Worthiness

You work in food services and every You work in food services and every time your friends come in to eat, you time your friends come in to eat, you give them free food. Your company is give them free food. Your company is losing money, and when your boss losing money, and when your boss asks you about the missing money for asks you about the missing money for the orders, you lie and say you don’t the orders, you lie and say you don’t know how it happened. You will lose know how it happened. You will lose your job if you are not trustworthy.your job if you are not trustworthy.

Positive AttitudePositive Attitude

Employers want to have positive people Employers want to have positive people around them and working for themaround them and working for them

You need to be enthusiastic and You need to be enthusiastic and confident in your job, as well as positiveconfident in your job, as well as positive

No employer will keep someone around No employer will keep someone around who is constantly complaining.who is constantly complaining.

Example- Positive AttitudeExample- Positive Attitude

You are working in an office and every You are working in an office and every time you go to print something, the time you go to print something, the paper is out and you have to refill the paper is out and you have to refill the paper trays. You think it may be a co-paper trays. You think it may be a co-worker, and so you complain to worker, and so you complain to everyone in the office that this co-everyone in the office that this co-worker is lazy and never does their job. worker is lazy and never does their job. You have a bad attitude that is You have a bad attitude that is endangering your ability to keep your endangering your ability to keep your job.job.

Respecting OthersRespecting Others

Treating other people well- co-Treating other people well- co-workers, customers, your bossworkers, customers, your boss

Respect is also common courtesyRespect is also common courtesy You must respect the rules even if You must respect the rules even if

you don’t agree with them.you don’t agree with them.

Example- RespectExample- Respect

You are working with children, and You are working with children, and you are required to wear closed toe you are required to wear closed toe shoes. You think these style of shoes shoes. You think these style of shoes are ugly, so you refuse to wear them. are ugly, so you refuse to wear them. When your boss asks you why you When your boss asks you why you are not in the correct dress code, you are not in the correct dress code, you tell them that closed toe shoes are tell them that closed toe shoes are ugly and you won’t wear them. ugly and you won’t wear them.

Handling CriticismHandling Criticism

You may receive criticism from your You may receive criticism from your boss, your coworkers and customers.boss, your coworkers and customers.

You MUST be able to accept this You MUST be able to accept this criticism without losing your coolcriticism without losing your cool

This is a time to consider the This is a time to consider the criticism as a way to improve your criticism as a way to improve your skillsskills

Example- CriticismExample- Criticism

You are a chef and you get called from You are a chef and you get called from the kitchen to talk to a customer about the kitchen to talk to a customer about their meal. They tell you that the dish their meal. They tell you that the dish you served was way too salty and they you served was way too salty and they would like something else. You take would like something else. You take the time to reflect on the criticism and the time to reflect on the criticism and respond kindly. You may go back and respond kindly. You may go back and adjust the recipe, or you may not, but adjust the recipe, or you may not, but you treat the customer with respect.you treat the customer with respect.

Grooming HabitsGrooming Habits

Well groomed includes clean appearance Well groomed includes clean appearance and clean and appropriate clothingand clean and appropriate clothing

You may not wear something casual to You may not wear something casual to an office who’s dress code includes an office who’s dress code includes slacksslacks

Hair, nails and face should be clean and Hair, nails and face should be clean and groomed.groomed.

Clothing should be appropriate for the Clothing should be appropriate for the environment you are in.environment you are in.

Do’sDo’s

Don’tsDon’ts

Do’sDo’s

Don’tsDon’ts

The InterviewThe Interview

Once you have filled out an Once you have filled out an application, any prospective application, any prospective employers may have you come in for employers may have you come in for an interview.an interview.

An interview is NEVER a casual An interview is NEVER a casual exchange- exchange- you are trying to land a you are trying to land a jobjob

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

1) Practice Good Non-Verbal 1) Practice Good Non-Verbal CommunicationCommunication Sit tall with your legs crossed at your Sit tall with your legs crossed at your

ankles for women or at your knees for ankles for women or at your knees for menmen

Do not cross your arms in front of you; Do not cross your arms in front of you; use open body languageuse open body language

SMILE!SMILE!

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing 2) Dress for the job or company2) Dress for the job or company

If it is a very professional atmosphere, If it is a very professional atmosphere, dress in a suit or at the very least in a nice dress in a suit or at the very least in a nice shirt and dress pantsshirt and dress pants

If you’re attempting to land a job with a If you’re attempting to land a job with a fashion company, you may dress more fashion company, you may dress more trendytrendy

If your office environment will be relaxed If your office environment will be relaxed (graphic design, web developer, etc) you (graphic design, web developer, etc) you may dress to reflect this, although it is NOT may dress to reflect this, although it is NOT recommendedrecommended

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

3) Listen3) Listen As the interviewer begins their As the interviewer begins their

interview, they may be telling you interview, they may be telling you important information that may help you important information that may help you answer questions more specificallyanswer questions more specifically

Ex. They may tell you some company Ex. They may tell you some company background that you may want to recall background that you may want to recall later when they ask you “Why do you like later when they ask you “Why do you like our company?”our company?”

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

4) Don’t talk too much4) Don’t talk too much Prepare yourself for your interview so Prepare yourself for your interview so

that you won’t ramble if you get nervousthat you won’t ramble if you get nervous Do not share personal information with Do not share personal information with

the person interviewing youthe person interviewing you

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

5) Don’t be too familiar5) Don’t be too familiar Use business etiquetteUse business etiquette You’re not there to make a friend, you’re You’re not there to make a friend, you’re

there to land the jobthere to land the job Do not overstep boundariesDo not overstep boundaries

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

6) Use Appropriate Language6) Use Appropriate Language Do not use slang or profanityDo not use slang or profanity Do not say phrases like “you know what Do not say phrases like “you know what

I mean?” or other slangI mean?” or other slang Do not make verbal references to Do not make verbal references to

politics, religion, sexual orientation, politics, religion, sexual orientation, race, or agerace, or age

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

7) Don’t be cocky7) Don’t be cocky Over confidence is worse than being too Over confidence is worse than being too

modestmodest Employers appreciate confidence, but Employers appreciate confidence, but

not arrogancenot arrogance

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

8) Take care to answer the questions8) Take care to answer the questions Employers use behavioral questions to Employers use behavioral questions to

ask about your past behaviorask about your past behavior If asked “what’s your biggest If asked “what’s your biggest

accomplishment?” give it some though accomplishment?” give it some though instead of blurting out “how awesome I instead of blurting out “how awesome I am at football”am at football”

Talk to them about personal and Talk to them about personal and academic achievementsacademic achievements

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

9) Ask Questions9) Ask Questions Show an interest in what they’re saying Show an interest in what they’re saying

or the company you are trying to work or the company you are trying to work forfor

Tips for InterviewingTips for Interviewing

10) Don’t appear desperate10) Don’t appear desperate Don’t say things like “I don’t know what Don’t say things like “I don’t know what

I’d do if I didn’t get this job”I’d do if I didn’t get this job” Don’t tell the interviewer that you’d do Don’t tell the interviewer that you’d do

anything to get this jobanything to get this job You should appear confident and You should appear confident and

capablecapable

Additional TipsAdditional Tips

You should apply for positions that You should apply for positions that you are under qualified for, and over you are under qualified for, and over qualified forqualified for

You should present all materials You should present all materials professionally when trying to get the professionally when trying to get the jobjob Ex. Don’t put “lol” or “Ex. Don’t put “lol” or “” on a job ” on a job

applicationapplication