SURVIVING THE WORKPLACE: Keeping your Job by Being Professional

In the last blog, I talked about keeping your job by leaving personal issues out of the workplace. Learning how to keep your personal life out of the office is a great step to remaining professional but it isn’t all there is to it. In this blog, I will be discussing what is and is not appropriate for professional behavior in the workplace.

I know we can all agree there is a time and place for certain behaviors. When at work, we can certainly agree to remain professional, right? But what does “remain professional” mean, exactly? Professionalism, to most people in the workforce, simply means coming to work on time, completing tasks given to you either before or on deadline, and just simply doing the job you were hired to do.

It is vital for your career to be considered an asset to the company. You must be thought of as reliable, competent, and dependable, and willing to go above and beyond what is actually expected of you. These attributes will contribute to your air of professionalism, which, in turn, will further your career.

Here are some helpful tips to remain professional at all times:

1) Be Positive: This is simple. Instead of looking at the glass as half empty, look at it as half full. Try to maintain an upbeat attitude; trying to solve problems rather than stopping in your tracks will negate a pessimistic attitude and show others your will to succeed.

2) Respect Others: Follow the rule, “treat others as you would want to be treated.”

3) Be Honest: Honesty in an employee is important to the company as a whole. It’s also important to the people you work with. Trust must be earned and is almost impossible to rebuild once broken.

4) Support Others: It is important for you to shine, but support your colleagues in their achievements as well. Remember to remain supportive of your co workers by sharing what you know--they will return the favor.

5) Listen: You want to be listened to and so do others. Remember if you don’t listen when another colleague speaks then more than likely they are not going to listen to what you have to say either.

6) Be Reliable: People are comfortable giving you projects and special tasks or assignments if you are punctual in everything that you do.

7) Integrity: Stay consistent in what you say and do. Don’t flip flop from one idea to another. Refrain from gossip and don’t give anyone any reason to doubt what you say.

8) Competence: You were hired for the job because your employer believed you were the best candidate for the position—that means asking questions when you don’t understand. A better informed employee makes fewer mistakes and lets the employer know s/he made the right choice in hiring you!

These are simple things that you can do to facilitate a professional manner in the workplace. In today’s working world, it is imperative to prove your worth and maintain a professional demeanor. These skills will keep you sharp, which is always important when it comes to keeping your job!

Carly Sabato