You can report to work on time, be busy until the sign out time, but yet not considered professional.To be taken seriously at work, one needs to show some level of professionalism. A professional employee does whatever that is in their power to prove to their bosses or supervisors that they are assets to the company, as that way, they can be promoted to other positions, and other opportunities can knock on their doors. Experts define professionalism as a set of characteristics that displays your ability to be a hardworking, dependable and respectful individual in formal settings. According to Herbert Mutabazi, a business personnel, professionalism starts when employees know what they have to do but not wait to be told or directed all the time by their supervisors. For example, by producing quality work, meeting deadlines, attending meetings and always reporting to work on time and utilising every minute to meet deadlines. He says that professional workers are those whose colleagues can trust and rely on for any assistance, and also, those who focus on one task at a time until it’s accomplished. “Such employees accept their mistakes while in the wrong instead of pinning them on others, and once in need of help, they request for it without fear, as that way, they believe they acquire more skills and knowledge than keeping quiet yet don’t know something,” Mutabazi states. He also carries on that professional employees have a sense of etiquette as they know how to address their colleagues appropriately even when they’re in the wrong, are polite and treat others with respect. Mutabazi adds that etiquette can be in form of how you dress, greet others, the attention you offer to others, and keep the conversation centered on work but not on others’ personal lives. He adds that being professional at work requires providing more than you were hired to do, for example, requesting for more responsibilities whenever you’re done with your usual duties, as you and the company benefit from it. “Professional employees ought to be organised and neat, from keeping your working space clean, working on time and setting personal deadlines, to making the best of your time, and preparing for tasks ahead of time,” he states. Bonita Eliza, a business manager in a local branding firm says that you have to be positive at work, by being friendly and attracting positive conversations, and mostly allowing your colleagues to easily approach you, due to your friendly personality. ‘Though you have to be very cautious to draw a line between showing kindness and being taken advantage of.’ For her, professionals are those who value teamwork and provide personal energy to the team to have great results, but also being an effective communicator through listening to others, learning from them, and offering your opinion whenever possible. Eliza is of the view that professionals show empathy to their employees by seeking solutions amidst challenges, avoiding gossip and work politics, keeping your promise, respecting the company’s policies, and celebrating those who have succeeded, and keeping your promises. According to Indeed Career Guide, a professional career platform, you can acquire expertise to continue developing your knowledge and skills, you might read industry journals, attend conferences, enroll in relevant courses, practice with new technology and seek a mentor in your field. The more expertise you have in your field, the more professional you will appear to others. “You can demonstrate expertise in the workplace by recommending new products, tools and processes to improve outcomes, asking your manager for feedback about performance to determine where you can improve, staying current on new industry developments, and pursuing continuing education in your field.”
