The importance of professionalism
Employability is largely about how well you perform at work and the attitude and behaviours that you take to work.
Professionalism is the foundation for effective workplace performance and teamwork. It’s the foundation from which you can effectively apply workplace behaviours and attitudes.
It generally covers the following things:
(1) Attire and presentation
(2) Language.
(3) Punctuality.
(4) How you work with others.
(5) Behaviours and attitudes.
Professionalism enables you to do your job well. For example, showing respect for your colleagues is the foundation for effective communication.
It’s probably quite obvious to you that coming to work dressed in shorts and flip-flops is unprofessional.
Most examples of unprofessional behaviour are more subtle than that. Many of these behaviours stem from having a poor work ethic. It’s also failing to show respect and consideration for the people you work with.
While job seekers can be technically brilliant at their jobs, employers may not hire them because of their lack of professionalism. Employers would rather compromise on a technical skillset than deal with the repercussions of unprofessional behaviour.
Lack of professionalism can have an impact on your performance and that of your colleagues and teams.
But from an employer’s perspective, it shows that you don’t take your job seriously. Or that you don’t respect your colleagues or the organisation.
Lack of respect for colleagues can also have an adverse effect on how people view the organisation. It may also have a negative impact on productivity. For example, if people think your organisation is dysfunctional, they may not give their business to you.
The contextual nature of professionalism
Every employer will expect certain behaviours from their employees. These may be slightly different depending on the industry, organisation, or role.
There may be specific expectations in your field which are part of the professional standards of the occupation, industry, or culture of the organisation. There are professional standards for many occupations.
For example, in the health field, cleanliness is vital. It is associated with hygiene and efficiency. If you work in this environment, then you need to reflect this image and expectation.
In advertising, clients expect creativity and innovation. It is perfectly acceptable for you to show some flair in the way you present yourself and your ideas.
Reshaping your employability
If you find yourself in a tight labour market where you are unable to find work in your chosen field, this may be an opportunity for you to rethink and repackage your employability.
You may have worked hard at developing yourself to enter a particular field. But often circumstances dictate that you need to explore other options, voluntarily or involuntarily.
This is where you can take your overall employability and consider how you can reshape or transform your existing skills and attributes to fit into alternative roles, organisations or even other professions or industries.
Employability development is a continuous lifelong process
You may think that once you have mastered the use of SEAL and have reflected on your experiences to gain employment that your employability journey is complete.
Actually, it’s not.
If you want to continuously progress in your career and build on your skills and capabilities, then it never will be.
That’s because employability development is a continuous lifelong process!
It’s really important to keep learning and developing even during retirement. To do this, you need to constantly reflect on the experiences you have encountered. Consider how you will take what you have learned forward.
Using SEAL to reflect on situations will help you constantly identify areas for improvement. Or consider how you might do things differently in the future. This has an impact on your effectiveness in the organisation and on your career.
Professional development opportunities
You may have heard people talking about Continuing Professional Development, or CPD as it’s commonly known. Lifelong learning doesn’t have to be structured or only happen when you enrol in a course.
As long as you are learning – whether that be seeking advice from a more experienced colleague or enrolling in further study – then you are progressing.
Networking is a good way to develop contacts in your field who can help you build your career.
Employers may highly value people who have worked abroad as they are usually more proactive, bring fresh ideas, and are willing to step out of their comfort zone. It is important for you to enjoy the benefits of working and living in a different country but it is also vital that you use the experience as a learning opportunity and consider how it can enhance your employability.