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by NASP Team
Whether they’re a rude and abrasive co-worker, or a disorganized and irresponsible manager – working with an unprofessional individual is never pleasant.
That’s why it’s so important to develop characteristics of professionalism in the workplace. Behaving professionally also makes you a more desirable employee.
When looking for new team members, managers are constantly on the lookout for professional individuals they can count on.
But what makes someone a professional? And what qualities set stellar employees apart from the rest? In this article, we’ll answer the questions and explain seven of the most important traits a professional should have.
So, when we talk about professional attributes, what exactly do we mean? Simply put, these characteristics are those that are developed within the workplace and encompass the conduct or qualities that characterize a professional person.
When interviewing job candidates, managers will look for people who display the qualities that best capture the values of the company.
If you can show that you have those all-important elements of professionalism, you stand a much better chance of getting a job or promotion.
This is because your boss will be more inclined to trust you as a representative of the company.
Now that we’ve explained a little bit about what professional attributes are and why it’s important to cultivate them, we’ll now walk you through seven important features of professionalism.
Traits like these will help you excel in your job, and will help you to integrate more completely with your team.
It should be noted that the list below isn’t an exhaustive one. There are many more characteristics of professionalism than the seven included in our list. However, the qualities you’ll find below are some of the most crucial no matter your line of work.
One of the most important characteristics of a professional is dependability.
An unreliable employee is a liability. But one who is always punctual, who handles their duties in a timely fashion without compromising on effort or quality, who doesn’t overextend themselves and keeps their word—they are an asset.
Dependable employees form the backbone of a company. As such, the quality of reliability is one that you should work to incorporate into your professional personality.
In job interviews, be sure to highlight actions you took or behavior you displayed in the past that highlight this quality.
Being organized is another one of those professional characteristics managers will always be looking out for, so make sure that you work hard at developing it.
Organizational skills apply to so many facets of work life: maintaining an orderly space, managing your time, and keeping track of obligations are just a few examples of tasks that require organization.
Keeping organized isn’t something that comes easy for everyone. If you struggle with this yourself, consider these tips:
Responsibility is one of those aspects of professionalism that is absolutely crucial. But what does it mean?
Responsible individuals will hold themselves accountable for any mistakes they make as opposed to trying to blame someone else. They accept that their position comes with a range of duties and obligations they must fulfill.
If ever they fail in that role for whatever reason, a responsible person will accept the consequences of their actions and learn to do better next time.
Level-headedness is another one of those essential attributes of a professional, especially when you’re working with a team or in a customer-facing role. Managers don’t want to hire someone likely to blow up in the face of conflict or difficulty.
Rather, they want someone who will be able to keep their cool when things get tough, and who can deal with any problems that arise calmly and reasonably.
Level-headed individuals aren’t just easier to manage; they’re easier to work with. Your colleagues are far less likely to get along with you if you’re a more volatile person.
How would you describe professionalism if you were asked? Hopefully, you’d at least mention the quality of being communicative.
Knowing how to talk to people—and, perhaps even more importantly, how to listen—is essential both within and outside of the workplace.
Whether you’re a salesperson looking to convince a customer to make a purchase, an HR worker trying to solve a dispute, or a manager trying to delegate tasks, communication is key.
Practice active listening when talking to colleagues and customers; really take on board what they have to say, paying attention to their body language and tone.
When communicating yourself, make sure to be as clear and precise as possible, exercising tact while still being straightforward.
When thinking about components of professionalism, another quality that comes to mind is self-assuredness. Confidence is absolutely essential in a professional capacity, whether you’re dealing with clients or colleagues.
If you behave in a shy, anxious manner, you are more likely to make the people around you feel on edge as well.
You may also send the signal that you’re unsure of yourself and your expertise, which can make people less likely to trust your professional abilities.
Don’t mistake confidence for arrogance; coming across as conceited will probably do more damage than if you seem shy.
Balance a humble attitude with self-confidence and assertiveness.
The final quality on our list of attributes of professionalism is being respectful. A professional individual always treats those around them with respect, being careful to take the feelings of others into consideration.
Sometimes, a customer or colleague may not treat you considerately. In that event, is it acceptable to treat them in kind? Of course not.
This doesn’t mean they can treat you however they like; however, it does mean that you should take a measured response when dealing with any problematic behavior and not get carried away with emotion.
Whether you’re looking for a new job, hoping for a promotion, or just looking to improve your performance at work, taking the time to work on these seven professional characteristics can help.
Not only will this increase your employability, but it will also make you a joy to be around, both from the perspective of your colleagues and any clients you have dealings with.
We hope that our list of characteristics of professional excellence has helped you identify aspects of your behavior you might want to work on.
Work hard at improving these facets of yourself, and you’re bound to become an employee anyone would be lucky to hire!
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