The PR major in the SOJC is a professionally-focused one. Most students who go into PR understand the importance of perceptions. Or at least they should. And, naturally, our students are concerned with professionalism.
Lately, however, I’m beginning to think some are too concerned. Or their emphasis is misplaced. I’m not sure which. But I think it’s worth exploring.
Maybe we’ll start with what I think professionalism is not:
- About (just) what you’re wearing. Your appearance is important, don’t get me wrong. It affects that way you feel about yourself and certainly influences first impressions, but style without substance quickly fades.
- Rigid or doctrinaire. I hear students admonish each other for not being professional or gossip behind someone’s back about some terrible unprofessional misdeed (first of all, judge not, lest ye be judged…). It’s as if professionalism is the new religion for students.
- Lack of personalization. Where are YOU in this battle for superior professionalism? Scrubbing your digital footprint or even your interpersonal interactions clean from anything that smacks of (God, forbid!) being a 20-something is boring. You’re not a hermetically-sealed-stepford-account-executive-pre-professional just waiting for your assignment. For crying out loud… BE YOURSELF.
Ultimately, professionalism is about the work, it’s about the way you interact with your peers and colleagues. It’s about being gracious and empathetic. What professionalism is:
- Being accountable. Doing what you say you’ll do, having open lines of communication, telling your supervisor or client that you don’t understand or you’re unclear or you’re in over your head. All of that is part of being accountable. I often see students try to “fake it” and not acknowledge their limitations.
- Putting the work first. Professionalism is about your professional work. That comes first… before your personal brand. You won’t have a very solid “brand,” by the way, if you can’t do good work.
- Focused on building relationships by celebrating others successes, having empathy. Being a good person, someone who people enjoy working with is also part of the equation. Professionalism means celebrating your team and giving credit where credit is due. It also means having empathy – not for just clients and colleagues, but any “stakeholder.” Relationships are paramount and the ability to build and maintain strong ones takes a real professional.
What do you think professionalism means?
Comments
9 responses to “What Does Professionalism Mean?”
What does professionalism mean? Been noodling this around in my head for a while… what do you think? http://bit.ly/8mixYs
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Thank you for inviting me here Kelli. I have some thoughts regarding professional work and personal brand.
I have not found that placing either my personal brand or my professional work first to be sustainable.
When our professional work and our personal brand are not in line with each other we create a win-lose situation.
When our professional work and our personal brand are in sync, we serve both at the same time. Win-win. I believe that is a required condition for “amazing”.
Agreed! Being down-to-earth, thoughtful and smart inspires far more confidence than a well-ironed shirt. AND, at least in my experience, often translates to more responsibility and greater career success far more quickly.
So glad you’re out there preparing the next generation of PR-pros! 🙂
Hey, @eerland thanks for your comment! http://bit.ly/8mixYs
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Great post, Kelli. I particularly agree with your point about being yourself – often times I see young pros who only do what they are told and are afraid to speak up in group settings. While that’s not wrong by any means, being proactive in contributing ideas and showing that you have an opinion counts for a lot. This is something my boss really encourages, and something that I am very grateful for.
One of the best books I read as an undergrad is “They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” (written by a former Edelman employee) – a must read for any young PR pro looking to polish up his/her “corporate persona.”
I miss taking classes from @kmatthews! She always gives the best advice! What does Professionalism mean? http://bit.ly/7o4rhd
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Professionalism… what do *you* think it means? PRos in Training post: http://bit.ly/8mixYs
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
Wonderful. Little late for me, but pass it on! I had this image I had to be stone-faced and that my easily readable face would be a problem. I learned that I can control my expressiveness while letting my silliness and earnest excitement shine through. And now I’m hired – yes it’s an internship but it’s great!
Professionalism means celebrating your team and giving credit where credit is due. It also means having empathy – not for just clients and colleagues, but any “stakeholder.” Relationships are paramount and the ability to build and maintain strong ones takes a real professional