Professionalism in the Workplace
You successfully nailed the interview and have accepted the internship or job you were looking for. It's day one on the new job, and you want to make a good first impression. You can help demonstrate your value to a potential employer or supervisor by being professional at all times and reflecting on some of the following considerations.
Things to Consider:
- Recognize your own leadership style, work ethic and values. Reflect on how these impact and shape who you are in the workplace.
- Observe your coworkers to gain insight on their own workplace values and ethics. Be conscious of how these differ from your own.
- Define effective communication in the context of your worksite. In which contexts do coworkers or your supervisor prefer to communicate via email versus in person?
- Use good email etiquette: use effective subject lines, include appropriate greetings and sign-offs and use concise, professional language.
- Observe the pre-established order and agenda for meetings. How do you, in your new position, fit into the workplace meeting? When is it appropriate to talk, bring up new ideas, or add to the discussion?
- Be careful to not bring up topics from your personal life that may be inappropriate for the workplace.
- Familiarize yourself with any pre-established rules, norms or policies in your workplace.
- Inquire about any training or orientation for new employees on company policies and appropriate workplace behavior.
- Observe the expectations in this workplace for personal technology use. In general, avoid or minimize using technology for personal use on the job (texting, smartphones, checking personal email or social media accounts, making calls).
- What workplace traits, characteristics and behaviors does your supervisor expect and appreciate in the workplace? What does the supervisor expect to see in the workplace?