Profess Your Professionalism

Professionalism is truly not a difficult concept (the word was first used in 1856).  A quick search in Merriam-Webster allows one to define professionalism as "the conduct, aims, or qualities" of one with "a calling requiring specialized knowledge."  So I would probably be correct in saying that someone exhibiting professionalism should "look" like a person who is educated, knowledgable, and erudite (A GREAT word!  First used in the 15th century, it means "having or showing knowledge that is gained by studying," similar to the word "studious.")

Exhibiting professionalism means that you are doing what you would expect of a person in your occupation if you were the manager of that person.  You are timely, efficient, dedicated, communicative, productive, etc.  You would be doing everything that you are supposed to do to earn your salary.

Professionalism also includes how you dress, how you approach others, how you address situations of conflict, etc.  If you lack professionalism, you are doing yourself a disservice.  You are probably not an ideal candidate for a job, and if you have one already, you probably won't retain it for long.  You are probably sloppy and disruptive and disingenuous (meaning "lacking in candor," where "candor" means honesty or sincerity; first used in 1655).  Well, maybe you're not really these things, but that's surely what people will assume if you do something that is not professional.  Doing things that are considered "unprofessional" almost automatically discounts anything that you might have done correctly in the past.

Why all this discussion?  Well, I just want us all to be aware that our actions impact our degree of professionalism in other people's minds.  Once you give cause to put the "un-" in front of it, you'll never earn it back from the people who witnessed your fall from grace (this phrase is thought to have originated in the Bible, Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.").  We should all try to be as professional as possible at all times; remember that someone is always watching and you know exactly what they could see.