Professionalism

Professionalism

“LOOK the Part to LEAD the Part”

A large aspect of my leadership journey is learning from others. I am grateful enough to have the opportunity to learn from one of the best. Kara Harris, Human Resource Generalist at VGM Group, Inc. has recently become my mentor, and I could not be more thankful for the chance to learn from her as we both continue our professional journeys. At our latest get-together, we started to discuss the topic of professionalism.

Harris and I specifically dove into hybrid work, and the environment of those “at-home days.” Harris shared, “The one thing I make sure to do when I work from home is to get ready for the day as if I am going into the office.” She elaborates further by sharing how looking ready leads to feeling ready, and that results in more productivity throughout the day. Many people tend to feel more confident in their abilities when they look confident.

It is important for employers to understand this concept when they have employees who participate in hybrid work. Employers should ensure that productivity is comparable to on-site days. It is easy to get distracted and become less productive when individuals are working in an environment that they are not used to completing work in.

Professionalism

“What to Wear”

For all of the students and young professionals, I want to talk briefly on the frequently talked about “dress code” for any event. A common rule that a majority of individuals follow is to dress one level above what you think is expected. For instance, if you think you should dress business casual, then you should dress business professional. It is much better to be more dressed up, than not dressed up enough.

I have noticed that many people question what to wear to interviews, presentations, internships, jobs, and more. Following the common rule mentioned above can help eliminate the stress of determining which outfits to wear. However, I do want to point out that there is so much more to professionalism than appearance. But, a first impression is important – and can be determined with the first glimpse of a person.

Professionalism

“Headshots”

With the help of connections, I was able to find my UNI-Society for Human Resource Management team and members a photographer to capture our headshots.

Headshots are important for creating a professional look on hiring platforms: for example, LinkedIn.

We had a great time capturing our professional styles.

Does this look like a team that has it all figured out?

Big thank you to KD Williams for “capturing our worth.”

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