The Importance of Professionalism

By James Mendez

University of North Texas

Mayborn School of Journalism

As someone who prides themselves on being professional, it astonishes me how many instances of unprofessionalism I see on a daily basis. This week I am going to discuss how important professionalism is in the PR world.

Photo Via Cartoon Lounge

As I student at a public university, I probably see more instances of unprofessionalism on a daily basis than most. The most blatant offense, to me, is what student’s perceive as “business casual”.

 

Photo Via Tarleton.edu                     

The way you present yourself is a reflection of what kind of work you are going to produce. It blows my mind when I am in a group and we are assigned a presentation that requires business attire and a group member shows up in skinny jeans and a t-shirt. Hopefully they will see the photo above.

Last week I went over to a friend’s house for a casual dinner and it amazed me at how some of them consume food. A few of them ate like it was last meal while others talked the entire time and didn’t even put a dent in their food. Since a lot of business is conducted at the dinner table, manners matter.

Photo Via MommyPoppins.com

I have also noticed that, today, people do not seem to be near as polite as they used to be. When I am speaking to someone if they don’t look me in the eye, I feel as though something is either wrong with me or wrong with them. The smallest details such as handwriting a letter instead of sending an email can make a world of a difference when it comes to getting a job, making a sale or simply impressing someone.

I recently had the pleasure of reading, You Did What? The Biggest MistakesProfessionals Make, by Kim Zoller and Kerry Preston and I would defiantly recommend it to anyone interested in being professional. As I stated earlier, I consider myself to be quite professional however I did learn several new things from the book. You can pick it up at your local bookstore or here.