Professional BehaviourCHARMAINE HARRIS

Professional Behaviour Being professional is much more than dressing smartly and holding a degree,

Professionalism also has to do with the way you act within a business or an interview.

People that are professional in the workplace posses a number of different and important characteristics.

These can apply to any type of business.

Appearance A professional person have a neat and clean appearance.

You should meet or even exceed the requirements of the company’s dress code.

Always pay special attention to your appearance when meeting with clients.

Demeanour Be polite and well spoken, whether you’re interacting with customers, superiors or co-workers.

You should always keep calm, even during tense situation.

Reliability Always respond to people promptly.

Always follow through on promises.

Complete any tasks given in a timely manner as this shows reliability.

Competence Professionals strive to become experts in their fields as this set them apart from the rest.

Continue your education within your workplace by taking courses and attaining any related professional designations.

Ethics Within some work places, employees must adhere to a strict code of ethics.

Even if the company you are working for doesn’t have a written code, then you should always display ethical behaviour at all times.

Maintaining Your Poise A professional employee must always maintain their poise even if they are faced with a difficult situation.

If a customer or a co-worker treats you in an aggressive manner, you should remain calm and not resort to the same type of behaviour.

Phone Etiquette Another important component of professional behaviour is by having a good phone etiquette.

Whenever you place a call you should always identify yourself by your full name, the company you work for and your title when you place a call.

Make sure that you don’t dominate the conversation and always listen to the person on the other side of the phone.

Written Correspondence When your compose a letter always keep them brief and to the point.

Anything written should be polite and formal.

This also applies when composing e-mails.

Organisational Skills A professional person can find what they need quickly and easily when it’s needed.

The place in that you work should always be kept neat and organised.

When carrying a briefcase it should only contain what is needed for your appointments or presentations.

Accountability Professional people are always accountable for their actions.

Always own up to any mistakes that you make, and always help try to fix it if possible.

Never blame someone else for your mistakes.