Tips On How to Be Perceived As A Professional In The Office
We often hear how important it is to behave “professionally” in the workplace. If you want to get ahead, be taken seriously, and have your boss think of you as an asset to the team, doing things in a professional way is vital.
But what exactly do employers mean by this term? Surely it’s enough to do your job well and show up on time consistently. Or are there other things expected of you if you want to be viewed as being professional?
Here are a few tips to get you on the right track:
1. Consider The Dress Code
There’s usually a dress code set for a workplace. This is different for men and women, and can be different for each company. To remain professional in the office, try dressing above the dress code.
2. Have A Professional Phone Greeting
How you answer your phone says a lot about your attitude to work. Your greeting is the first thing that people hear when they call you, and you want to send a good impression to them. There are better ways to answer your phone than “Yeah?” or “Hello.” Try adding your name in there as well as a greeting. Something like “Hello, Rob speaking.” or “Good afternoon, this is Sally.” is appropriate, professional, and not too long.
3. Put Your Mobile Phone On Silent
Our mobile phones are with us for most of the day, either in our pockets or on our desk. A good way to be seen as more professional is to have your phone on silent or vibrate mode at work. You might have what you think is the greatest ringtone in the world, but others may disagree. Ringtones, especially loud ones, can be distracting and even annoying to others. Keeping it on silent or vibrate can make you look more considerate and professional at the office.
4. Arrive On Time to Meetings
Meetings at work are common. While they can sometimes not be very useful, they still exist and can be helpful for team discussions. Meetings are scheduled for a certain time, and depending on the subject, they can be quite important. Nobody likes to have their time wasted, and one of the biggest time wasters is not being able to start a meeting because people haven’t arrived yet.
