Tips On How to Be Perceived As A Professional In The Office [2]
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:
- Maintain a Professional Attitude
Being professional at work is not just about arriving on time and dressing appropriately. It’s also about how you act. The things you say and actions you take can define how professional you seem at the office. You can act however you like outside the office, but to remain professional at work, it’s a good idea to keep a professional attitude.
- Separate Personal Time and Work Time
We’ve all got things happening outside of work. It’s part of keeping a healthy work/life balance. However, we should try to limit the impact that they have on our workplace. Whether this is organising an event, speaking to friends, or dealing with problems, it’s good to try and keep it separate from your work. It’s not something that other people need to see or hear you doing.
- Work More Than The Minimum Hours
Most offices usually have a minimum working time period. This is the time that you should arrive to work by, and leave work after, at the end of the day. One way to improve your professionalism is to work longer than those hours.
- Use A Professional Email Signature
We all use email as part of our jobs. It’s an effective form of communication if used correctly. At the bottom of any email you send is your email signature. Setting one up that is effective and professional is a good suggestion.
You should have your name, position, company, and contact details such as email and phone numbers. This is quite common and standard for a signature. There are other things you might see on signatures that don’t really belong there, and you shouldn’t use them either. Memorable or funny quotes, images, links to other sites or advice aren’t really necessary, and you don’t need to put anything like that on your signature.
