Being professional

The following piece is an editorial that I wrote.



The old saying is: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ but nowadays, it seems that’s what all employers are doing.
As students, we’re not necessarily well organized; we barely have enough time to eat lunch. But lately, we have internships or interviews coming up, and worrying about that is just another thing on our plate. So, what exactly is going to make internships or interviews a little easier? Being professional is the key.
The dictionary defines professionalism as “of, pertaining to, or connected with a profession”. If only it were that easy. If being connected to a profession meant that you were being professional, then everyone who works, including Joe Schmo, is professional. To most, however, professionalism comes down to three main indicators; a professional wardrobe, a professional attitude, and a professional mindset.
For most college students, the first thought that goes into getting dressed in the morning is finding the article of clothing that smells the cleanest. But as some students embark on internships, we have to think, what exactly is being professional going to cost us? We start our lives in September almost $3,000 in debt and then add in all the extra costs; bus fees, groceries, textbooks, etc. When the season comes for applying for internships comes around, most students are scrambling to get final assignments finished, not focusing on the latest issue of GQ or Vogue.
So, we have to think, what are employers looking for, with regards to dress? First off, at the initial interview, employers are so swamped they may disregard an applicant based on appearance. That is wrong and completely unfair but the intern-to-be would pay the price. Secondly, students and applicants should be mature enough to dress appropriately for the interview. Basic black pants and a nice shirt are always enough to seem put together without trying too hard. Now, after the interview is over, and the job is yours, where do you go from there? Send a quick message to your future employer thanking them for the interview and ask whether there is a dress code.
With a professional look, next comes the professional attitude. For some students, life so far has entailed getting up from a late night at pub, crawling out of bed and going to class. That is definitely not professional. As college students, if we miss a class, so what, we’re paying for it. If our assignment is late, so what, we’re paying for it. But this “so-what” attitude, will get you a job asking, “Would you like fries with that?” Remember, there are a lot of applicants for every good job.
Having a professional attitude is all about being serious. Having a mature outlook on experiences, such as college, can go a long way. It may seem like a lot of fun to go out with your friends on a Thursday night and have a few brews. But you may have to sacrifice a few nights out to get ahead. It may seem like being an adult is costing you, but taking that serious step and staying in for the night not only will save you money, it will help you adjust to new habits that will contribute to being professional and landing a job. Not only will you be ready to seize the day, teachers, other students and prospective employers will notice the change and take you seriously.
The next step is having a professional mindset. If you've applied for an internship and have been accepted, you need to prepare yourself. Life in the real world is a lot different than life at college. If an assignment isn't finished, employers are not going to just brush it off and let it slip. You will pay for the slip and possibly even be fired. Having a professional mindset will not only prepare you so no slips happen and your career can thrive.
Some people have a natural ability to have assignments and projects finished on time without breaking a sweat. However, others leave things until the last minute or let things pile up until they are so overwhelmed they can barely breathe. Here are some simple tips for remaining professional. Get a day planner or an organizer and use it. Remember to stop and breathe; if you let yourself get overwhelmed by everything, you’re just going to seem unprofessional and unorganized.
Believe in yourself. Doubting yourself is not the way to be taken seriously. Repeat the mantra “I can do it. I can handle anything they throw at me.” It will help you stay calm and give your all to the task at hand. Believing in yourself is the most important thing anyone can do when it comes to growing up.
The truth is, acting like a typical college kid isn't going to get you very far. Growing up is hard, but it pays off. Having the right look, the right attitude and the right mindset will help you make the transition between the typical sweatpants-and-dishevelled-hair college student to the sleek-pants-and-shoulders-back professional you are going to become.