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Being professional at work is important! You are more likely to get and keep a job if you act, dress, and speak professionally.
Dress Professionally
Dressing professionally will:
Make a positive first impression
Show others that you take your job seriously
Encourage you to be productive
How you dress professionally depends on workplace culture, and the job itself:
If your job requires safety equipment (eg. construction) wear it properly.
If you work in an office, have on a clean outfit and neat appearance.
If you get messy at your job (eg. a cook) have a clean outfit for your next shift.
Act Professionally
While at work avoid engaging with distractions. You're here to do your job and do it well.
Acting professionally will:
Allow you to focus on doing a good job.
Help your employer recognize your skills.
Did you know?
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Speak Professionally
Speaking professionally is especially important in job interviews and before you fully know what the workplace conventions are at that particular job.
Speak professionally by:
Avoiding slang or swear words.
Using proper grammar.
Saving non-work conversations for your break.
Quiz
Today is your first day at your new job - congratulations! The most appropriate approach to greeting someone at your new workplace would be:
Casual speech may be appropriate in some workplaces, but when in doubt, polite and grammatically correct language is the way to go! The other options all use slang that may not be accepted as appropriate at work.
The Halo Effect
The halo effect is when we judge someone's personality based on one noticeable characteristic.
Watch the video for an example:
Use the halo effect to your advantage! Dressing, acting, and speaking professionally at work can all signal to others that you are competent at your job.
Take Action
And so can you!
This Byte has been authored by
MiMi Vo
Pharmacist
Owen Zimmerman
Career Pathways Intern