If you want to be considered a professional — and get promoted like one — here are some things you shouldn’t be doing.
Avoid looking sloppy, keeping to yourself and being late.
Those things scream unprofessional, according to Human Resource leaders in Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania’s 2012 Professionalism in the Workplace Study.
Here’s what HR pros said are the top characteristics of professionals in the workplace:
- Interpersonal skills (34%)
- Work ethic (27%)
- Communication skills (25%)
- Appearance (25%)
- Time management (21%), and
- Knowledge (9%)
Turns out, you don’t have to know everything to appear to be professional. Instead, you need to know how to find the answers — and be willing to do it — to prove your professionalism.
So if you’d like to be taken seriously in the contact center, and be considered for promotions and pay raises, play the part you want. Dress appropriately and neatly. Work well with others and keep the lines of communication open between yourself, boss and co-workers.
