Professionalism

In my young life I've had my fair share of interviews, follow ups, and job experiences. I've had many jobs including but not limited to; bartending, sales, package handling, cashiering, all the way up to my current job as an online content developer. For every job I've had, I'd guess I've had at least three job interviews and filled out hundreds of applications. Throughout my professional experience I've picked up a few tips and learned a few things. One of the best tips I've received was from my step father when he told me that no matter what the professional situation is, it's always better to be overdressed than underdressed. You're never going to be passed up on a job for looking too sharp. Wearing a suit and tie is always better than looking like a bum. Even though my most recent job has a pretty laid back dress code, I still showed up to the interview dressed to the nines and I think the image I presented of myself by doing so was a key factor in being offered the job. Another great tip I've received is to always ask more questions than your interviewer. This shows a lot of initiative and it tells your potential employer that you're not only interested in the job, but eager to learn the ins and outs of the respective business. That was a tip that my mother gave me and it's done me a lot of good in interviews and follow ups. Another good tip I've gotten is that the rule of thumb for following up after an interview is to wait one week and if the employer hasn't contacted you by then, give them a holler. This is another thing that shows them you are still very interested in the job. The job I held before my most recent one was in sales and although it wasn't a good fit for me, I picked up some good habits that I would say made the experience worth while. Every day I would have a recap of my day where my mentor would go over what went well and what needs improvement. Even though I don't work for that company anymore, I've found that doing that on my own has been very beneficial for the job I have now and will likely serve me well in the future as well. Every day I write down a review, detailing what I think I did well, and what I could have done better and from that I make a plan for the next day. I've found that by doing this, I keep consistently improving my performance and it gives me a good picture of how I'm growing as a young professional. Another good tip I got from my last job was to always work the full day. What is meant by this is to keep yourself motivated throughout the day as to not lose steam. This is a particularly good tip because I've found that in previous jobs I would lose motivation to continuously perform to my full potential towards the end of the day and I would get less and less productive. Motivation is the key to staving off that stagnation that comes on towards the end of the day. Looking back at all that I've learned through my experience as a young professional really lifts my spirits because it shows me how much I've grown, not just as a worker, but as a person in general. Professionalism is key for a large portion of our lives, so it always helps to take inventory of yourself and practice habits that will lead you to consistently grow.