- Frequently check for e-mail and phone voice-mail messages. Return messages as soon as possible with structured, well-considered responses that answer any questions and provide additional details that may help your correspondent's decision-making process. For example, your supervisor asks for your work schedule for the coming week. Respond with the hours you are planning to work, projects to work on, and the goals for each day or time-line for each project.
- Invest in professional attire. If involved in field work, purchase your own safety gear such as field clothing, approved work boots, hard hat, cruiser's vest or other job-related gear. Having your personal "kit" will indicate to supervisors your interest in future employment within your current profession. For office-based positions, office-casual wear such as nice shoes, slacks, and button-up shirts. Pressed clothes and a noticeable absense of t-shirts or blue jeans will impress your supervisor and encourage him/her to introduce you to other professionals.
- Manage your social networks. Many co-workers, supervisors, and future employers are on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you do not already have a profile on either service, please consider establishing one. When using either service, consider posting news stories, commentary, or other media relevant to your profession. Avoid professionally inappropriate status updates, comments, or photos, video, or friends who are prone to such.
- Print and hand-out business cards. A timeless form of social networking media, business cards are a professional means to advertise and help new contacts remember your name, contact information, profession, and career interests. Consider printing double-sided cards that include the address of your LinkedIn profile, degrees, training, or certifications on the reverse side. Whenever applying with paper forms, include a business card to distinguish yourself as a professional.
- Volunteer, attend conferences and trainings. Many current and future potential employers value employees who actively seek out community service and continued learning opportunities. Not only are these great ways to improve your resume, but volunteering, conferences, and trainings are incomparable networking opportunities to meet other professionals in and beyond your field. If you are currently between employment opportunities, volunteering and trainings help maintain continuity of your resume.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Establishing your Professional Image
One of the greatest challenges of young professionals is learning to indicate, project, and assert professionalism and professional ability. Appearing as a mature, sensible, decisive, and hard-working individual to supervisors and potential employers will assist an individual in gaining continued and future employment opportunities and even increased professional responsibility (i.e. promotions). Following are some tips on how to create and maintain your professional image.
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Very good recommendations,however I would add you should look a you personal grooming habits. I'm not talking about bathing that should be obvious. Don't come in looking like the caveman from the insurance commercials. Generally lose the beards, if you think a big full beard makes you look more woods wise, it doesn't. If you have to have it, make sure it's well trimmed. If it's thin and scraggly, shave it off.
ReplyDeleteAs for hair, shorter is more professional, but guys if you're not willing cut it make sure it clean and and pulled back. Make sure it stays out of your eyes. Women have a little more latitude on length, but generally much is the same. Wild hair colors don't project a professional image.
Piercings are a big mistake, even if you take them out the holes are still visible. Tattoos can be problem, keep them covered.
Generally those doing the hiring in business or forestry tend to be on the conservative side. If you feel like you have to express yourself as an individual fine, but that may cost you.
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. As a young professional myself, it is astounding to me that these things need to be explained, but it is necessary. Another thing I would add to this to other members of our generation, don't expect to be doing your dream job right out of school. The best advice I was ever given was to give it five years, which I know feels like an eternity but forestry is still a profession where "paying your dues" is expected and probably involves doing things that you will find boring. If I had a dollar for every stream or harvest unit I digitized...However, if you do these things well and show that you are capable, other opportunities will come. If you have established that you can complete your work and do it well, when you go to ask about other opportunities or something that you are interested in pursuing your boss will be much more likely to work with you.