Being Professional

Professionalism is used in various fields and contexts. For some, being professional might mean doing a good job or having advanced degrees. For others, it may mean dressing smartly at work, having certification to a specific work. So, what is being professional mean?

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, professionalism is “the conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person;” while a profession is “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” These imply that professionalism encompasses a number of different attributes, including specialized knowledge, competency, honesty, integrity, accountability, and self-regulation, Therefore, to be professional, a person needs to conduct himself and emulate the skills and attributes expected from a professional.