I think that having professional etiquette skills and ethics are very important in the professional world. Having these skills and actually utilizing those shows a lot about a person. Not having the skills also shows a lot about someone. I got my first job when I was 16-years-old at Hardees, and I remember my boss telling me what to do rather than ask me. At the time, I was young so I didn't really understand anything about ethics or etiquette; I was just excited that I had a job, so I just did what I was told to do. I later learned in life, that it's not what a person says; it is how they say it that determines professionalism.
Since then, throughout the years of working several different jobs, I have come across so many people with different personalities. Some were nice and professional, while others were rude and disrespectful. It is amazing to see how someone who holds an authority position use and abuse that position just because "they can." You try your hardest to be cordial and nice to the person but it becomes very difficult because you know they are doing it intentionally.
As I have gotten older and now in my 30s, I realize that all of the Management and Office courses I completed, my skills are tested daily. It doesn't matter if it was a rude teacher, or an egotistical, arrogant, person on a job, someone at a restaurant, or people in general, my etiquette skills are tested daily and I admit, you win some and you will lose some. One can only take so much. However, that is no excuse to not handle situations in a professional manner.
You never know who is looking and watching you. You never know who looks up to you, so impression is everything in the professional world. Sometimes you have to "fake it to make it."
I believe having professional skills plays a role in people obtaining jobs/careers, being offered opportunities, and a list of other things. How you present yourself to the public is a reflection of you. Some people may not know how to go about obtaining professional skills, which is why I feel it is very important that high schools should prepare students early. I also feel that no matter what college a person attends and no matter what major a person declares, it should be mandatory to take a professional competence course.
I feel that it does not matter how many degrees a person have or how much experience one has, not having etiquette and ethic skills will hinder you and make you look bad. I believe that no matter your age or profession, we all should stay up-to-date with learning new and different ways to use our etiquette and ethic skills.
You may think you have it all together, but every day you live and you learn. You learn that you must keep working at professionalism.
One thing that has helped me to stay on top of my professional skills is making sure to have the right people in my corner to boost me to be positive and to do what is right. Besides, we're supposed to do what is right anyway.
We can only control our own actions and attitudes and do what is right by killing people with kindness. I like to say "have a blessed day" or "be blessed" to rude people, because really, these unprofessional people are miserable and unhappy.
Learn to pick and choose your battles wisely. It can be hard because no one wants to be treated rude or disrespected but in the end, if you believe in the boomerang effect, then you know that whatever someone says or does to you, it will come back on them in some way. Besides, stress kills, so sometimes it's best to just let some things go.
Even though I have taken courses on professionalism and have worked around many different personalities, you can never learn enough and I am looking forward to learning more. The Professional Competence course I took recently, I learned a lot, and part of the reason was because I wanted to learn, and the other reason was because I had an amazing professor.
As you go about your everyday life, take note that etiquette and ethics skills can make or break your career, because unfortunately, the professional world can be cutthroat. You will come across a lot of bad people, but you do not have to let them bring you out of your character. "Kill them with kindness."
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