During the course of my 20-year career within the wealth management industry, one thing that has changed, and changed quite dramatically, is the way women and men present themselves in a professional environment. Business, as well as the way it is conducted, has certainly changed in many ways, including developments in technology, the introduction of flexi hours and attire being far more business casual. Companies understand that the workforce today is different from the work force 20–30 years ago: employees are looking for more of a work– life balance opposed to being chained to a desk and a slave to their job. However, despite these changes, there is a core foundation that has not changed, and indeed which will never change. It is the foundation of business known as “professionalism”.

If you demonstrate certain aspects of professionalism in the workplace, they will define you and could promote you; but if you don’t, they could lead to demotion and potentially cost you your job.

When I think of professionalism in the corporate world, I think of six characteristics, none of which will ever change:

1. Appearance
2. Reliability
3. Respect
4. Loyalty
5. Accountability
6. Ethics

A lot of people are either oblivious or seem to think the “rules of engagement” in the workplace do not apply to them, but in reality these six characteristics apply to everyone. So the question comes to mind, how do you learn all the aspects of professionalism? Are they skills you learn on the job or a series of scripted or unscripted lessons you learn throughout your younger years?

When I was in year 10 at high school, I completed a 10-week extracurricular programme through my school called “Deportment” (others may know it as “Finishing School”). For two hours after school, one day a week, we were taught how to conduct ourselves with etiquette and social grace. It does sound rather old-fashioned, and at the time I thought it was quite ludicrous; however, in all honesty, they were some of the best lessons I ever learnt. I go to many business dinners and I notice when someone doesn’t know how to use a knife and fork properly, or when they put their elbows on the table.

Let’s face it, how you conduct yourself outside the office has an impact on how you conduct yourself professionally – the two are entwined. How you present yourself to the public in your professional career is going to make a huge difference: your image is your brand and you are representing your company. In the corporate environment, employers are simply looking for an appropriate professional image (they are not looking to see whether you are up on the current fashion trends). The fact is, potential clients are always going to gravitate towards someone who looks more well-kempt and who has taken time to run an iron over their outfit and ensure their clothes are clean.

Being reliable exudes professionalism to both your clients and employer. When you are reliable you are dependable, so you often become a commodity they can’t afford to do without. If you are always calling in sick, not responding to your clients in a timely manner, coming in late to work or not adhering to agreed deadlines, it simply shows that you don’t care. Professional people have excellent time management. Professional people care.

Respect in the workplace is key, both for your colleagues and your clients. You must earn the respect of your colleagues and clients, but you must give them respect unconditionally – it is an unspoken rule. Respect in the workplace is about boundaries, and often one of the greatest challenges is when your colleague becomes your friend and your friend then gets promoted before you do, ending up in you reporting to them. You must respect your company’s decision that they chose the best person for the job, and you should treat your manager with respect regardless of whether they are your friend. Respect in the workplace is one of the pillars of professionalism.

When I think of loyalty, I think of traditional marriage vows: “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part”. No job is perfect, no employer is perfect, and certainly no employee is perfect. However, loyalty is paramount in career development, and if you are job-hopping every few years, it becomes a pattern on your resume. Employers look at the “life span” of an employee. If a competitor was to offer an extra $2,000 per year, would they jump ship or remain loyal to the company?

I am sure we all know someone who blames everyone else for their problems; it’s never them, it’s always someone else who’s to blame. Being accountable for your actions, whether good or bad, is one of the strongest traits of professionalism. Accountability can be looked at in two ways, either being held accountable or being accountable. Professionalism means being accountable for your OWN actions. Accountability is your work ethic, and if you don’t have a good work ethic it will cost you in the long term, perhaps by developing a bad reputation within your industry or being overlooked for promotion.

Are you ethical? Where do you draw the line in the sand? Are you willing to turn a blind eye if it makes your job easier? The easiest way to ruin your reputation is to be known as unethical: it is a career killer. You will never be taken seriously and it will haunt you for the rest of your life, especially now in the age of technology. Bottom line – you can’t be professional if you are not ethical.

The term “professionalism” will have different meanings to different people based upon their particular industry. Although there are industry differentiators, professionalism overall is about how you conduct yourself in the environment where you work. Employees fail to recognise that how you conduct yourself in the workplace will ultimately affect your earning potential throughout your working career.

The post What does it mean to be professional? appeared first on RG Magazines.

Ladies:

Pant suits have been a favourite for designers and street stylers for some time now. However the trend seems to pick up even more steam recently. Maybe it started as a nod to Hillary Clinton, but coupled with the likes of the #metoo movement and the ever-increasing push to empower women, we have seen the trend dominate fashion pages and runways. The pant suit’s ability to combine power, style and femininity makes it a wardrobe must-have.

If you’re thinking the pant suit of the 2000s however, change your train of thought. Instead think 80s and broad shoulders, high waists and great tailoring. Wear with sneakers, heels or brogues, with a t-shirt, button down or blouse. Pant suits will take you to the office, through to dinner and the after party. Its versatility is what makes it a must-buy.

The Fall 2018 runways saw a slew of wild and wacky pant suit options, but if you want to keep it polished, smart, sophisticated, and office appropriate with an edge, go for a classic tailored pantsuit in either black, navy or grey or for the more brave opt for bold solids. Pastels are still in and pink or dusted blue look amazing as pantsuits. For boardroom ready choose a simple shirt for understated chic and pair with metallic shoes for added interest. For evening vibes throw your suit jacket over a dress adding some embellished flats for glamour. To keep it casual add a classic white tee to your tailored look, with some jewel toned accessories to add a flash of colour.

For the men:

There was a time was when brown meant drab, but think rich and warm shades of brown and you’ll have your colour of choice for the season. These hues exude confidence, sophistication and creativity for those men brave enough to wear it. Treat this wonderful colour pallete of camel, cognac and caramel to name a few, as you would treat black, greys and navys, to create striking yet versatile pieces which strike a timeless, classic chord.

Beige, taupe and chocolate were some of the key shades from the wild-west themes that graced the catwalks, with these brown based inspired hues creating quite the statement worn from head-to-toe. If you are brave enough to rock the all-over brown ensemble, then ensure there is a variance in tone to break up the look. Alternatively if you want to wear only one statement camel piece, make it a tailored blazer and pair it with neutral colours and simple designs, such as a white shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers.

The post Ladies’ pant suit is back; men: brown is the new black appeared first on RG Magazines.