The Colorado Department of Education defines "Professional" using the following descriptors:
time and work management
career literacy
grit and resiliance
work ethic; dependable and reliable
My Personal Definition:
Professionalism can be desribed in many ways by many different adjectives like the CDE has, but I personally think professionalism is the seriousness you take into what your doing. Doing everything you can, depsite how menial the task may be, to make the final result something you would be proud of. This also applies to how you should treat other people, making others feel like your a professional person and someone who can be trusted is important.
My main goal is to attend a college, CSU, for engineering to become a mechanical engineer. I then plan to use this degree to get a job in the field that most interests me. I chose mechanical engineering because my hope is that the broad nature of mechanical engineering will allow me to better follow my interests and enjoy the work I will be doing in the future.
My current job for the summer is an outside service member at a local golf course called The Bridges. I am hoping however to land another internship and work that alongside my job at the golf course to both raise money for college and gain the experience and resume padding to appear better to an employer. The job at the golf course has taught me a lot already about both teamwork and especially communication.
Problem Solving: likes finding solutions to challenges and thinking through problems step by step; works to improve ideas, designs, or processes by being creative and paying attention to details; takes responsibility for fixing mistakes and learning from them.
Teamwork & Communication: works well with others in both group and individual settings; shares ideas respectfully and listens to different perspectives; helps create a positive environment where everyone can contribute and work toward the same goal.
Innovation & Curiosity: enjoys learning new things and looking for better or more efficient ways to complete tasks; is open to trying new ideas, tools, and approaches; stays curious about how things work and how they can be improved.
Communication: Clearly shares ideas and listens to others to help group work run smoothly.
Attitude & Confidence: Stays positive when facing challenges and is willing to speak up and contribute ideas.
Teamwork: Works well with others by contributing effort and supporting shared goals.
Networking: Builds respectful connections with peers and teachers and is open to learning from others.
Critical Thinking & Creative Problem Solving: Thinks through problems carefully and looks for different ways to solve them.
Professionalism: Shows responsibility, respect, and effort in schoolwork and group settings.
Empathy: Considers others’ feelings and perspectives when working with people.
Conflict Resolution: Stays calm during disagreements and helps find fair solutions.