Professional Expectations

It is important to consider communication and professionalism during the job search phase. Workplaces have expectations around employee competence, communication skills, conduct (including attitude!), and fit with the organizational culture.

We begin this module by introducing and then reflecting upon the 4 C’s of professional expectations: Competence, Conduct, Culture, and Communication. Let’s look at what each of these terms means for you!

Competence

This refers to doing your job well. In addition to carrying out your duties, you have additional expectations as an employee that are tested in the application process, such as:

• Managing your time and meeting deadlines;
• Refraining from and minimizing your errors
• Being resourceful – ready to answer the question​.

Conduct and Attitude

Professional conduct and a positive attitude are also expectations of most workplaces that are tested during the application process, including:

• Be considerate and polite, even when dealing with someone difficult
• Be friendly but not overly familiar
• Demonstrate an attitude that is committed, reliable, pleasant, positive, and helpful. ​.

Workplace Culture

Adapting to the workplace culture is a sign that you can be a positive contributor to the team and to organizational goals, rather than a potential source of conflict and friction. This includes displaying a number of positive behaviours, such as:

• Being punctual
• Following protocols, for example, when and how often to check in with your interviewer
• Making appropriate use of organizational resources​

Communication Skills

Communication skills are important, whether they are used with supervisors, co-workers, or clients. In most workplaces, everyone is expected to show the following behaviours when it comes to how we communicate:

• Learning people’s names
• Introducing yourself to people you don’t know
• Politeness and respect toward others
• Respecting confidentiality
• Listen actively: seek first to understand, ask for clarification, and paraphrase what you hear.

Tips For Communicating

For workplaces to operate smoothly and achieve their objectives, communication is critical. This includes verbal, written, non-verbal, and digital communication on the part of both the sender and the receiver. We’ll address all of these different forms of communication in due time, but, for now, let’s flip through the accordion below for some concepts to keep in mind.