What does it mean to be “professional” in 2024?
Collared shirt. Neutral colors only. Skirts below the knee.. Hair must be tidy. Remain modest in speech and attire. Don’t attract too much attention. You are a reflection of the company. Always smile, always be pleasant, always follow the rules.
Implicitly and explicitly, employee handbooks and on the job trainings are very clear on what is deemed professional and what is not. With these descriptions, professionalism has been reduced to a matter of perception first, substance later. What you say is not nearly as important as how you say it. How you dress is more of an indicator of performance than your actual performance. And when it comes to expected behavior, most would have you believe that your ability to succeed in a “professional” setting is partially dependent on your ability to follow the status quo. Is this what being professional has become in 2024?
Not to me.
Professionalism in 2024 has lost its one size fits all definition. Conservative dress and strict formalities simply don’t apply to all jobs. Which can be confusing considering that job hopping continues to be high among millennials and Gen Z. What works at one job, may not work at another.
The best way to be professional is to consistently make positive contributions to your work environment, and maximize the way you collaborate within that environment. The rest is what you make it.
Redefining Professionalism
The concept of being a “professional” came in the Middle Ages as educated church clergy became physicians, bureaucrats and professors. New guilds created standards within each industry that gave those with the most affluence the ability to create the rules and standards for the rest to follow. Unfortunately, the personal prejudices of those traditionally in power become intertwined with those guidelines, resulting in people of color and women being left out out of the conversation.
Even Harvard Law School’s Professionalism Guide is given with the following acknowledgement.:
We also acknowledge that the concept of “professionalism” can be – and has been – wielded problematically, namely when it is used to reinforce racist or otherwise abusive behavior, or to suppress cultural identity or individual expression.
-Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising, Harvard Law
In 2024 and beyond, professionalism comes down to the standard of behavior and care that you bring to your job. There isn’t one set path or mold to follow, which is a relief! You now have the flexibility to adapt while remaining true to your core values; and THAT is the the mark of the true professional.
