Professionalism

Amateurs in most fields are not necessarily less experienced than professionals, but to a significant degree they are more able to focus on their craft and products without taking into consideration what others may need or think. But professionals do make a living by their efforts so they do interact with and sell to clients. To do so successfully, a different attitude and set of behaviors will help assure success.

• Technical Skills - Development of an outstanding technical and creative skill level in one’s field is critical for any professional. This of course can vary tremendously based on how you define the scope of your field, but whatever that is, clients want to know they are hiring someone who can explain what they do and then can do it well.

• Skill Development – Of course, expanding one’s technical skills will open the door to more client opportunities. And clients offer a myriad of challenges that require at least subtle adjustments in style or approach.

But technical skills are only a foundation. Being a professional means developing solid administrative (project management) and communications skills. This list is malleable, but does provide some useful considerations: 

• Knowing Your Client – Understand a client’s industry and what makes them unique within that industry. Remember that a client is a business, but it is also people. Who are the client’s leadership, as well as your direct points of contact, if different? What is their style? What are their work requirements?
• Responsiveness – In this age of instant communications, why is it so common for people to be so slow in answering phone messages or emails? Keeping the communications flow moving, and quickly addressing problems or concerns is important to every project and every client.
• Organization – If someone is having problems with responsiveness, a reason might a lack of time or project organizing skills. What might be falling through the cracks? What is being done half way because you don’t have time to do it right? And how might these issues be solved?
• Reliability – Simply put, does a client know what they should expect from you and are they going to get it?  In a worse case scenario, if a problem arises – if for example a deadline appears to be in jeopardy – do you communicate this to a client in advance and work together to find a viable solution, or do you let it slide and hope they will not notice?
• Honesty and Ethics – If a client is to depend on you, then they need to know you are ethical in your behavior. Back stabbing, under the table dealings, throwing people under the bus, marking up jobs beyond any reasonable level simply because a you can are just a few examples of behavior that clients will probably, eventually realize reflects an attitude that is not serving their needs.
• Emotional Stability – Do you respond to difficult situations emotionally? Or do you enough have confidence in your skills to calmly address problems in a manner that is both responsible and effective?

Especially in creative shops, people are focused on enhancing artistic skills. Many clients understand this and may even see the real benefit in hiring original and enthusiastic thinkers or technicians.  But I suggest that also exhibiting a degree of professionalism as outlined here will benefit any client relationship.  After all, these are for the most part just common courtesies - demonstrating that you care as much about the client and their needs as you do yourself and your work.

Also read: Curriculum Development Services in Vienna, Virginia, and Nationwide