Professional work experience

Professional Work Experience

“Internship counts as professional experience"

Professional work experience refers to experience working for organizations within your chosen profession based on your qualifications. Professional work experience provides many benefits; giving you skills and experience that will allow you stand out to potential employers as well as helping you choose the right sector to work in. Having a professional work experience equips you with certain soft skills such as team working, communication skills and commercial awareness, all of which are sought after by employers. Employers value competitive advantage and that's what work experience gives you.

One of the great things about gaining work experience as a student is that it gives you the chance to try things out to see if they suit you. If you want to find out what a company is actually like to work for, or what doing a certain job is like, having that professional work experience gives you the chance to experience this - for a week, a fortnight, a summer or even a year. Plus, some long-term internship can lead to full-time employment.

Some may think there is a standard to having a professional work experience and ask the question, what does my experience qualify? Paid or unpaid, part or full time, if You can show how the work you've done gives you the skills and experience needed for the job you want, then include it as a professional work experience.

"Every little thing counts, even your professional demeanor matters..."

Professionalism and ethical behavior in the workplace can benefit your career and improve your working environment. . I have been learning through my internship that being professional means being trustworthy, competent, respectful, empathetic and acting with integrity. The things that are required from a professional staff member at the workplace are self-respect and accepting personal responsibility. It is important to not handle personal interest at "work" and also keep inappropriate language out of the workplace.

            I learned through this internship that there are boundaries when I am working such communicating clearly. I also try to keep my personal information strictly confidential and especially not feeding into office gossip. Getting emotional baggage out of the workplace is a must and it requires work-life balance. It is not wise to mix the personal and the workplace together. All these little factors contribute to what it means to be professional at the workplace. This internship has been teaching how to behave professional. It is a great tool to obtain.