Arcadia Recognizes the Shift in Traditional Professionalism and Supports it
Professionalism: a skill that is widely remarked as one of the most important attributes to hone as a young adult. Once synonymous with setting a standard of businesswear and a clean shave, one might argue that value is something lost in our generation, but I disagree.
It appears as though the image of a respectable professional in this generation is no longer the archaic idea that we’ve been taught to emulate, but something much more nuanced.
Times Are Changing
Each year, the “look” of the current generation is changing drastically. When my parents entered the workforce, the idea of having tattoos and piercings was taboo, but now I sit down in interviews with employers boasting full sleeves and facial piercings.
As we progress toward a more diverse standard of style, we have to expect that the typical 9-5 workforce will follow this shift in culture.
From my own personal experience, I have never found an issue with gaining and retaining respect as a professional, regardless of what I may choose to do with my style. I’ve found that it is more important to carry yourself in an intelligent manner and allow your actions to support your professional image.
Through this mindset, I have become more comfortable with dying my hair, wearing unique clothes, and generally embracing my own individuality in various ways. I don’t see why personal style and a strong work ethic can’t coexist.
How Arcadia is Supporting This Movement
Arcadia has done a great job at fostering an environment where students can continue to express themselves and find their own individuality, while still developing as young professionals. One of the best foundations for this practice is represented through the hiring process of student leaders on campus.
Assistant Director of Student Engagement and Orientation Staci-Jo Palek believes that encouraging students to express themselves, especially as student leaders, is a part of “Arcadia’s culture.”
“We’re a unique population of individuals. Everyone’s allowed to express themselves and I think it’s very accepted here,” Palek said.
It is obvious that Arcadia supports the notion of straying away from the typical portrayal of what a professional should look, dress, and act like. As a community and institution, we seem to be recognizing that conforming to one set look doesn’t do anything to foster a strong work ethic or accomplish goals.
According to Palek, strong leadership is largely rooted in relatability and diversity. In her role on campus, Palek is largely responsible for the hiring process of many leadership positions, such as orientation leaders and student experience leaders.
“I think that it’s important, when hiring student leaders, to make sure that we cover all of the bases, so that way when new students come to campus, they see a familiar face and are like ‘I can relate to that person,’” Palek said.
The best advice that I can give to people who want to maintain an alternative style while entering leadership positions and professional roles is to always respect the framework provided by your employer and find compromises where you can. For the positions overseen by Palek, this may look like following a dress code while accessorizing to your own comfort.
“I think it’s important to show a level of professionalism while still being able to express yourself, whether that comes with your hair, your makeup, your tattoos, your jewelry, your shoes,” Palek said. “Me asking you to wear a polo and a certain length of shorts shouldn’t stop you from expressing who you are.”
Transitioning to the Workforce
Of course, it is important to recognize that attending a progressive, smaller-scale university comes with a lot of privilege in these regards. Us Knights are lucky to have staff and faculty that listen to the trends in student preferences and adapt to them.
One thing to consider is how we may face obstacles regarding professionalism and the slow-to-change culture of corporate America as we leave Arcadia and enter the workforce. In an attempt to help combat these issues, Arcadia is looking to provide students with advice on how to dress to impress and an outlet to begin building a more professional wardrobe.
“Start looking into professional clothes now,” Palek said. “We are opening the career closet, which will be free to everybody.”
The career closet will be located in the Game Room and function similarly to the pop-up closets that came with our previous haircut events. Students will have access to donated businesswear, such as slacks, blazers, office-appropriate shoes, and various business casual dresses, shirts, and skirts.
Be sure to keep an ear out for the announcement of the official opening and hours of the career closet from Student Engagement!
In addition to taking advantage of this physical resource, be open to exploring the other resources available on campus. (Hint: people count as resources, too!)
“Talk to the people that you view as mentors and get their advice. Communication can go a long way and advice from a different point of view or generation can really help,” Palek said.
If you’re not sure who to start those conversations with, the Office of Career Education is a fantastic place to start! Stop by their office on the first floor of Knight Hall or schedule a meeting here.
