Description:

Professionalism. We talk about it. We teach it. We rarely examine it and how it can negatively impact our students, applicants, colleagues, and ourselves. Adjusting one’s style of speech, appearance, behavior, and expression in ways that will increase the comfort of others in exchange for fair treatment and employment opportunities is commonly referred to as code-switching. Therefore, is professionalism the career management skill of code-switching, and are we comfortable with that? Building on conversations and cultural events over the past year, we will address current definitions and enforcement of professionalism standards and their impact on equitable career outcomes. Staff at George Mason University and Thomas Jefferson University have facilitated these conversations with their own teams and are bringing the conversation to NACE to enlarge this discussion and multiply the influence within our allied fields. This session will interrogate these norms and the negative effect they can have on many of our students and applicants, particularly on those from marginalized identities. Through conversations on participant chosen skills and competencies under the umbrella of professionalism, we will excavate the healthy and problematic principles underlying the professionalism standards we perpetuate as career services and talent acquisition professionals. From there, we will collectively identify ways to integrate more healthy and globally inclusive approaches into our practices and communications in advising and recruiting. Using a combination of polling, large and small group discussions, participants will acquire the following from this session 1. Identify white/western dominant ideals that remain and govern definitions and applications of professionalism. 2. Establish ways to promote more inclusive standards of professionalism. 3. Equip participants to initiate and/or lead conversations in their workplace that could effect change in the interpretation and application of professionalism and professional standards.

Audience:

University Relations & Recruiting

Level:

Intermediate

Track:

Competencies & Skills

Type:

Deep Dive

Main Speaker:

Saskia Campbell, George Mason University

Additional Speakers:

Chris Miciek, Jefferson University