Professionalism 101

Jill ZambitoDirector, SILD

Dain GottoActing Associate Director, SILD

Great Example of Professionalism

Meetings

• Show up on time (typically 5 minutes early)• Be prepared!

– Paper & pen / tablet / laptop• Take notes

– Personal calendar– Tasks from last meeting completed

• Texting– Appropriate or not?

Emails

Subject Line• Clear & concise

Greeting• Could be as simple as

“Jill”

Body of Email• Sticks to one subject• Clear indication of what

is needed

Closing• Could be as simple as

“Thanks!”

Name & Title

Email

• Try to respond within 48 hours• Mobile devices• Attachments• Proofread!

Phone

• When do you make a phone call (versus sending an email)

Phone• Immediate response needed• When you need to have a conversation• If you’ll likely have follow-up questions• If you want to hear emotion in person’s

reaction• If they left you a phone message

Email• Only have 1 or 2 questions• Person can write a short email

response• Want information or conversation

documented• If you want to give the person time to

think before they respond

Texting• Immediate response needed• Very short response acceptable

Facebook• Not a professional method of

communicating• May want to have two Facebook pages

—one professional & one personal

Lines of Communication

• Keep your supervisor in the loop• Be mindful of how you’re communicating

up the ladder• Protocol within department

Office Hours

• Show up on time• Show up regularly• Use them for work

Professional Boundaries

• Gossip• Office Romance

– Office relationships affect the entire office• Politics• Drinking with Undergraduates

GA Expectations• Engaging students is a top priority. Connect them to NIU, to SILD, to involvement

opportunities and to other resources…just remember to make this connection!

• The “Huskie Shuffle” ends with our staff. One of our main job functions is to connect students with the correct resource. We don’t ever respond to questions with “I don’t know…” We find the information and help the student problem-solve.

• Be on time. Call when you are running late or cannot make work please connect with your supervisor directly. We do not want to have to locate you – you should communicate your schedule changes personally. When you need to take a sick day or take time off email, call, or text with a plan to make up the hours in the future.

• Additionally, use the GroupWise calendar whenever possible. Include your class schedule, work and any other NIU obligations. This way staff members can schedule meetings with ease and not wonder where you are.

• SILD staff meetings and one-on-one meetings with your supervisor are “sacred.” Do not double-book yourself during these times.

• Remember you are a student first: if you need time off to work on school items, please keep the lines of communication open and connect directly with your supervisor.

• Be cognizant of duties and responsibilities. Keep social time and visits with friends to a minimum.

GA Expectations• Do not work on class work unless you have absolutely no work for the department to

complete. If you do not have any GA duties PLEASE communicate this with your supervisor. If you are repeatedly finding yourself without work to do, seek out additional projects and committees within the office and the Division to support.

• Be proactive. Communicate with your supervisor if you need additional help, direction or work. It is crucial that all staff members are contributing to the success of the department.

• Wear business casual or business attire whenever possible. Feel free to wear your name tag as you see fit and at events our department sponsors. Jeans, sweatshirts, sweat pants, athletic gear, shorts, t-shirts, gym shoes, flip flops, hoodies, and baseball caps are inappropriate dress for the office. If you are working an event, dressing casually is appropriate, but check with your supervisor beforehand.

• Do not wear I-Pods/headphones while you are working in the office.

• Contribute new ideas; actively participate in staff meetings and activities. Please know that new ideas are valued and appreciated. You are a vital part of the SILD staff and we expect that you contribute.

• Honor deadlines. Recognize that all staff members have deadlines that we need to meet as well and your deadlines could likely impact our deadlines.

GA Expectations• Be aware of the professional boundary with your personal

relationships with students both on the job and socially. • Do not consume alcohol before, during, or in between departmental

events. • If you have non-office-related meetings to attend (organization

meetings, class meetings) they do not count as office hours. • Attend Student Affairs & Enrollment Management workshops and

events as you are able. Please be an active SAEM staff member!• Make your graduate assistantship experience your own. If there is

something you want to learn, talk to your supervisor to figure out how the SILD staff can support you to make it happen.

• Be a champion for this department and the Division. You are always a representative of both.

• Be someone we can brag about!