1. Becoming a Professional Dr. Diane Finley Diversity 2000 and Beyond Washington DC April 2004

2. What Does Professional Mean ? Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people. Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior

3. Professional refers to How you present yourself Dress, hair, comportment How you present your accomplishments Vita, transcripts, portfolio

4. Professional Dress Dress is important because it is a silent introduction to you. First impressions are primarily nonverbal and dress and hair is a large component of that impression. Professional dress conventions are governed by the industry being discussed. Professional dress projects an image of confidence and success.

5. Dress, Hair, Comportment Why is this important? What does this include?

6. Dos and Donts of Dress and Hair Dont wear clothes that are soiled, not pressed, or in bad condition and shoes that are scuffed and unpolished. Dont wear clothes with messages such as T- shirts and ties. Dont wear heavy makeup or too much cologne. Be cautious about body piercing beyond one pair of earrings and tattoos that show. Dont wear ungroomed or extreme hair styles and colors.

7. More Donts Dont wear clothing too casual for a business environment, such as T-shirt and jeans, halter top and Capri pants, skorts, sweat pants, bare midriffs, etc. Dont wear pants and skirts that are too tight or too short. Be cautious about bare skin (arms and legs), low-cut blouses, stretch pants, sexy heels and open sandals and shoes, no hose

8. Dos of Professional Dress Dark color suits (for women, a knee-length skirt is safest) in solids or small patterns; color- coordinated shirts, blouses, shoes, scarves,. Men wear socks that match the hem of their trousers. Women wear natural color hose. Shoes, purses and briefcases are well-polished. Everything should be in perfect condition. Jewelry should enhance, not overwhelm.

9. From http://careerfair.georgetown.edu/wear.html

10. Websites about Dressing for Success http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/user_home /?view=cooped&page=dresshttp://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/user_home /?view=cooped&page=dress http://www1.appstate.edu/~clarkhm/ethics_0 31/student_pres/workforce/dress.htmhttp://www1.appstate.edu/~clarkhm/ethics_0 31/student_pres/workforce/dress.htm http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/user_home /?view=cooped&page=dosdontshttp://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/user_home /?view=cooped&page=dosdonts http://www.black- collegian.com/career/dress2001-2nd.shtmlhttp://www.black- collegian.com/career/dress2001-2nd.shtml http://www.careerservices.swt.edu/Student_ Alumnus/JobSearchManual/How_To_Dress_ For_Interviews.htmhttp://www.careerservices.swt.edu/Student_ Alumnus/JobSearchManual/How_To_Dress_ For_Interviews.htm

11. Vita, transcripts, portfolio Why do I use a vita instead of a resume? What about a portfolio?

12. What is a Resume? Resume comes from the French word for summary. It is a summary of your educational history, your work experience and your skills. Resumes are usually one page. They are used in the business environment

13. What is a Vita? Vita comes from the Latin word for life. In academic environments, the curriculum vita takes the place of a resume. The C.V. or vita is a written record of your educational life. The vita is always longer than one page.

14. What goes in a vita? Educational history Professional positions (teaching/research) Memberships in professional organizations Professional activities Grants Conference Presentations Publications Papers submitted but not published/presented Technology Skills Academic References

15. Cover Letters When you send a vita or a resume, you always include a cover letter. The cover letter should be addressed to a specific person. The cover letter should be targeted toward the job or opportunity. It is NEVER generic. Cover letters should be one page.

16. Dos and Donts Always be sure there are no typographical errors and that your writing is clear and concise. Every word should count. Make sure the font is readable and spacing is visually pleasing. Use good paper to print it on and use a laser printer. Make sure the staple is neat and in the upper left corner. Have someone proofread your vita. Dont be creative – the vita should follow conventions. Dont pad the vita by using wide margins, high school accomplishments or irrelevant items. Dont list irrelevant personal information. Keep in mind that this is a living document and you will add categories are you go along.

17. Transcripts and Portfolios You will get your transcript from your college. Get an unofficial copy to submit with your applications. Check it out for any errors or omissions. Portfolios are more detailed presentations of your experiences. They include sample papers, syllabi and evaluations.

18. Advice Begin to build your vita – participate in psychology organizations at school, volunteer in psychology related organizations. Seek out opportunities – conferences, research, speakers. Keep a journal, listing what you have done, where and who supervised and what you learned that was relevant to psychology Learn to network – the contacts will serve you well. Practice writing a vita – do it on a computer since you will revise it yearly. Enjoy the journey!