Professionalism

Professionalism Dressing correctly for the workplace and PCI

Setting the tone People respond to you based on your appearance. If you do not look professional, people will not trust your work. What is appropriate to wear is based on the type of job you are doing, but there are some general guidelines that can improve your appearance in all work situations. At PCI, we expect that you will be professional because you are representing our school on campus and at work sites and boot camps, so please study these guidelines carefully so you will know how to dress for success.

Things to avoid: Tight clothes: if the outlines of your underclothes are easy to see, your outer clothes are too tight. Avoid clothes that show a lot of skin. Unless you work on a beach, you should not be showing off excessive cleavage, your midriff or upper thighs. Armpits are not professional to view. And nobody wants to see the crease in your rear end, ever! Keep all parts of your underwear hidden at all times. Pants should stay all the way up to the waist or be hidden under long shirts. Bras and underwear are made to be useful and not decorative in the workplace. Making poor clothing choices can qualify as harassment of your coworkers and lead to disciplinary action or being fired! Upper thighs should be seen on the client, not the Massage Therapist!

Footwear The type of shoe you wear depends on the type of job you do! Well-made tennis shoes are to be worn at the gym or while participating in athletic activities. Do not choose loud colors or patterns. Dress shoes are appropriate for indoors. When in doubt of what to wear: choose dark or neutral colors and not bright colors. Sandals are not appropriate for men or women in most jobs – ask your supervisor or Human Resources representative. Boots are appropriate when you are working in a dirty or hazardous areas. Brown and black are the only appropriate colors of boots, unless they are a specialty boot specifically for your job. Your footwear should be clean and not ever produce bad smells. There are a variety of products you can buy or repurpose (such as baking soda, vanilla, or dryer sheets) that will help you keep them from smelling bad. These wild high-top sneakers are never appropriate for work, not even in the gym!

Tattoos and piercings Many companies do not allow piercings and tattoos to be shown. Coverage of tattoos is expected in most professional settings, especially on the face, neck, and arms. Removal or coverage of piercings (other than earlobe piercings) is often expected in the workplace. Clear or flesh-colored piercings may or may not be acceptable substitutions. Skin-colored bandages are frequently used to cover piercings, but they may cause damage to unhealed piercings. Always remove or cover these for interviews, and ask the human resources representative about the rules for that particular job site. At PCI, we expect that students will remove, cover, or use non-visible substitutions for all piercings other than those in the ear, and they will cover tattoos as much as is reasonably possible.

Neat and Clean Keep yourself clean and well groomed. Bathe or shower at least every other day (do it more often if you sweat or get dirty). Use deodorant, soap, and shampoo. Do not make your coworkers or clients smell your natural body odors. Use scented products sparingly. Many people are sensitive to strong smells. While you might like your perfume or cologne, someone else may be getting a headache from it. Brush your hair daily (and after activity) and keep your body hair clean and well-groomed. Brush your teeth often and take action if your breath is stinky. Keep your clothes as clean as possible and wear them neatly. Wrinkled, torn, and sloppy clothing makes people doubt that you are going to do a neat and tidy job. Wear a clean outfit or uniform every day! If you do not follow these guidelines, you can be fired! Body odor can qualify as harassment of your coworkers and lead to disciplinary action.

Smoking If you smoke or live in a home with cigarette, cigar, or pipe smokers, you will have to be very careful about the smell of smoke on yourself and your clothes. Many people are very sensitive to the smell and it makes them ill. Heavy tobacco smell can also be considered harassment in the workplace, and should be taken seriously. If you are at a PCI campus, an internship/externship site, or at boot camp, you must take steps to prevent this smell from discomforting others. Use breath fresheners regularly and wash your clothes and store them in a non-smoking environment before you wear them. If you do not take these steps, then you can be sent home.

Jewelry What jewelry is acceptable on a work site depends on the job. Jewelry should never interfere with your ability to perform your job responsibilities. At PCI, we require students to limit jewelry to one ring per hand and we allow jewelry in the ears. This restriction helps to prepare students to think about their jewelry choices in the workplace and to prepare them for following dress codes.

Nails Dress code policies on nails vary widely between professions and businesses. All businesses expect that employees will keep their nails as well-groomed and clean as is reasonably possible, and clients certainly prefer to shake clean hands! At PCI, we expect that students will keep their nails short and clean. For those who wish to use nail polish, only French manicures (in colors similar to those of the skin and nails underneath), and clear polish are permitted.

Hats and headgear The primary purpose of a hat is to protect the wearer. Generally speaking, hats should be removed indoors. Some occupations require that the employees wear job-specific hats for certain tasks. Hats should never be worn in classrooms, unless they are being used for protection. Your instructor will tell you if headgear is necessary, and when to wear it. Casual hats such as ball capsor do-rags are not appropriate. Safety headwear such as hardhats should be worn according to your company’s policies. They are usually required at sites where there is a danger of falling objects. If you are working outside in cold or wet weather, hats are usually permissible, but the hat should be appropriate for the task, and not cause a distraction or safety risk.

PCI Prohibited Items The official list of things not to wear in PCI classrooms or at internship/externship sites or boot camps is: Flip-flop sandals Shorts and Tank tops (except in the gym) Torn clothing Sweat pants/tops (including hoodies), except where specified Jeans, except where specified Hats or head coverings Visible body piercings, other than in the ears Visible tattoos are strongly discouraged, as they are not accepted in many professions, especially in Allied Health careers Designated “dress down” days will allow students to dress more casually, and uniforms are not required during these days unless students are working in a public area. Instructors will inform students if they need to dress differently than the standard dress code based on classroom activities.

Dress Code as Modified by Program Finished

Wind Turbine Technician • School-issued uniform shirt • Jeans or khakis – must be clean with no holes or frays • Clean shoes with closed toes Wind Turbine Technician Field Work: • School-issued hard hat • School-issued safety goggles • Electrical safety rated composite toe boots • Leather work gloves • Ear protection Menu

Business Administration • Business or business casual attire, including dress pants, blouses, and collared shirts • Dress shoes Menu

Massage Therapy • School-issued tee-shirt or scrub top • School-issued scrub pants • Black or khaki dress pants • Clean shoes with closed toes Menu

Personal Trainer • School-issued tee-shirt • Workout pants or shorts • Tennis shoes • Gym training attire Menu

Health Information Technician • School-issued scrubs • Clean shoes with closed toes or • Business casual attire, including dress pants, blouses, and collared shirts • Dress shoes Menu

Medical Assistant • School-issued scrubs • Clean shoes with closed toes Menu

Medical Billing and Coding • School-issued scrubs • Clean shoes with closed toes or • Business casual attire, including dress pants, blouses, and collared shirts • Dress shoes Menu

Electronics Technology • Work-appropriate, clean shirt • Jeans or khakis – must be clean with no holes or frays • Clean shoes with closed toes Menu

HVAC Technician • School-issued uniform shirt • Jeans or khakis – must be clean with no holes or frays • Clean shoes with closed toes Menu

The End

Professionalism