As humans, we are individualistic and unique however, we thrive when we have strong relationships with others. Everyone has their own identities which allow us to form connections. Social, personal, and professional identities are some examples that humans create for themselves. Our social identity is how we display ourselves to a group of individuals whether that be online or in-person (Gur & Mathias, 2021). On a deeper level, our personal identity is our true self which justifies how we act in different relationships and situations (Gur & Mathias, 2021). Our professional identity, which I am going to focus on, is how we display ourselves and our values in a work setting (Matthews, Bialocerkowski & Molineux, 2019).
Establishing a professional identity is essential in the workplace. Usually, professional identities are created subconsciously during post-secondary education and continue forming at the beginning of a career (Matthews, Bialocerkowski & Molineux, 2019). Personally, my professional identity is continually forming as I am trying to find a lifelong career. I believe professional identity formation is a struggle for many people, especially after completing an undergraduate degree. When graduating from university I felt that I knew exactly who I was in a social and personal manner but, I was and still am continuing to discover myself professionally. I found that entering the workforce and, shockingly, social media helped form my professional identity. Utilizing the social webpage, LinkedIn, aided me in forming a stronger professional identity. Here, I can lay out my experience and education, describe my current position, and set alerts on to potential future job postings that will place me in my lifelong career. Laying out my professional life on an online profile has shown me the big picture of who I am and what I have the potential of becoming in a career-oriented aspect.
Below is a picture of my LinkedIn webpage as an example:
Currently, my professional identity is as a healthcare worker who is working in a multi-disciplinary environment to help the department succeed. As an Inventory Liaison, I work with many other disciplines around my department including doctors, nurses, radiation technologists, and other support staff. Everyone must work together not only to make their jobs easier but, to help our department prosper and to benefit our patients. Through my experience with my current position and with previous roles in healthcare I value working in an interdisciplinary environment and it has become a part of my professional identity. This type of environment allows every individual to succeed while working together and promotes comradery among coworkers. In turn, a multi-disciplinary environment promotes a hardworking nature, trust between colleagues, and overall improves teamwork which are characteristics I value in myself as an employee. As I continue to work in healthcare, I see these traits within my professional identity strengthen and improve. I also hope to add to my professional identity by using the knowledge that I acquire from my Master of Health Studies program. For example, leadership techniques and networking. I hope that the Health Studies program allows me to move into a managerial or leadership role in my health authority, which will also contribute to my professional identity.
Our identities as human beings are supposed to evolve in every context. The progression of our self-meaning is what makes us unique. As we experience various stages in life, we can grow personally, socially, and professionally.
References
Gur, F. A., & Mathias, B. D. (2021). Finding self among others: Navigating the tensions between personal and social identity. Academy of Management Proceedings, 2021(1), 11633. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2021.124
Matthews, J., Bialocerkowski, A., & Molineux, M. (2019). Professional identity measures for student health professionals – A systematic review of Psychometric Properties. BMC Medical Education, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-019-1660-5
Comentarios