Chapter 1 Careers in Floriculture 23
Personal Habits
As in most retail industries, most careers in the
fl oriculture industry involve working face-to-face with the
public: your customers. For this reason, having a cheerful,
caring attitude is always helpful. You should also pay close
attention to personal hygiene. Come to work clean, and
keep your hair washed and combed or styled.
Ask your employer if there is a particular dress code,
and if there is, stick to it. Even if no dress code is required,
you should always dress neatly and conservatively. Wear
clothes that are appropriate for your job duties. Whatever
your personal tastes, while you are on the job, you
should have a neat, clean, and conventional appearance,
Figure 1-22. Remember that whether you are working with
customers or suppliers, you represent your employer. Your
appearance, personal hygiene, and attitude have a direct
effect on the company’s success.
Good Citizenship
Most employers encourage good citizenship. Many
people believe that being a good citizen means voting
and participating in political efforts. While voting is both
a right and a responsibility, this is only a small part of
good citizenship. A good citizen respects other people and
their property, and willingly helps other people whenever
possible. On the job, this means both caring for and about the merchandise, which
belongs to the company, and respecting the customers, suppliers, and the employer.
Other Employability Skills
A good employee demonstrates many other skills as well. These include:
• Teamwork. Your ability to work with and get along with other employees
increases shop effi ciency and makes the business more profi table.
• Responsibility. When you are responsible and reliable, the employer
knows you can be counted on to help with whatever jobs are at hand,
even if they are unusual or diffi cult.
• Self-confi dence. If customers see that you are confi dent, they will more
easily trust you to help them with their fl oral decisions.
• Professionalism. Maintaining a professional appearance and attitude,
no matter what happens, is important to the success of the business.
• Honesty and integrity. This means more than just not stealing from
your employer; it means giving other people credit when due, and
taking responsibility for any errors you make, as well.
• Communication. The ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas,
and to understand the thoughts and ideas of others, will benefi t the
business; it will also help you advance in your career.
• Organization. Being organized allows you to accomplish more in a given
amount of time; this productivity can lead to more profi ts for the business.
Pro Tip
On the Job
Communication
Communicate regularly
with your supervisor.
Do not be afraid to ask
questions or to ask for
advice if you encounter
difficulty with any task.
Your supervisor will
respect your willingness
to learn.
Kinga/Shutterstock.com
Figure 1-22 Having a neat, clean appearance and a
cheerful attitude gives customers a good impression of
the fl ower shop.