Being Reliable
You arrive at 9:05 but put away your bag, fill your water, check your phone, and don't log in until 9:19. A coworker has been answering phones since 9am.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Be ready to work at the scheduled start time.
Account for the time needed to put belongings away and get set up.
Avoid personal tasks after the shift has started.
Recognize that coworkers may be relying on you to be ready.
Communicate promptly if running late.
Your shift is ending, and a recurring computer issue remains unresolved. You tell the next student, “That computer is being weird,” and leave.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Explain the specific problem and where it occurred.
Describe troubleshooting steps already attempted.
Share the results of those steps.
Identify what remains unresolved.
Communicate any urgency or who has already been notified.
A coworker asks if they can ask you a question. You're concentrating and don't respond, so they assume you're annoyed.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Acknowledge the person verbally or through another clear signal.
Explain if you need a moment to finish what you're doing.
Give a realistic indication of when you can respond.
Recognize that silence can be misinterpreted.
Understand that professionalism doesn't require eye contact, smiling, or a particular facial expression.
A coworker is overwhelmed with requests while you're working on your own assigned tasks.
How do you professionally respond to this scenario?
Acknowledge the coworker's request.
Assess whether their situation is urgent.
Explain what you're currently responsible for.
Offer reasonable help if you can, or identify another support option.
Coordinate priorities with a supervisor if helping could delay your own work.
There are no tickets or customers waiting. One student watches videos, another organizes equipment, and another sits unsure what to do.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Check for approved recurring tasks or unfinished work.
Review documentation, inventory, or task lists.
Ask a supervisor what would be most useful if unsure.
Avoid assuming downtime means personal phone time.
Follow established expectations rather than inventing unauthorized work.
A faculty member submits a ticket that says only, “My computer isn't working.”
How do you respond to this request in a professional manner?
Ask what specifically isn't working.
Ask where the computer is located.
Ask what the user was trying to do when the problem occurred.
Ask about any error messages or unusual behavior.
Determine how urgent the issue is, including whether a class or deadline is affected.
A frustrated student says the printer isn't working, and their assignment is due in 15 minutes.
How would you address this scenario?
Remain calm and avoid matching the student's frustration.
Acknowledge the deadline and the problem.
Ask enough questions to understand what's happening.
Try appropriate troubleshooting or identify an approved alternative.
Explain what will happen next without promising something you can't guarantee.
You notice an unattended workstation with sensitive student or faculty information visible on the screen.
How do you respond to this scenario in a professional manner?
- Don't browse, read, photograph, or share the information.
Follow established procedures to secure the workstation, if authorized.
Notify the appropriate person if needed.
Report any suspected exposure through the proper channel.
Respect confidentiality even when information is accidentally left visible.
A faculty ticket reports that a document camera isn't being detected in LIB 245. It worked after a previous visit, but the problem has returned, and class starts tomorrow. You don't know how to handle it, so you move on to another task without updating the ticket.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Review available documentation and relevant ticket history.
Ask an experienced coworker or supervisor for guidance.
Communicate that the issue needs further investigation.
Update the ticket with the problem and actions taken.
Recognize and communicate the urgency because class is approaching.
A ticket needs to go to a full-time technician. What information should you include?
A clear description of the problem and symptoms.
The specific location and affected equipment.
Troubleshooting steps attempted.
The results of those steps, including any error messages.
The urgency, impact, and any outstanding needs.
Your supervisor casually asks how you're doing, and you launch into a long account of personal problems while they're trying to get to a meeting.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Recognize the other person's time and context.
Keep casual conversation reasonably relevant and proportionate.
Notice whether the other person has time and interest to continue.
Share work-related needs when relevant without disclosing unnecessary personal details.
Understand that being professional doesn't mean never discussing personal matters.
Coworkers share memes and complain about work in a private group chat. Someone posts a support-ticket screenshot containing a student's name and account information.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Recognize that private chats don't eliminate confidentiality obligations.
Don't repost or further distribute the screenshot.
Take appropriate steps to stop further sharing, following workplace procedures.
Report the exposure through the proper channel.
Keep future discussions and screenshots free of identifiable or sensitive information unless properly authorized.
Your supervisor explains that you handled a support request incorrectly. You feel embarrassed and immediately start defending your decision.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Listen to the full feedback before responding.
Ask clarifying questions if something is unclear.
Separate feedback on the task from judgment about yourself.
Acknowledge the mistake or explain relevant context calmly.
Apply the feedback to future work.
You're helping a faculty member in person when an urgent Teams message arrives about another classroom issue.
How do you respond to this request in a professional manner?
Consider the urgency and impact of both requests.
Avoid abruptly abandoning the person you're currently helping.
Acknowledge the incoming message when feasible.
Communicate realistic next steps or response timing.
Ask a supervisor or teammate to help prioritize if both needs are urgent.
You make a sarcastic joke about another department's technical knowledge. A coworker says it came across as disrespectful, but you think they're being too sensitive.
How do you respond to this scenario in a professional manner?
Listen to the concern instead of immediately arguing.
Recognize that intent and impact can differ.
Consider the audience and workplace context.
Respond respectfully and clarify without dismissing the concern.
Adjust future behavior when a joke undermines trust or respect.
Colleagues complain about a new procedure in a group chat and criticize the decision maker, but nobody asks why it changed or raises the concern constructively.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Recognize that disagreement and raising concerns are legitimate.
Identify the specific problem with the procedure.
Seek clarification or understand the reason behind the change.
Suggest a practical improvement when possible.
Use an appropriate channel to raise the concern rather than relying only on gossip.
While troubleshooting classroom equipment, you accidentally disconnect something that disrupts the class. You aren't sure how to restore it.
What is/ is not professional about this example? What changes would you suggest?
Tell the instructor or appropriate person what happened promptly.
Take responsibility instead of hiding the mistake or blaming someone else.
Avoid making additional risky changes.
Seek appropriate help or escalate the issue.
Follow through, including documenting the incident or resolution.
You start a shift and inherit several unfinished tickets with little or no documentation. One concerns a classroom where a class begins soon.
How do you prioritize and manage this scenario in a professional manner?
Review the tickets and identify urgent issues first.
Prioritize based on class schedules, impact, and deadlines.
Look for available history or ask the previous shift or supervisor for context.
Update tickets as you investigate and take action.
Escalate issues you cannot resolve and communicate the status of outstanding work.
A faculty member is upset because classroom technology has failed again. You didn't cause the problem and cannot personally fix it immediately.
How do you respond in a professional manner?
Acknowledge the disruption and the faculty member's frustration.
Avoid becoming defensive or blaming another person.
Explain what you know honestly.
Offer a realistic next step, workaround, or escalation.
Follow through or provide an update rather than leaving the person wondering.
Your coworker asks for help with urgent classroom technology, but you're working on a ticket your supervisor asked you to finish before the end of your shift.
Hpw do you professionally respond to this scenario?
Respond to the coworker rather than ignoring the request.
Assess the urgency and impact of the classroom issue.
Communicate your existing assignment and deadline.
Coordinate priorities with your coworker or supervisor if both tasks are urgent.
Follow through on the agreed plan and update anyone affected.