AN IDENTITY CRISIS – PROFESSIONALS OR VENDORS?

Often, businesses employ the term ‘vendor’ collectively to anybody who associates with them outside their realm, on a professional basis. This applied to even Engineers and other professionals who are indeed professionals who need to be addressed primarily based on their profession and not merely stated as a vendor. This identity crisis has been existing for a while now and though subtle, invariably affects the industry that it prevails in.

To clear off this confusion once and for all, we have enlisted below, the salient features, qualities and other aspects that distinguish an Engineering Professional from a mere vendor status.

• First things first, educational qualifications definitely speak volumes in terms of professional prowess. A person’s educational qualification is the one aspect that will render true in-depth knowledge of the respective field and help them resolve crises with ease.
• The training that a person receives during their probation period in their career distinguishes them to a professional status. The kind of training that they receive will equip them for practical work on the ground.
• A Professional’s identity is also defined by the approaches and quality of work that they offer at the table. A true Professional’s work will definitely stand out from the rest and will be prompt, adequate and apt as per the requirement of the customer.
• A Professional goes by logical numbers and analytical data that is genuine and researched; no mere quotes and probabilities.
• Professionals are always distinguished by their ability to be updated and in tune with the current trends of the market.
• Professionals are all-rounders with a variety of skills to offer, but specialize in only one field that eventually becomes their mastery.
• Professionals express their utmost strength in their forte and refrain from delving into areas that are unfamiliar, so as to avoid further confusion.
• Engineering Professionals are usually qualified to cater to customers on higher levels in the corporate hierarchy. When an engineering professional is involved, it usually means that the project is in need of actual professional help.
• A Professional’s identity is marked by a combination of both their skills and experience.
• A Professional’s involvement is usually required for a project to be spearheaded towards the desired result.

Thus, there are certain qualities and aspects that are irreplaceable with regards to having professionals on board an organization versus outsourcing to vendors. While the latter is also quite important for an organization – that is, to maintain a good vendor panel so as to cater to customers on all degrees efficiently, it is vital for any organization to have equipped and qualified professionals on board, in order to stand the test of time and become a firm establishment in the market. What distinguishes a professional may differ across industries, but the core competencies remain constant and common throughout. Irrespective of the prevailing circumstances, the identity that a true professional requires has to be given with all due respect, so that the future is not tainted with confusion, especially in this era of machines replacing man.