Does the Concept of Professionalism apply to the Creative Industries?

Firstly I think its important that we define what professionalism means outside of games development before we start.

professionalism; noun: the competence or skill expected of a professional.

Definitions from Oxford Languages

Now, what would being a professional in any chosen field require and can this be applied to the games development industry? I think that the qualities of a professional can be brought down to 5 key features, those being;

1. Conscientiousness; This is the personal quality meaning wanting to do ones work fully and to the best of their ability. Many organisations look for this trait in their employees as it leads to the best work ethic, attention to detail and organisational skills from people.
2. Be self-aware; In most jobs you’ll be required to work with others as part of a team. Disagreements will occur and to be professional it is important to be aware of how to manage your emotions and handle these disagreements in order to stay productive.
3. Ability to learn; Most industries are constantly evolving, and different organisations will want you to know different sets of knowledge when you join them, so its vital as a professional that you can learn quickly so that you can start working with them, wither it be processes or technical information.
4. Adaptability; As industries evolve, it is important to professionals and organisations that their employees can adapt to new practices or technologies that get introduced to their field quickly so that work continues as quickly and smoothly as possible
5. Ethics; Professionals should look to follow a code of conduct made by a professional institution in their field. This benefits everyone as it lets potential employers know how the individual will behave and it supports the individual in knowing that they have support if they feel like they are being approached to work in grey areas of their industry or do work that is inappropriate.

I think these definitely apply to game developers and people working in the games industry, these key 5 traits can be easily applied while following a professional institution.

International Game Developers Association logo

But what is a professional institution? A good example of a professional institution in the games development industry would be the International Game Developers Association (igda). They allow people in the game industry be recognised as professionals, interact and network with employment opportunities and other professionals in the games development industry. They are partnered with unity and ensure members follow their code of conduct and ethics to keep and promote a high standard of work in the industry.