Professional organising is a privilege. I get to do what I love and get paid for it. I get to help people, using skills I’ve learned and developed, and I mean really help people. That’s a privilege.
There was the time I helped a woman gain back confidence, control of her finances and regain freedom after a divorce.
And the time I turned a chaotic junk room into a calm baby nursery.
Once I worked with a man who wanted to date but didn’t feel he could bring women back to his cluttered home, and he couldn’t find the time in his schedule to actually go on a date. After working together his house and his time management were transformed, and some months later he got in touch to let me know he was engaged.
That’s the privilege I’m talking about – being a part of someone’s life in that way is truly special.
But professional organising takes more than just being organised yourself and wanting to help people. In What to Look for in a Professional Organiser I wrote about 10 things that set the good ones apart from the rest. There is a common theme about those 10 things… they all involve professionalism.
I think that may be why a lot of my organising colleagues emphasise this by capitalisation of their job title. I often see it written as Professional Organiser. You’ll notice that I always write it without the capitals. Let me tell you why.
Professionalism is very important to me, along with integrity, lifelong learning. championing best practice and mentoring new talent. But I don’t need a capital P and O to prove that.
In written English, we don’t capitalise other professions like doctor, pilot, teacher, accountant or artist. Why do we add capitals to our own profession?
On the other hand, capitals for the shorthand – PO – is all right by me.
I’m curious about your thoughts on this. Am I right? Wrong? Overthinking? Do you think it matters? Let’s hear it.
On a related topic, you might like to read What’s in a Name?, which talks about the different jobs titles – personal or professional?
Interesting article Angela. I use a combination of both. In reference to a professional organising as a job title I capitalise the P & the O, but used within a sentence when referring to the profession I use lowercase. (ie. Professional Organiser, Angela Esnouf is a leader within the professional organising industry).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Amy. You are not alone. I spoke to someone else today with the same policy.