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Dress for success (part 1): Does your appearance reflect your job aspirations?
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Several years after I was no longer in an entry-level position, one of my mentors took me aside and told me I should start dressing as though I was at least one level higher in the organization – or I would never reach that level.
Now, those who know me know I’m not a slouch by any means, so her comment took me by surprise. I always wore a nice blouse, slacks and shoes. What was wrong with that? I was certainly better dressed than those both at my level and below me, and I’m still young, so I shouldn’t be dressing like my mother yet, right?
But, as I have always done, I took my mentor’s comment to heart. In a relatively short period of time, I jumped two positions higher and now run my own department. Maybe your appearance really does reflect your job aspirations.
“Always dress for where you are headed, not where you have been,” said Amy Elizabeth Casson, president of Polished Image. “Research indicates that people will judge others within 20 seconds to two minutes of meeting them. This short time-frame suggests they are using one's appearance to formulate their opinions. And, this short time-frame suggests that managers will overlook an employee for promotion based on their appearance without allowing that same employee the chance to showcase their technical talents.”
It is important to note that dressing for success not only applies to those on the job, but also during the interview process.
“With the U.S. jobless rate soaring to a five-year high, it has never been more important to make a strong impression when going on job interviews,” said Gary Field, founder of Career Gear.
Barbara DesChamps, a wardrobe consultant, agrees. “For the first interview, you should try to ascertain ahead of time what the people in your job category wear to work everyday and then dress a step up from that. Employers assume that people become more lax with time on the job so you need to look very neat up front.”
“If you are hired, you may be tempted to immediately purchase a full work wardrobe. Resist the urge for a couple of days and observe the people at your level and the one above. Make notes, secretly of course. Then, consistent with that environment, make a wardrobe plan that allows you to fit in but distinguishes you in subtle ways,” she continues.
Because there are many do’s and don’ts to dressing for success for both men and women, I will devote a week-long series to this topic.
| Part 2: Do's for women --> |
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