Perhaps you’ve spent the last four years of your life living in yoga pants. Or the suits in your closet have all “shrunk.” Or maybe you are a recent college graduate who is in the process of converting their wardrobe from College Chic to Business wear. Image matters, particularly when you are looking to stand out in a crowd.
According to Angie Katselianos, who is a widely acclaimed consultant to growth-and-success-oriented professionals in business and corporate environments and President of Platinum Performance, “The secret is for you to be perceived as valuable, not your outfit. That is effective personal branding that expedites business success and it starts with whom you really are,” she asserts. “Creating an image that leads to success begins with knowing yourself.”
Here are some tips to help you get started:
Accept who you are, not who you use to be-We are all guilty of this. We hang onto clothing that might have fit us a decade ago with the hopes that these pieces will fit again. Face it. Even if they do fit, would we look like a character from a 1980’s movie? Give yourself permission to donate the clothing and move on.
Find the right stores for you-There is a reason that few women over the age of 40 can find a suit that fits them really well at the stores where their daughters shop. Find a shop that carries clothes that don’t scream, “I’m a 30-something mom who is trying to look like a 20-something employee.”
Dress in a way that says, “I feel confident.”- If this is your first entry into the corporate world then you want to enter in a way that says, “Hire me. I’m the right person for this job.” If you are an executive who is representing your company, then it is even more important to do so in a way that aligns with your company’s brand.
We are our own worst critic. Sometimes all you need is a little help. Fortunately it is there for the taking. If you are entering or re-entering the job market, or you are looking to move up in an organization then considering hiring a professional image consultant like Gretchen Neels . Her Total Image Management program is a great way to begin.
Executives, who are interested in working directly with Angie, can do so this Spring in Milan. Don’t delay, as the group size is limited. See you in Milan!
