If you want to portray a professional image, then part of the parcel of this is how you dress and present yourself. You need to look the part if you’re going to convince others that you are the one they want to connect with and do business with.
It doesn’t matter the type of business you’re in; how you look can influence your success when it comes to winning contracts, presenting ideas, or simply making new connections to help you succeed in what you do.
So whether you want to further your career, land that job interview, or land your new client, paying attention to how you dress and carry yourself can help you to make the right impression.
Grooming Matters
Much like any situation in life, you need to keep on top of your health and hygiene and ensure you are well-groomed for important events. Professionally presenting yourself means you must be clean, tidy, and free of any unsavory body odors. Make sure your hair is trimmed, you are taking care of any facial hair, your nails are clean and not overly long, and you are generally identified to be on top of your grooming.
Pick Outfits Carefully
The outfit you choose must represent the meeting or event you are attending. For business meetings, client meet and greets, or interviews, you need to choose appropriate business attire: suits with or without a tie for men and formal dresses or suits for women with suitable footwear. You can find heels online here to compliment your outfit or look online for high-quality leather dress shoes for men. Consider the company and the look portrayed by those you are meeting with to hope you get the right style for the occasion.
Accessorise Carefully
The last thing you want is for your accessories to overwhelm your outfit and become more of a talking point than the situation itself. To present yourself more professionally, you need to make sure that any accessories you choose compliment your outfit and style rather than overwhelm them and become part of the outfit, not the star of the show.
Be Careful Of How You Act
As well as how you dress, you also need to be mindful of how you act too. You can get your outfit perfect, but if you don’t feel comfortable or you are constantly adjusting your clothing or fidgeting, this will give you the wrong impression. So practice wearing your complete outfit beforehand to know how you will feel. Pay attention to those little behaviors or habits you might have that can imply you feel otherwise less than confident or professional.
Be Respectful
Be mindful of your language and the words that you choose. You should always speak appropriately for the situation; for example, if you are interviewing for a promotion, you should use language appropriate for the position you are applying for and the company as a whole. Rehearse what you want to say beforehand. Do your research and look at how others have gone before you and what did and didn’t work well if this isn’t your first time meeting. Make sure you are aware of anything you need to avoid saying and any slip-ups that can impact the image you are trying to present of yourself.
Acting professionally is something you should be doing as standard in your working environment; however, for those looking to give themselves an added boost or make their way up the ladder, knowing how best to dress to help you present yourself in the best light can give you a leg up to make the best first impression.
