Some thoughts on the relevance of how you appear as a key part of managing your job search from Sandra Collins who is a Development & Image Coach.
In these difficult economic times what gives you the edge over competitors in business or in securing that new job? People buy people not CV’s and certificates, that extra edge is often about which of two great candidates will fit best with the company who is looking to employ them. So what does ‘Fitting in’ mean? It is all about the soft skills:
- How and who you are as a person
- Your mind set
- Your approach
- Your physical appearance
Focusing on physical appearance, it is about that all important first meeting with a prospective employer; we all know the saying ‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression’ and it is so true!
When you prepare for an, interview or indeed to meet a client for the first time, you will probably research areas such as, what the company does, how they do it, what their markets are and may look into the culture and values. How often do you spend time researching how you should present yourself personally? For most it is a question of pulling out the interview suit or outfit and off we go – will this work? Well sometimes, yes, but what if it doesn’t?
What if when looking at the culture you did notice that the dress code was business casual – what does that mean? This form of dress is very much open to interpretation, meaning different standards in different places.
Peter Landau talks about the concept of ‘Intelligent Dressing™’. Having completed seven years of research Peter’s findings suggest that the more research, thought and analysis that goes into personal appearance, the greater the personal success.
When you get it right, it will not only work visually for those you meet, but also inject that extra confidence in you to deliver your very best on the day!
If you need guidance and support to help you make that great visual impression it may be useful to think about using an image coach.
For more information contact Peter Wilford on 0845 459 0035 or Sandra Collins, Development & Image Coach, of Totally You Consulting at www.Totally-You-Consulting.co.uk by Email: Totallyyou@live.co.uk or by mobile: 07742 44524