In today’s diverse workplace, your actions and motives are constantly under scrutiny. It is therefore important to manage your own professional image before others do it for you. Ask yourself the question – What first impression do you want to create? What do I want my key audiences (prospective colleagues or clients etc) to say about me when I have left the room?
Having a clearer sense of your desired professional image will help you make the right choices towards creating a positive first impression. Read on to find out more on how to maximise your first impressions and how to look good on a budget.
Why do first impressions matter? If you make a positive first impression and something goes wrong – it may not matter and you could still be given a second chance. However, if you make a negative first impression and something goes wrong – you may just confirm their worst fears about you.
There are a number of things that contribute to a first impression – and whether we believe it is happening or not – people do judge us when meeting us for the first time. Often this is happening at a sub conscious level – it only becomes conscious thought for the other person when something about you is not what they expected. For example – a meeting with your bank manager – you would not expect them to greet you wearing beach shorts, t-shirt and jandals. Research tells us – that before people even hear what we have to say, they have started judging our message by our appearance, body language and tone of voice.
A few key tips to maximise that first impression:
- What you wear – be appropriate! This will be dependent on the situation – you will need to balance your individual style with the need to fit in with what others might expect from your role.
- Grooming – You don’t need expensive designer clothes to look good. Often these can be lost – if all people see is a poor haircut, dirty shoes or a suit long over due for a clean and press.
- Accessories – this can be a great way to add a touch of your style and make a few items of clothing go further.
- How formal do I need to be? – A rule of thumb – if you don’t need to change when you get home you have been too informal in your dress for work.
- Body Language – People notice good posture and whether you are confident and at ease with others. Stand tall – don’t slouch. Your eye contact needs to be direct but not invasive. A firm handshake is important- for both woman and men (test yours with a friend).
- Introductions – be proactive – introduce yourself – don’t always wait for others to do it for you.
- Tone and Language – Use confident language – avoid fillers – they clutter up your language and make you appear hesitant. Remove self-deprecating words, such as – perhaps, maybe, a wee bit. Use direct and active speech – “We completed the project on time”.
Looking good on a budget – Often a mistake we make, particularly woman, is that we think we need a lot of things in our wardrobe to maintain an image of looking good. The reality is – having a few items that you can mix and match with each other works just as well, if not better. It you need to travel with your work – it also makes packing easier.
If your budget is tight – spend your money on the items that you wear everyday – versus a party dress you might wear once a year. Dressing well on a budget is about making smart choices for you – combined with good grooming.