Want to Move Up - Dress the Part!

Where is my desk?

It is not a guarantee but it does help. How you look, dress and present yourself is important. First impressions do count and dress/grooming are a big component of your image. So what is a professional image?

Clothes maketh a man! Clothes definitely send a message about your personality. Are you sloppy, careless, outdated or sharp, neat and current? You dress style may not have a one-to-one correlation with your work style but that is the message your clothes send.

Polish your shoes, tuck in your shirt, iron your pants and please don’t wear clothes that are torn and frayed to work. When you are professionally dressed – you send the right message about your professional ambitions and attitude.

You work in a social environment and to fit in you have to follow the unsaid rules. If you don’t appreciate the homogenous atmosphere of a big corporation – seek something that is more aligned with your values and style.

A larger part of 'fitting in' is being accepted. And to be part of a team or a culture you have to be socially acceptable. Appropriate dress sense and grooming go a long way in helping you forge those relationships and make the connections that eventually lead to professional progress.

(Photo courtesy - Flickr)

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