Why Crafting A Professional Image is an Important Aspect of Your Career Strategy

Why Crafting A Professional Image is an Important Aspect of Your Career Strategy The job market is incredibly competitive. In order to successfully land your ideal position, you need to develop a strategy to set you apart from other applicants. This means optimizing your resume around your achievements rather than past job duties, developing a cover letter that showcases your strengths and what you’ll bring to a prospective company, and building your network of connections. However, there’s an important aspect of your career strategy that you may be overlooking your professional image. The image you project to others says a lot about the kind of professional you are. When developing a career strategy to land a new position, optimizing your professional image can give you an added edge against competition that may have the same level of experience as you, however don’t come off as polished or as confident as you do.  Here are three reasons your professional image is an important aspect of your career strategy. Dressing for success manifests achievement                       It’s common to judge others based on their clothing choices. However, you may not realize that the same psychology you apply to other people’s clothing is also subconsciously how you judge your own. When we’re dressed for success, we’re more inclined to feel confident and to exude credibility. In simpler terms, when we feel like we ‘look the part’, we’re more confident to act the part.                       According to research done by a variety of psychologists, your clothing choices have an effect on your confidence and how you behave in work settings, as well as substantial influence over other people’s perception of your competence. For example, wearing a suit is shown to empower the person wearing it due to the suit-wearer’s internal perception of dominance. Research findings show that the increased level of confidence from wearing a suit resulted in a self-fulfilling prophecy of success. Personal appearance plays into subconscious psychological bias We all know that looks matter but we may not realize how much of an implicit effect it can have on the impression we leave among others. In a controlled study of political candidates done by the University of California, the majority favored the candidate with the more attractive appearance despite party affiliations or candidate experience. This same subconscious bias plays out in other social or professional situations, including within your career or job search. This doesn’t mean you need to have model-like looks in order to get ahead, but it does mean that you should invest in your personal appearance. In order to upgrade your appearance, take into account the areas you’re proud of and where you’d like to see improvement, and structure a routine that addresses both. For example, if you commonly struggle with acne or cold sores during the winter due to the dry air, make sure to address that by incorporating an effective cold sore medication or acne spot treatment into your skincare routine. Overall, improving your appearance long-term requires a good sleep schedule, regular skincare routine, exercise, and consistent attention to grooming. Gives you an edge in making connections and influencing people Your demeanor and behavior, while not physical qualities, are still an important aspect of your overall professional image. How you behave and interact with others speaks to your character, and people will generally gravitate towards someone they see as trustworthy, friendly, and kind. Your ability to connect with others is known as your likeability, and it’s incredibly important within the workplace or on the job hunt. Studies have shown that likeable people are more likely to get job offers, get help at work, and be forgiven for their mistakes on the job. In order to really impress a hiring manager or build your influence at the office, you should make a conscious effort to be friendly and open. In a hiring or interview situation, this means keeping a smile on your face, practicing positive body language, and being actively engaged in the conversation you’re having with the interviewer. At work, you should make the effort to be social with your co-workers and maintain a positive attitude despite what may be going on at home.