In the professional world, we always want to put our best foot forward. That can range from looking the part to obtaining knowledge and credentials – but it typically comes down to personal preferences and the unique needs of your situation.
Managing your image as a professional should be something that goes without saying, however, there are always things you can add to your planning and etiquette that can help you to come across as a courteous individual who cares about the people you interact with both professionally and personally.
Let’s take a look at a few of the ways you can upgrade your professional image
Dress for the occasion. Before attending an event think about who you will be meeting, what type of industry it is, and what you are looking to achieve. Always plan to look presentable, however, how you dress and what style you choose to wear can depend on the type of function you are attending. For example, if you are attending a fashion show or something related what you wear to this event would differ from what you would wear to a seminar for fields such as engineering or human resources. While this is just one example, there are so many scenarios that you can think about. The point is to do your research on the industry and dress accordingly.
Good first impressions. Networking and attending professional events means that you will be meeting new people. Meeting new people means that you can build new relationships. But of course, you will want to start on the right foot. When meeting new people show an interest in them, give a firm and non-sloppy handshake, and make eye contact! People love to answer questions about what they are up to and projects they are working on so ask questions and get to know the other person. Remember not to overtake the conversation and give others a chance to speak. Balanced and intriguing conversations will help people to remember who you are which can lead to productive relationship building and furthered business opportunities. Remember to go in with the attitude of how you can be of service to others, not just how they can help you.
Clean up online content. Cleaning up your online content is super important. Google yourself and see what kind of content comes up first. Because others who meet you and employers will search you on Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Take down pictures and posts that you can control and remember to think before you post. Once it is online it may be hard to take that content down!
Polishing up your professional image is an important step that you can take to improve your perception of yourself, and build self-confidence while helping others to get to know who you are as a person. Always work to ensure that you are being authentic in who you are and that you are acting in a manner that is in line with your values. Professional images are not just about putting a face out there, but rather showing others who you are, while showing what you can offer as a professional.
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