Your personal image is important; it is what people think about you! Companies and some public figures use public relations firms to build or reinforce their personal image. The aim of a public relations firm is to persuade the public of a certain point of view for their client. Your personal image affects your success in your career, personal life and public life. Personal image does matter!
People make judgments about other people based on three (3) elements. How you dress, how you speak and how you act. I often have conversations with students to discuss how they are misunderstood. I share with them how I would make a judgment about a student in the first five (5) seconds of seeing them. They unanimously object to such quick leap to judgment. I usually turn it around and ask them if they saw a hot looking boy or girl across campus, would they make a judgment? The answer is always yes.
We make judgments about everything in a matter of seconds. There are other times when our judgment is important to safeguard ourselves. I may be walking down the block in the neighborhood near school and I see ten (10) boys dressed like gang members walking toward me. I could keep walking without fear and risk a problem or cross the street. We have to make decisions quickly based on what we perceive about individuals. Employers do this all the time in interviews, performance reviews and their promotion decisions.
Do you think your personal image enhances your career, personal or public life? Rich people tend to dress in a particular way. Their clothes may be no more expensive than yours, but it I casually nice. Most men wear khakis or jeans and a sport shirt. It could be the inexpensive variety, but it fits well. Women may wear a wider variety of clothes, but the image is similar. My wife reminds me that her patients constantly see her and will come up to her. She takes the time to dress reasonably. She is more concerned with her personal image because it could impact her professional image.
Do you only think about your personal image when you interview or go to work? Do you ever run into colleagues or bosses in your off time? How are you treated when you are in a store or other venues outside of work? During my off time, I tend to be very casual wearing shorts and a tee shirt. I never think about my image because I demand respect from how I speak and act. Besides, I want to be ignored when I shop. I choose when I want service!
Would it be a lot easier if I dressed up all the time? Sure, but it would not fit my concept of comfortable. I think that is important too. Your personal image should fit your personality. It may start with what car you drive, particularly in southern California! I think your personal image is whether your car is clean and neat versus what kind of car you drive. If your car is banged up, dirty and in disrepair says more about you versus a new Mercedes. In southern California, many if not most do not own their car.
When I was in the restaurant business, I wanted job candidates who were clean, well groomed and a great attitude. Personal image is important! It is not just for work or interviews. Have you thought about personal image when you are in social situations? I sure there are people who will say that they met their spouse when they just did a marathon or some other out of the ordinary moment, but it is rare. Your personal image tells the other person what you think is important.
You don’t need to dress up all the time to make a positive impression. Much more is necessary to look good! Do you look well put together? Are your clothes clean and pressed? Is it appropriate for the occasion? Personal opinion may enter into this, but that is why it is your personal image. Own it, it is your choices! Personal image is more than what you wear! It is how you speak and act too. In social situations, you may notice someone because the way they look.
Once you get passed the visuals, you begin to learn about the person. Things like personality, values and judgment is also part of personal image. Personal image includes self esteem, values, character, personality and much more. It gives you confidence to handle a variety of situations and people well. Have you thought about your personal image and how you are perceived? What changes have you made?
Final Thoughts
When I was seventeen, I was working in a corporate office of an international conglomerate. I was delivering mail to various drop off points throughout the building. When I was on the executive floor, I would notice how the executives dress, spoke and acted. I tried to identify characteristics of these successful people and emulate them. I think it worked because I was successful in business and life. That is the personal image I try to project. Personal image does matter and says a lot about you!
Photo by: BetterBizIdeas
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Personal image is very important. Buy clothes for the job you want, not the job you have!
Interesting point! I remember dressing better when I started out to always look promotable.
You’re absolutely right about all of this. I have noticed there is a difference in the way I am treated by employees and by other customers when I enter the store under one of these two conditions:
1. Wearing jeans, old sneakers, a t-shirt, and with my hair not 100% clean (give me a break, I’m one of those who has to wash it every day, so one day past that looks just slightly sub-par.)
2. Clean, combed hair, khaki pants, nice polo shirt, nice-condition non-sneakers, maybe leather shoes.
The second gets a lot of, “Is there anything else I can help you find?” “Thank you, Mrs. ____,” and “Let me get the door for you, ma’am.” The first gets a lot of being treated as if invisible.
You are right! How you dress will send a message to all that see you. What kind of message do you want to show?
Keep in mind that you don’t need the expensive brand name shirts and suits. As long as they look good that is what matters unless there is a significant visual difference that matters.
I love to get expensive clothes at 50-75% off. In my youth, the rich never wore their labels out. It would be bragging! I believe in that concept.
The high-class still never wear their labels out. Flaunting brand-name labels on clothing = “trying to make the impression of being rich.”
Funny how we have evolved because there are very few (men’s) products that do not have someone’s logo on it.
Well, that’s true. It’s a way of forcing us to buy the good brand lest others see that we bought clothes at [insert name of discount retailer here, LOL.] I guess the new version of not flaunting brand names is to keep the logo or name discreet and tiny, not splashed across the front like a billboard.
I’ve been sad lately, so to combat this, I have been wearing the happiest, prettiest things I can find. It helps to feel more together when I look put together.
Sorry to hear that. I tend to wear certain tings to make myself have more confidence too. Interviews, presentations, reviews and important situations need that edge too. I find dressing up brings out different feelings too.
Very true! When I want a new job, I pay attention to what the employees wear, and always wear an outfit that is one step up to my interview. Like if the employees wore slacks and dress shirts, I made sure I wore a full suit. It does help make a good first impression.
In an interview, you want to make a good impression. I was always surprised at how many people do not take the time to make a good impression.
Interesting one! I have always beleieved that image is important; then again, I am an academic and my image ought to be different for the students and for the managers. My students really like it when I wear jeans, informal tops and basketball shoes – somehow it makes it easier for them to be active during the lecture/session. Working in a Business School I am surrounded by people wearing doggy suits and emulating business (from 30 years ago). So, image is important but it is very context specific.
In academia, it is difficult to balance what is acceptable to the students and what is professional. As a teacher, I try to think what is functional versus what image I am try to present. For example, we are experiencing a heat wave in southern California. 100 degree weather and my classroom is hot! I have to dress for the conditions vs. what I should wear.
What a great idea, to watch the executives. Did you think about that yourself at 17 or did a parent help you realize that? My 17 year old still hasn’t made that type of connection.
You’re right about people making quick judgments: Marriott performed a study which showed the average person has decided if they like the hotel or not BEFORE they’ve reached their room!
I have always been an observer of life. I find people and what they do absolutely fascinating. I usually ask people a lot of questions. When I was very young , I read biographies of famous successful people to help understand how they think and how they became successful. Unfortunately, no one gave me that kind of direction.
When I used to interview people, I made a judgment about them in the first few seconds that I met them. I don’t mean I decided whether I would hire them or not, but I could tell who I wanted to talk to right away. I rarely changed my first impression. It usually was based on how they greeted me, dressed and grooming.
I feel much more professional, outgoing, and able to deal with most situations in my “work” clothes. If you catch me just c0ming from the gym in sweats, I am much less put together, but like you, I don’t want to be recognized and try to float under the radar. I had potential employees show up for a job interview in old jeans and and t-shirts. If you are applying for a professional position, dress the part. Otherwise, I can’t see past the poor attire to notice if you have job skills or not. I thought this was common sense, but maybe not.
It says a lot about the individual if they cannot present a good personal image. Interviews are supposed to show you at your best.
To me, it is much more than just how you dress, speak and act.
That 5 second judgement also depends on your posture and stance (are you in command of yourself), eye contact, appropriateness of dress for the situation at hand, firmness of handshakes, the way you walk into the room (are you in control of the situation), tone and quality and volume of your voice and more.
I agree, but you don’t always shake hands etc yet leave an impression.
Great post! You don’t have to break the bank to look good. You can make it a treasure hunt find expensive looking clothes at bargain prices. Thanks for the reminder about the 5 second first impression. With the baby and lack of sleep, I’m sometimes in no mood to doll myself up. Need to think twice!
I am casually dress about 98% of the time, but I can be put together when I need to.
It is really hard to find clothes without logos/labels to show who the designer is. I tend to buy good quality clothes that fit well regardless of brand.
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