Branding: A strategy to use on yourself

For all the time we spend in class learning our programs, building our reputations for accomplishment, and being au courant on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter — the attention many of us direct toward how we present our physical selves in the classroom and workplace may be less than impressive. And simply put, those who make the effort climb the ladder faster and farther.

"People aren’t hired in the first 30 seconds of an interview, but many of them eliminate themselves based on something they say or the way they appear," says Tim McLafferty, president of Minneapolis-based Focus Executive Search.

According to a 2008 CareerBuilder.com study, 41 percent of employers say employees who dress more professionally are more likely to be promoted. Other polls report as many as 93 percent of managers factor in how a person dresses when considering their advancement potential.

Julie Haltom remembers finding what seemed on paper to be the perfect vice president candidate for a previous employer. That is, until she brought him in for an interview. Now a team member at Wayzata-based recruitment firm Andcor Companies, Haltom has 15 years' experience in human resources leadership.

"He was meeting with the senior leadership team of an extremely successful company and he wore corduroys, a button-down shirt, and a sport coat," Haltom recalls. "Nothing matched, the clothing looked a little bit worn. He was shabby."

The leadership team took the candidate’s casual appearance as a sign of disrespect, and he didn’t go any further in the interview process. It's a concern for anyone in the business world to make sure to present yourself as strongly as you're selling your ideas; style is an essential part of the preparation process. Looking good helps you exude confidence, which in turn gives your audience confidence in you, whether your audience is your boss, your clients, or your colleagues.

Adapted from:
Wiley, M. & Eliason, K. (March, 2011). How's your brand? Style matters more than you may know. Twin Cities Business, 32-33.