Entry by Pat Patterson
This month, the blog entries I included were all about professional branding, focusing on how to brand yourself through online media. Although it is important to be aware of how you brand yourself in the virtual world, don’t forget to be mindful of how you present yourself in the real world.
Whether you like it or not, people are going to judge you on the way you present yourself, specifically how you dress. Most of you have heard “rules of thumb,” such as “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” or “it is better to be overdressed than underdressed.” A business friend of mine directed my attention to an intern’s perspective on internship attire – among the few reasons why Hetrick intern Sean Litke overdresses for his internship, Litke mentions:
Third, even as an intern, I feel taken more seriously when I show up and look like I’m ready to work. I’m not just some college kid taking time out from partying. I’m here for business, so why not dress for business? Dressing the part tends to make people act the part.
Take a look at Hetrick’s blog to read Litke’s other reasons he believes it doesn’t hurt to be overdressed for an internship.
Now, it may be easy to realize that you need to be dressed professionally for an occasion, but it may be more difficult to understand what that means. For your reference, “Syms Dress to Achieve” goes into great detail describing proper dress basics, business casual and business professional attire, and other helpful tips for men and women.
Any other thoughts you may have on professional branding via your attire? Share your comments.
