How To Presenting Yourself Professionally
All-Inclusive
Guide to Presenting Yourself Professionally
When it comes down to deciding which employee
is going to get a raise, or who would be most qualified for a particular job,
employers look for a specific set of qualities that separate candidates. The
goal here is to present yourself in a way that increases the likelihood of the
successful acquisition of your goals and desires.
As an example, somebody who presents
themselves with an air of calm, cool detachment is going to be seen as
self-assertive and in control. There are several methods that can be employed
for the purpose of creating a sense of self-image that other people will
naturally gravitate to on a psychological level.
In this guide we are going to explore some of
the key attributes that lead to a professional self-image that will pay
dividends to those who employ it successfully in their day to day life.
The way you present yourself is the way
people see you
This is a very simple but powerful statement,
and understanding it can lead to a greater understanding of self awareness.
Many people go through life without realizing that their posture, attitude,
facial expressions, and mannerisms all lead to an outward appearance that other
people take into account on a subconscious level and judge your character based
on it, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. Usually this judgment
is based on other people with similar attributes that they’ve seen in the past.
Here’s a list of helpful things you can do to
greatly impact your personal appearance.
If you are scruffy, shave.
If you cringe when people make eye contact
with you, put yourself into situations where you have the opportunity to meet
new people such as pub socials, yoga class, game nights, etc. Check out local
listings for this kind of stuff, there’s always groups in your community where
you can get out and socialize.
Practice making strong eye contact. This is a
hard one, and doesn’t come naturally for a lot of people and needs to be
practiced to become second nature.
If you smell, take a shower. Don’t forget to
get behind the ears!
Find clean, professional looking clothing.
You can find top quality suits and dress shirts at second hand stores that won’t
break your bank but will give you a professional edge over your competition
simply through positive appearances.
“To this day, I don’t like people walking on
stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about
yourself then you’re going to play special.” – Benny Goodman
So after you’ve got the look, how do you
prove you have what it takes?
Taking the steps mentioned above will have a
massive impact on your outward appearance. A small amount of effort toward
looking and feeling more professional will lead to massive change in people
perception of you.
Appearances mean everything with first
impressions, and if you sound like you know what you are talking about, people
are going to listen. Be confident in yourself and make sure you recognize your
strengths and weaknesses, so you can play to your strengths and work on your
weaknesses.
A great deal can come from solid planning,
and maintaining a schedule book or other methods like keeping a planner or
notebook, can help you stay organized and provide you with a predictable path
that you can travel with some degree of clarity. Appearance stands for a lot,
but having a plan to back it up stands for just as much.
The way you look gets you in the door, and
having a solid pitch is what closes the deal. Keep your head up, but don’t lift
your chin too high or people will perceive you as being cocky. The main thing
is to look ahead like you know where you’re going, no matter where you are.
Don’t ever look at the ground. You don’t want to be on the ground.
I’ve got what it takes; now how do I make a
name for myself?
One of the key factors in people deciding
whether or not to conduct business with you is your ability to coherently
express your thoughts and opinions. It comes down to practice.
It’s always a great idea to consider writing
a 30 second elevator speech. This is basically a few memorized sentences about
who you are and what you do. Rehearse it over and over again in the mirror, to
yourself- until you can say it flawlessly to other people without a hitch.
Things you want to include in your elevator speech:
Your profession, and fields of interest
Your career goals / where you would like to
see yourself in 5 years
Your qualifications and why somebody would
want to hire you
A few brief examples of accomplishments
you’ve had and jobs you’ve completed.
Naming a few of your previous employers or
referencing colleagues you’ve done business with.
“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t
understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein
There are many ways that you can make a name
for yourself, but a professional image and having a solid plan of action are
absolutely fundamental when it comes to proving your worth to potential clients
and employers. There is no time like the present to begin working on yourself
image, and there’s plenty you can do right now to pursue your dreams, one step
at a time.
It’s always a good idea to search online for
tips and tricks regarding communication strategies because it can’t hurt to
have a base level of understanding when it comes to psychology.
Being aware of body language can help you
gear your pitch to produce better results when talking to various people. By
mirroring and countering body language you can greatly influence the direction
of a conversation and steer it towards mutually beneficial agreements between
yourself and your clients. This is all part of communication, and a vital part
of your outward self image.
Consider looking these things up on YouTube,
there are plenty of people who make tutorials and guides on body language, and
can provide hundreds of hours of research in a short amount of time.
In a video, it is easy to accurately depict
these forms of communication with a short explanation and a visual example.
It’s a great idea to look into these videos as they are immensely helpful in
steering your body language tendencies into a positive, new direction.
