Your mother may tell you that your tender heart and thoughtful actions are what matter most, but your mother is not in charge of your career. What matters most in the business world is the image you portray to others. Your boss and immediate colleagues may get to know you on a deeper level, but there will always be clients, competitors, new employees, and many others judging you on outward appearances.
If you do not naturally have a professional presence that makes others trust you and want to do business with you, then image counseling is required. This type of counselor is not going to have you lie on the couch and cry about your childhood. They are going to look at the image you currently present to the world and help you make changes that will push your career in the direction you want it to go.
To help you determine if you need image counseling, look at the following statements. Ask yourself honestly if any of the statements apply to you.
1. You are continually passed up for promotions that you know you deserve. You realize that what those who are promoted have in common is an impeccable professional presence.
2. Your boss, colleagues, or human resource representatives have made comments about your choice of clothing or other aspects of your appearance.
3. Your job interviews are always 15 minutes or less. It is possible that you are being counted out before the interview even begins because of the image you present.
4. You want to boost your career to a higher level, but you do not have the confidence to apply for higher positions, ask for a raise, or start looking for higher paying positions outside of your company.
5. When you look around your office on a typical workday, you notice that your work attire, hairstyle, and overall appearance is more in line with employees at your level than employees at higher levels.
Is there any chance that any of those statements apply to you? Even if they do not apply to your current situation, do you feel they may have applied to you at an earlier period in your career? If you are struggling with any of those issues or feel you may struggle with those issues in the near future, it may be time to seek professional image counseling services.
Take the last statement on that list seriously. In most offices, there is a clear difference between the images portrayed by employees at the highest levels and the images portrayed by employees at lower levels. Those within the lower levels who elevate their image to match their higher paid colleagues have a much better chance of taking their careers up to that level. If they are just as qualified as someone else but their image fits the role better, then they will be handed the role in most circumstances.
If you do not currently have a winning professional presence, it is time to get one. Image counseling is the easiest and fastest way to elevate your image and your career.
Margaret Batting 