Several years ago, I struggled tremendously with my weight. Despite being immensely talented as a Creative, I barely received a second look until I transformed my physical image by losing weight and updating my wardrobe.
My weight loss formula is a story for another day. This time around we are exploring a few pointers for getting the most out of your image. But, a bit of context first: sometime around the year 2012, I summoned all the courage I could and auditioned for a spot in an upcoming music group.
There were many extraordinarily talented singers in the group, but when it came time for the final selection of singers, I noticed that physical appearance played a significant role in whether or not a singer was chosen for the group. Having the best voice wasn’t as important to the judges as having the kind of appearance that could draw crowds and win the undying adoration of fans.
In case you’re wondering, I made it into the music group, and while I’d love to attribute this entirely to my vocal prowess, I believe that my personal image played a part in my success.
I later applied for part-time work as a brand ambassador for an up and coming media company. Again, I observed that every successful candidate – both male and female, had something in common – they, or rather, we looked good. We were all physically fit, somewhat attractive in appearance and well dressed. Having tonnes of marketing experience wasn’t as valuable in this case as having the right look. Studies have long demonstrated that people make a judgment based on their first impression of you within the first seven seconds of interaction (Forbes Business, n.d)
A survey carried out by Harvard University found that good looking men were 36% more likely to get a favouable response from investors when making a business pitch. According to the website Ladders, “in a 2005 experiment modelling the hiring process, would-be employers looking at photographs of potential employees were ready to give 10.5% higher salaries to attractive people over the unattractive ones.” This is known in Psychology circles as the ‘beauty premium.”
That said, here are a few things you can work on to take your image to the next level and significantly boost your chances of being taken seriously.
1. Dress for the part
Every industry has a dress code of choice. For creatives in the fashion or music industry, it might be brightly coloured garb, a wild hairstyle and eye catching accessories. The loud and flashy look will however attract a lot of disapproval in the corporate world, where muted colours and well fitting formal attire is a prerequisite.
Embrace and adopt the prescribed look for the industry you want to succeed in. Showing up to a formal business meeting with company Executives in leopard print leggings and blue hair and thinking “they have to accept me as I am because I have the skills they want” is simply naive.
You might need to invest in a formal black, grey or navy business suit with light coloured accent pieces and a dark colored formal pair of shoes for the Corporate scene. In the words of Forbes Business, “people perceive well-dressed people as leaders, and go to them for support at a faster rate than those not as well dressed.”
2. Exercise and work on your physical fitness
Being physically fit tells the world that you’re healthy, energetic, self-disciplined and well able to deliver on your targets. People that are excessively overweight are generally (and often wrongly) assumed to be lazy, self-indulgent, unreliable and lacking motivation. Simply getting into shape can work wonders for your business or career. After researching 233 self-made millionaires and 128 less-successful individuals, author Tom Corley found that 76 percent of the rich and successful exercise for at least 30 minutes daily. The evidence is clear, exercising boosts performance, and those who perform better typically succeed at higher levels (The Strive, 2022).
However, it’s worth noting that physical fitness doesn’t necessarily mean being skinny. Body weight and fitness is not “one size fits all.” What’s considered too much for one person can be ideal for another. It’s important to know the healthiest weight range for you by calculating your Basal Metabolic Index (BMI). The link for doing this quickly and easily is provided here for your convenience: https://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
3. Pay attention to the finer details
Brush your teeth and keep breath mints close. Wearing clean, well fitting, ironed clothes and shined shoes goes a long way. The dishevelled “My dog chewed my shirt this morning” look won’t fly in a job interview or business meeting. Similarly, wearing clothes that are so tight they might burst open if you sneeze simply screams “unprofessional.” Going to the opposite extreme and donning oversized clothes won’t do you any favours either. Ensure your clothes fit you well and suit your body type.
In conclusion, quoting Walt Disney “all our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
If you have any extra tips, feel free to comment below. And, sharing is caring, so we’d be honoured if you could share this post with your contacts. It might make the difference between success and disappointment for them.
Founder & Corporate 