If you were ever a tennis fan in the early 1990s, you’ll for sure remember Canon’s “Image is Everything” campaign (Andre Agassi was one of my tennis idols growing up).
Well, that famous saying, Image is Everything, is most certainly true!
More seriously though, the image that you share with others can impact your impression on others. We’ve all heard the “first impressions happen in a few quick seconds” (possibly the blink of an eye). It’s imporant to make sure you know what you want to share with others – and what you don’t!
Things to consider are:
- Your overall style and professional attire: does your style say that you are “competent, trustworthy, and reliable” or are you projecting a personal style that say you’re a hot mess? This is no superficial things folks. Developing an appearance that is professional is vital to success in business.
- Your presence on social media: it’s becoming more and more common for employers and university admissions offices to scour social media in order to learn more about you. This can impact your chances of being recruited or promoted (or even fired… yikes). Be smart about this and use common sense. If you’re not sure what’s acceptable, do some reading on the topic. There’s a lot of available information.
- Your posture and body language: does your body language let people know you are open to new ideas, collaborating, or feedback? The way you stand. your use of gestures, and your facial expressions can communicate a lot about you. Be aware of what others are picking up from you. If you’re not sure, ask someone you trust for feedback and help.
You should be the one to get that promotion, gain entrance to graduate school, meet that special someone… right?
Make sure you consider the image you’re projecting because it’s true – Image is Everything.
