“In 2007, at Washington DC’s L’Enfant Metro station, a man performed six classical Bach pieces for 45 minutes on a violin. Some people stopped and listened, most scurried on to meet their busy schedules, and 27 people placed money totaling $32 in the violinist tin cup. Only one person recognized that she had been treated to a free, unpublicized concert by violin virtuoso Joshua Bell. Bell, who had played to a sold out theatre in Boston two days before (average $100 per ticket) had performed the subway concert on a 1713 Stadivarius worth 3.5 million dollars. Subway passengers perceived another talented man down on his luck hoping to make a few bucks in the subway. I wonder what would have been the outcome if the subway passengers would have known the identity of the violinist.” – www.examiner.com
I posted the above quote because I think it is a perfect example of what I wanted to communicate with this post. The other day I was having a conversation with a good friend of my mine about his career and his thoughts on the corporate world. He revealed a story about an employee he hired at his company that recently left because of a massive promotion. He put it down, partly, not to his ability but because he looked the part. He looked like someone who would fit right into the boardroom with the other high flyers. The brands he wore were the sort that those in the roles he wanted would have coveted. While my good friend put it down to him ‘playing the game’ part of what he said struck a chord with me.
We also talked of other people we knew in the white collar world who were struggling to get ahead. Again he cited their attire as the reason that particular person had been overlooked when his company were promoting.
You may or may not agree…
The thoughts he shared with me certainly made me think. After consideration I have to say I do agree with him. While doing the best at your job, this will only get you so far up the corporate ladder. You have to also consider your style and how you look. When employers are looking for someone for a promotion, especially to higher level jobs, they want someone who will represent the company well.
Perserving the image of the company is paramount, especially if you’re going to be in settings where you’re meeting current and potential clients. If you’re good at your job but you turn up everyday like you haven’t really made an effort, of course your managers are going to notice.
Take the photos of the wonderful lady below. The lady on the left is a cleaner at the office, the lady on the right is the director.
We all know the importance of image in the work place, it’s perfectly illustrated in the interview. It’s in our subconscious that we have to dress ‘well’ or dress ‘up’ to try and get the job. But often, once we have the job we want, we then rest on our backside and let off the gas a little. We end up wearing the same suit until it’s worn and a bit shabby. We forget to polish our shoes or skip a day’s shave. We don’t take time to spray cologne or brush our hair.
Laziness creeps in and that initial impression we gave was just a facade. Your managers take note and then when it’s time to promote you’re overlooked or you didn’t ‘quite’ cut it. “Don’t worry“, you tell yourself, “maybe I don’t have enough experience yet”, “maybe next year”…
I’d love to hear your thoughts and hear about any experiences you’ve had that are similar to what I discussed in this post.
Thank you for that great article. I think there is a need for us to strike a balance between the “dressing the part” and actually being the part. Perception is reality but it also depends on what lens you’re looking through.
Thanks for commenting.
I agree with this in the most part. Its down to how the clothes make you look towards other people and how they make you feel too.
Just like women wearing really nice underwear no one else may see it but it’ll make them feel better!
Great point, something that I evidently missed.
This is such a great post and it’s so true! My brother-in-law recently told me that he’s started wearing a sports coat and slacks when attending all meetings with potential clients, Even if his clients are in jeans. He says his business has gone way up just because he’s dressing like a successful businessman. Whenever I see a client I take my time getting dressed and really think about what I want to convey visually. People make a decision as to whether or not they’ll hire you within a few minutes of meeting you, so dressing the part is key.
And I noticed you submitted this to links a la mode. Hope they choose it because this is such a great article and very useful advice as well!
Thanks Heather. I hope it gets selected too 😉 ha ha. It’s an interesting story about your brother though I’m really glad you shared it with us in the comments. I agree, people form judgements on one very quickly indeed.
Really great post and completely agree! For me three factors are involved and as silly as it sounds it’s a lot to do with human nature too. When we make an effort to dress for any occasion our attitude changes, we become more focused on where we are going and what we are doing and when we are in that frame of mind we tend to give off the right impression to any onlookers whether it be co-workers, clients or management. Companies are built on quality of work/ service and image and if any factor is out of alignment it causes an affect on the success of the business so if someone naturally has all the basics checked on all levels from competency skills to personal etiquette it’s generally and easier progression to wherever you’re aiming to be which is also why you would naturally be more appealing to the top bods. The other factor is how your customers/ clients see you, the more comfortable they are in your presence the better the relationship and likelihood they will want to use/ buy off you which in turn makes you more successful at your job. I have an issue with company uniforms (when they are not needed ie. office workers) because the first thing a uniform does is to stop you from thinking how you look (depending on the quality of uniform) because that in itself makes it easier for you not to care how you look which has a negative effect although some people would say because it stops you from thinking about it you’re free to work and not get distracted by looks and you’re free to spend more of your income on everything else, but personally I prefer to stay away from uniforms and don’t mind buying clothes for work….. thought provoking! lol
Awesome comment Vic, really appreciate you contributing.
I am a big believer in dressing for the job you want. People perceive certain things when they see you, it is these non-verbal cues that account for the “feeling” you give off.
I hate when people complain about this and say “I should be judged on my work and that’s it!” Well, no, you should be (and are) judged on the entire package. The effort put into one’s appearance says a lot about the effort they put into all areas of life.
Exactly it’s all about the total package!
Although, in all industries there is the problem of the “too perfect” applicant. The one who looks exactly like they think a manager should look (“cookie cutter”) and therefore looks much less experienced than they would if they adapted their style a little more. There needs to be that little edge of “I am unique, I’m not wearing this as a ‘costume’ and I’m not afraid to express myself” – so whilst meeting the dress code, there might be a use of colour, cut/style or ‘quirk’ there to draw the eye.
People who start with a (usually black or grey) suit, and over emphasise the importance of the “whole package” in their head can fall foul of thinking we managers will be hoodwinked by it! Actually, dress is a matter of respect and attutude: smart is good, clone or second-guessing what we ‘want’ to see too much can backfire.
So true! I have always said that people who say style doesn’t matter are fooling themselves. Yes, what is on the inside is ultimately the most important thing, but without the exterior, people may never get far enough into who you are to discover what is on the inside. How we present ourselves to the world is a very important thing, as it is an outward display to others of who we think we are, and whether or not we respect ourselves, and where we see ourselves in the whole scheme of things. And that first pic of Justin “Mr. Anniston” Theroux is a good example. I can think of nothing worse than grown men who dress like teenage skateboarders (Listen up residents of Los Angeles! I’m talking to you!) Great post.
Yeah you have to give people the opportunity to see what’s on the inside!
Great article Arash as usual. I think you’re right but your message is wrong. Dressing the part is great so long as willing to play by everyone else’s rules. Tommy polishes his shoes every day and looks the part so when that job comes up in senior management he gets it. He’s already one of the boys. Sonia gets looks over. Sonia has bright red hair and a nose piercing and it won’t look too good at company picnics with the shareholders. Tommy goes up the ladder steadily. Taking it one rung at a time.
Sonia on the other hand takes a different path. Everyone can tell from her appearance she’s a maverick, a creative. She gets looked over most the promotions (most the time she doesn’t even apply), and her career is more like snakes and ladders, moving diagonally rather than straight up. But she never gets sacked. She’s the creative, everyone from every department wants a bit of her cause they can tell she thinks differently. Helps people get out of tight spots.
Then the big job comes up. Start the new business in Rio. High risk but high reward. If you pull it off you’re calling the shots. Tommy applies but he gets looked over. He’s just another suit. He’s good at the water cooler politics in the nice comfortable office and good at dining the clients. But this is real shit. We need a maverick, a creative. Someone who’s going to make it happen and bend the rules when it gets tough.
And when they need to lay people off who they gonna drop? Not Sonia she’s one of a kind. Maybe Tommy. He’s just another suit. He’s hasn’t been a director long and we have tonnes of suits to replace him.
Leaders of their field don’t dress like the rest of their field:
Steve Jobs (worst dressed rich?)
Gandhi (no state attire)
Victoria Pendleton (feminine, stylish athlete)
David Beckham (invented the footballers haircut)
Prince (first androgynous black man in pop)
Russell Brand (comedians never looked like that before)
Do you wanna fit in or do you wanna lead?
You have some good points and I agree and both disagree. Your example works in certain environments. But Sonia wouldn’t even get a job to start with in some places, regardless of her creative abilities because her image is totally wrong. A lot places don’t allow any visible tattoos and piercings.
In a work environment that allows it then you may have a point, but then if all the creatives are pierced and inked, how do you set yourself apart from what becomes a ‘creative uniform’
Yep I hear what your saying. I was just presenting the other extreme to this black and white argument. You say people who look unusual cannot get employed in some places. But every workplace seems to have one. They seem to sneak in using the diagnols.
I think my original point -dressing for the part will only get you so in a organisation that prefers obedience to creativity – stands still. I’ve worked for a company that wanted you to ‘look’ the part. The management was full of smartly dressed idiots and it’s currently going out of business. I won’t name it on here but it has an office in Leeds and recently closed one in Cardiff.
Hmm… I know a Goth solicitor (city based- so strict), Vintage Barrister, R&B loving Senior Teacher etc’. Although all meet the dress code of their place of work, you CAN tell their at-home style very plainly. They don’t even ‘sneak’ or do anything diagonal, they’ve had standard career paths; I wonder if this is an advantage of workplace dress codes- adapting your style within some ‘givens’ levels the playing field. I also wonder if it’s to do with the vibe of the city they’re working in – London is more tattoo/indie-look friendly (although very traditional with dress codes) whereas other cities have a more relaxed ‘rule book’ but are actually far more constrained with those who don’t look like a Gap advert on their day off (let alone what they look like in the office) the subject of raised eyebrows.