Professional Image

The code of the image

Image communicates powerfully. In the business world the first impression is crucial to establishing that professionality indispensable in working relationships. When we are convinced we are projecting the right image, we project also great confidence and self-esteem is high. A balanced professional image influences the way others perceive us and our personal level of efficacy.

Women and Career

People who are looking for a job or are starting a new one can benefit greatly presenting their best image with confidence. Women, especially, have much more difficulty going ahead in their careers if they do not have the right image for the job they have to do.

Competence and Presence

A study on the career of men and women has established that advances in men’s career are determined by competence, while in women’s, besides competence, a good image and an acceptable presence are necessary. Many managers don’t hire unattractive women.

Mehrabian Study

The famous Mehrabian study revealed that we pay much more attention to visual messages than to any other message. During interaction, verbal messages – what we say with our words - have only a 7% impact on others. The rest, 93%, is what determines impressions, especially the first impression.
What composes this 93% of non verbal communication? 38% is made up by the voice timbre, the tone, the inflection, the rhythm of the speech, the silences, the interjections; our manners, our education. The remaining 55% is made up by our body language and our image – the way we present ourselves: posture, gestures, face expressions, choices of clothes, styles, colors, makeup, hair, fragrances and accessories .

Non verbal language accompanies our words, but in case of discordance, it is non verbal language which causes the strongest impression on people. In our absence, we will be remembered by our non verbal language.

Social life is a stage. It’s worthwhile to know which tools we can use, and to learn to manage them with success to control the situation. We are all destined to represent ourselves. And to be judged. However, how are we going to project the image we like? How are we going to manifest that we are confident, or reliable, or powerful, or creative, or leaders? Or any other quality?

Codes

During the centuries an “image code” has crystallized, a series of projections, presuppositions, principles, signs and patterns which have acquired the strength of non written law. They have become the constant values of image, codes and signs which are perceived by the majority of people, and recognized automatically. To ignore these codes consciously or unconsciously means to be excluded by the group. To ignore them consciously may be a declaration of independence; to ignore them unconsciously it’s nevertheless damaging. To know the codes and to apply them at our convenience, gives us the power to manage our image and to feel at ease in any situation. To transgress them consciously and knowingly implies that we are capable of creating a personal style.

Personal Style

The thin line of personal style lies between applying the codes conformably and applying them discriminately. Personal style requires talent, because it implies transgressing and rearranging the codes at our discretion. The result might be a triumph or a flop, whose consequence is the banishment from the group. Personal style depends on personality – it is an attitude of self-definition. The more you know yourselves, the more you can translate this sense of yourselves through the image, the clearer will be the vision of the image you want to create.

Therefore, if you are not aware of the right signals to project to obtain the job you want, it’s time to make their acquaintance. To know how we are perceived and judged through these principles is a necessity in today’s job market.

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