10:53am The art of dressing for success
Appearance is vital for success – particularly when the goal is to impress the young women in the Credit Department.
That is why I always keep a toilet bag in the drawer at my workstation - in case I ‘have to’ go down to the credit department. This contains essentials such as a comb, a toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving equipment and of course, aftershave.
Before proceeding, I must check my appearance in the bathroom.
Hair … a little out of place. No problem. A few seconds with the comb and this is fixed up.
Tie … just needs a slight adjustment … yep, that’s right.
Shirt … Oh dear - Half tucked in and half out … and my favorite Monday ‘Lord of the Rings’ boxers are showing in parts – the pictures of Gandalf and Frodo are visible!
Sixty seconds of adjustment fixes that problem.
Face … a few hairs. Two minutes work with my shaving equipment and that is dealt with.
A little aftershave … there … perfect.
You may wonder why I didn’t check my appearance before coming to work in the first place. I work on the executive floor, along with my supervisor and many other influential people, mostly middle aged men. These men are influential, and I want to impress them with the quality of my work.
But I am not trying to win over their hearts. Nor am I particularly concerned if they do not find me physically attractive.
I am, however, trying to win the hearts of the women in the Credit Department.
Is dressing for success essential in today’s corporate world?
If your goals include relationships with attractive colleagues – then yes.
Dressing for success is essential.