Success Advice

The All-Inclusive Guide to Presenting Yourself Professionally

Published

6 years ago

Jun 27, 2017

When it comes down to deciding which employee is going to get a raise, or who would be most qualified for a particular job, employers look for a specific set of qualities that separate candidates. The goal here is to present yourself in a way that increases the likelihood of the successful acquisition of your goals and desires.

As an example, somebody who presents themselves with an air of calm, cool detachment is going to be seen as self-assertive and in control. There are several methods that can be employed for the purpose of creating a sense of self-image that other people will naturally gravitate to on a psychological level.

In this guide we are going to explore some of the key attributes that lead to a professional self-image that will pay dividends to those who employ it successfully in their day to day life.

The way you present yourself is the way people see you

This is a very simple but powerful statement, and understanding it can lead to a greater understanding of self awareness. Many people go through life without realizing that their posture, attitude, facial expressions, and mannerisms all lead to an outward appearance that other people take into account on a subconscious level and judge your character based on it, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. Usually this judgement is based on other people with similar attributes that they’ve seen in the past.

Here’s a list of helpful things you can do to greatly impact your personal appearance.

If you are scruffy, shave.
If you cringe when people make eye contact with you, put yourself into situations where you have the opportunity to meet new people such as pub socials, yoga class, game nights, etc. Check out local listings for this kind of stuff, there’s always groups in your community where you can get out and socialize.
Practice making strong eye contact. This is a hard one, and doesn’t come naturally for a lot of people and needs to be practiced to become second nature.
If you smell, take a shower. Don’t forget to get behind the ears!
Find clean, professional looking clothing. You can find top quality suits and dress shirts at second hand stores that won’t break your bank but will give you a professional edge over your competition simply through positive appearances.

“To this day, I don’t like people walking on stage not looking good. You have to look good. If you feel special about yourself then you’re going to play special.” – Benny Goodman

So after you’ve got the look, how do you prove you have what it takes?

Taking the steps mentioned above will have a massive impact on your outward appearance. A small amount of effort toward looking and feeling more professional will lead to massive changes in people’s perception of you.

Appearances mean everything with first impressions, and if you sound like you know what you are talking about, people are going to listen. Be confident in yourself and make sure you recognize your strengths and weaknesses, so you can play to your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

A great deal can come from solid planning, and maintaining a schedule book or other methods like keeping a planner or notebook, can help you stay organized and provide you with a predictable path that you can travel with some degree of clarity. Appearance stands for a lot, but having a plan to back it up stands for just as much.

The way you look gets you in the door, and having a solid pitch is what closes the deal. Keep your head up, but don’t lift your chin too high or people will perceive you as being cocky. The main thing is to look ahead like you know where you’re going, no matter where you are. Don’t ever look at the ground. You don’t want to be on the ground.

I’ve got what it takes, now how do I make a name for myself?

One of the key factors in people deciding whether or not to conduct business with you is your ability to coherently express your thoughts and opinions. It comes down to practice.

It’s always a great idea to consider writing a 30 second elevator speech. This is basically a few memorized sentences about who you are and what you do. Rehearse it over and over again in the mirror, to yourself- until you can say it flawlessly to other people without a hitch. Things you want to include in your elevator speech:

Your profession, and fields of interest
Your career goals / where you would like to see yourself in 5 years
Your qualifications and why somebody would want to hire you
A few brief examples of accomplishments you’ve had and jobs you’ve completed.
Naming a few of your previous employers or referencing colleagues you’ve done business with.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein

There are many ways that you can make a name for yourself, but a professional image and having a solid plan of action are absolutely fundamental when it comes to proving your worth to potential clients and employers. There is no time like the present to begin working on your self image, and there’s plenty you can do right now to pursue your dreams, one step at a time.

It’s always a good idea to search online for tips and tricks regarding communication strategies because it can’t hurt to have a base level of understanding when it comes to psychology.

Being aware of body language can help you gear your pitch to produce better results when talking to various people. By mirroring and countering body language you can greatly influence the direction of a conversation and steer it towards mutually beneficial agreements between yourself and your clients. This is all part of communication, and a vital part of your outward self image.

Consider looking these things up on youtube, there are plenty of people who make tutorials and guides on body language, and can provide hundreds of hours of research in a short amount of time.

In a video, it is easy to accurately depict these forms of communication with a short explanation and a visual example. It’s a great idea to look into these videos as they are immensely helpful in steering your body language tendencies into a positive, new direction.

What interpersonal techniques do you use when meeting people? Leave a comment below!

Image courtesy of Twenty20.com

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Eric Denbak

Eric Denbak has a degree in Solar Technology, and is currently attending school for Computer Systems Technology. He writes articles and web content as an independant contractor available for hire. He can write from a variety of styles in a competent, professional manner. He is open to business proposals and mutually beneficial agreements.

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There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

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Jamelle Sanders

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In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.

I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.

I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.

As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.

I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness.

Everything legal must come through the matrix

I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.

Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.

The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.

Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.

The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be.

Every matrix has an incubation process

While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.

In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.

What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.

However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.

Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time.

“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier

You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time

When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.

The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?

First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.

In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.

For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.

For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.

Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.

You must manifest your greatness

As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.

I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.

There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.

Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.

When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.

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