Edith Yeung.com Dream Think Act

Mark Twain once said: “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.” What Mark really meant is if you don’t dress appropriately, you may as well be naked.

First impression is crucial.

Whether you like it or not, people judge you by how you dress and how you look. This is inevitable. Your face, your clothes and shoes are the first things they see when they meet you.

“But I am worth more than my clothes! People should pay attention to my inside (my intelligence and knowledge). Not the superficial outside!” My friend John complains.

John is right. But would you rather be right or lose a potential job or client?

People would not even want to discover your “inner beauty” if you are not dressed appropriately.

This is brutal, but true.

I am not saying you need to wear an Armani suit or Prada shoes everyday. The key is you need to be aware of your appearance and how it impacts your credibility.

I know this from my own experience wearing the wrong socks once for an interview. The interviewer (who was the CFO of a major software company) noticed my wrong socks, totally got distracted and decided not to hire me. Of course he did not tell me that was the reason. But I knew … and I don’t want that to happen to you.

I am no fashion diva, but I would suggest you pay attention to AT LEAST the following:

-Clean finger nails

-Well groomed hair

-No body odor

-Fresh breath

-It is always better to be overdressed than under dressed.

-Copy those who are successful in your company or industry.

-Always ask yourself: “How you want to be seen?”

Some additional thoughts for the ladies (if you want people to take you seriously):

-Try not to be too sexy. It could be distracting…

-No more funky lip colors which make you look like a dead person.

-No more funky nail patterns

-No more heels that you can’t walk in. Better to be safe then pretty.

-Minimal perfume. People need to breathe here.

Here are some simple tips for the gentlemen (if you want keep the ladies around you):

-No white socks please!

-Trim your nose hair please!

-Minimal facial hair (if possible)

-Minimal cologne. Yes the ladies need to breathe too!

-When in doubt, wear black socks and black shoes.

Think About This
Think of one person who you admire. Notice how they dress and copy them.

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