Career Impact

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression"

With the recession tightening its grip, it's a sad fact that there's tens - and sometimes even hundreds - of candidates applying for the same job. If you get past first base and to the interview, ensuring you stand out from the rest (who may have similar qualifications and experience) has never been more important.

"Technical competence in your chosen field is crucial and will get you through the door, but your appearance and how you communicate through verbal and body language skills, will keep you in the room" 

The science bit
Studies have shown that interviewers form judgements within minutes of meeting candidates and these judgements can affect the overall out come of the interview. The good news is that you can influence these impressions but it's not quite as simple as ensuring your shoes are clean or wearing a suit.

Where you can make a difference

Jo's presentation training is specifically tailored to YOUR situation.
Whether you're facing an interview, the dreaded presentation or meeting a potential client for the first time, a positive image gives an added air of confidence and self esteem.  This in turn reflects credibility, reputation and rapport building abilities.

Having finely tuned "soft-skills" can make a difference - helping you further your career and live the life you've always wanted.

Please contact Jo for further details on how she can help you to be the best you can be - and check out the article below for instant tips.

Dressing for Business - how to remain looking professional in the heat of Summer

Summer presents particular problems when it comes to dressing for work. Practical issues such as staying cool combined with the more relaxed feel produces more fashion faux-pas than any other season.

What should we be aiming for?

Just like the rest of the year, Summer still brings a variety of informal and formal occasions so a varied wardrobe is required, although it is generally acceptable to have a more relaxed look. You should aim to look comfortable but casually smart whilst still dressing appropriately. Summer requires lighter colours, but patterns and styles still need to be business like keeping it simple and smart.

Top tips on Dressing for Summer

1) It’s tempting to wear holiday clothes and shoes on hotter days but this will be detrimental to your professional image. Avoid showing too much flesh – for men as well as women, it’s distracting or in some cases, offensive for others and diminishes your credibility and authority.

2) To remain cool choose breathable fabrics such as cotton, linen and lightweight wool with small amounts of polyester to help with crease resistance. For shirts choose natural fibres as they allow air and moisture to flow freely whilst synthetic fibres tend to trap heat and therefore odour - one of summer's biggest challenges for many.

3) For women if you need to wear a jacket for meetings, wear a cool sleeveless top underneath. If you’re likely to want to take your jacket off, choose wider straps and more discreet necklines. Jackets with short sleeves a cotton or a fine wool twin set or a tailored lightweight shift dress are also cool alternatives for summer workwear.

4) If you wear a skirt or dress in a lightweight, flimsy fabric ensure your underwear doesn’t show through. Like-wise avoid strappy beach tops with bra straps showing.

5) For men, if a suit and tie is required choose a finer wool, lighter weight suit fabric along with a pure cotton shirt to keep you cool. Likewise a silk tie will breath whereas a polyester tie wont. A less formal option could be a cotton or linen jacket over co-ordinating trousers and a short sleeved, 100% cotton shirt, without a tie is also acceptable.

6) In some organisations where the business dress code is less formal, men and women can wear shorts but these need to be long, structured and worn as part of a co-ordinated look. Baggy combat, denim or beach shorts should be kept for holidays and never for the office.

7) Shoes often present a problem, and the same rules apply as in the winter, they need to be smart and business like and they should co-ordinate with your outfit. Flip-flops, beach shoes and trainers are wrong in the workplace. For men – open-toed sandals are inappropriate business attire and sandals with socks are a definite no-no. Women - don’t fall into the trap of wearing light coloured high heeled strappy sandals with a business suit, just because it’s summer.

With a little know-how and planning, deciding what to wear for work during the heat of the summer doesn’t need to be difficult.

Plan ahead, work out what you need in your wardrobe to fit your role and workplace and to keep you cool. Then when everyone else is feeling the heat you’ll look and feel cool, calm and professional.