The Empowered Professional Woman
How to have a 20% edge on getting and keeping your job
By Marilyn Starr Harris
Imagine working in a fascinating career, a job that you choose and love, where you will flourish, succeed, and contribute to your fullest. You have the skills and knowledge you need to perform the job impeccably. You have harnessed the power of your womanhood into a career path that will give you strength. You changed your passions into profit in the professional arena. You are a professional woman.
The future is always bright for ambitious people. If you show you can handle challenges and responsibilities, you will advance faster and earn more because you will have the trust and respect of those above you. If you can be trusted to perform well and deliver needed results, then others will know that you are capable and treat you accordingly. These are your payoffs.
Becoming an Empowered Woman
We know “it’s what’s inside that counts,” but research shows that attractive people are generally perceived as more intelligent by prospective and current employers. Clairol Corporation did a research survey where they sent out resumes of hypothetical job candidates to 300 companies. Some of the resumes had an upgraded photo image attached to them. They were asked to determine a starting salary for each candidate. Salaries were eight to twenty percent higher for those whose resumes had been accompanied by a photo. These photos showed people who had a professional beauty that encouraged prospective employers.
You want your employer to think you are a professional woman? As a woman empowered, you need a combination of appearance, behavior, and character traits that convince others that you are capable and dependable to advance projects. You can get the job done. This can move you into new leadership roles.
You may have something very significant to contribute—you may represent the best—but if you are packaged poorly, you, like any product, won’t sell. Without personal packaging, you most likely won’t even get the chance to be heard. You may get passed over for career advancements. You need to package yourself with a professional beauty look.
Jenny had been working as an administrative assistant for the past 12 years in a notable firm. When the office manager retired she applied for the position. She never heard a word. Thinking they had misplaced her application, she inquired of those who were conducting the interviews. They told her she wasn’t even considered for an interview because her image did not fit that position. They suggested that if she were to reapply for a similar position she should rethink her entire wardrobe.
How to achieve professional beauty? That is the question. An even better question is this, “How do I look professional and still maintain my identity?’”
The first thing to understand is that your appearance communicates.
Understanding What You Are Communicating
Appearance speaks volumes about who you are. What message do you want to convey to others? If you’re reading this article, you want a message that says, “I’m capable, trustworthy and professional. You can count on me to do my job and represent you well.”
T presents a powerful leadership appearance which Keep your credibility up by keeping your appearance up.
The clothes you choose directly affect where you want to be. Be a woman empowered with The Beauty Code. This system will teach you how to go to your closet, pick out anything and know it will make you look fabulous. You will learn to construct colors, textures, designs, accessories, cosmetics, and hairstyles that bring out your best qualities. Learn how they relate to you as an individual. Understand how they impact your professional statement for maximum presence. Use your clothes and colors to show others that you are a professional woman.
Create a first impression that builds to a lasting impression.
Envision your first impression as a three tiered triangle pointing downward. Your appearance is at the top, it has the most impact on those you meet. If you don’t have an air of professional beauty, your professional attitude will avail you nothing. Next, your mannerisms have an impact. Once you have your appearance showing you to be a professional woman, your mannerisms need to back that up. Finally, your words. What you say creates the least amount of impact. If your appearance is unattractive and your mannerisms offensive, then your educated language will not going to make up for those deficiencies.
Your first impression leads to a lasting influence. Lasting influence is the second triangle that points upwards to interlock with the first impression triangle. Your skills top this triangle, leading into your beliefs and attitudes, finishing with your commitment to values.
Long-term professionalism means quality performance in all aspects of the career. It’s a lifestyle and encompasses beliefs and a value system. Incorporate your first impression into a lasting influence by giving each day the wholeness of good skills, great attitudes and values starting with a great first impression.
You’ll want a wardrobe full of workable clothes with enough variety to meet your lifestyle needs, not one bulging with unused items. Build quality rather than quantity. Avoid fads and never buy on impulse. Have a plan and use it. The Beauty Code shows you how to use your own individual colors to build a fabulous wardrobe with styles that solve your specific figure problems. Don’t buy into the fashion if it doesn’t fit or enhance your natural beauty. Classical pieces that will last are a must for an influential professional woman.
“One benefit I love with the Beauty Code system is that it gives me so much confidence. Like today, I went into a coat store and walked through all the aisles of coats. I knew in a matter of minutes whether the coats were in the right color and design that fit my color and style. I’ve saved hours of shopping and money in not making mistakes and having those mistakes hang in my closet.” Mary Beth Pendleton, Educator
Representing a Woman Empowered
If your abilities and skills are superior, but if you dress in extreme colors, textures, and styles, people will not believe you to be a capable or sincere person. When people are confused between your words and your appearance, they tend to trust the message they feel to be most authentic— your appearance.
When you meet and associate with business contacts and important people, you want your appearance to speak the right messages. So dress conservatively in any serious work environment. Leave any extremes of your personal style at home. You are representing the company and need to portray the company image and values as well as your own. To be included, show respect to those you work for by dressing at similar level, but professional enough to be invited into professional circles. You, not your clothing, should stand out. Avoid a “Look at me” attitude. True character comes from helping others and being aware of their needs. If people first notice a flashy style, they won’t get to see who you really are—an empowered, professional woman.
Once you’ve made a great impression, you need to portray your abilities and accomplishments in a manner that’s believable. What can you do in order to obtain the job in an interview, acquire those higher paying positions or even to keep your present job, when so many others want the same thing?
Developing Professional Mannerisms
To move up the ladder, your mannerisms should reflect your composure and confident empowerment. Know yourself inside and out. Recognize your strengths and accomplishments. Pat yourself on the back for all your hard work. Before interviewing, be sure to investigate the company, try to learn about their values and image before you go, then dress appropriately. Your goal is to convey trust, competence and reliability. If you’re trying to move up the ladder, dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
There are a variety of ways you can portray your message of intelligence and capability in a work setting. Be aware of professional mannerisms. Stand up straight. Erect body posture conveys you are trustworthy, that you care about yourself. It implies that you care about the business. Use a strong, solid handshake to express your firm capabilities. If you are interviewing and they do not shake your hand, offer yours. Give a firm, palm to palm handshake—not a dead fish wimpy one nor a “power play, I’m tough” one. A professional woman has confidence and this is translated in the way she carries herself.
Keep good eye contact while you are having a conversation, it tells people you are alert, dependable, confident and responsible. A pleasant facial expression radiates warmth and wonderful influence. A smile is a useful tool in an interview or while you are at work. When you smile, use your eyes. It shows you are genuine and kind. Don’t smile too much or too often; it can portray insecurities or less effectiveness. Be naturally pleasant.
Ray Beckham – PhD, PR for Pres. Reagan, commented, “I really like the color system because I’ve found it works. Whenever I wear clothes in my colors I get good comments. When people say, ‘You really look good,’ I know why. When I wear something really out of my color range, people may compliment the shirt, or jacket, but never me. The system makes it so much easier to go shopping. And, if I make the choice to go out of my colors, it’s an educated choice. Old friends would pass me and not recognize me. They later told me I looked ten years younger, more distinguished. It has changed my life.” This system has empowered hundreds of people to choose their outfits with confidence. That confidence will shine through and create confidence in your prospective employers.
Become your best professional woman with a pleasant voice. This will reflect your inner happiness. Avoid any pessimistic, depressing tones or words. Use positive phrases that lift you and others up.
A great way to capture someone’s attention is to remember his name. When interviewing, use his name to impress upon him you’re sharp enough to remember. Use short sentences that are direct and to the point. An empowered woman helps others feel empowered by asking questions. People like to express how they feel or share what they know.
The essence of every empowered woman is solid, healthy relationships. Without this, you will feel unsteady and anxious; your self-esteem begins to waver. Healthy relationships are established upon a foundation of inner core commitment to values, like trust, honor, and good morals. Express these in word and action. An empowered woman makes lasting impressions and influences wherever she goes. The Beauty Code offers you an abundance of help to reach your goals.
