In today’s fast-paced world, it is important to make good first impressions. Oftentimes, the first thing that someone will notice is the way you are dressed. This is what dressing for success is all about.

Recently at an LJS event, young professionals discussed what it meant to dress for success. One of the main points brought up was that dressing for success is a relative term, depending on what you find yourself doing. For example, if one is looking for a painter and someone shows up on your doorstep dressed in a suit and tie, you might judge their credibility as a painter. It would be expected that someone who paints would more likely be wearing coveralls, and those coveralls would probably have paint on them.

Another example discussed was dressing in such a way that prepared you for the atmosphere that you were walking into. If you are going to visit a mine or construction site, you should probably wear work boots instead of dress shoes. The element of preparedness shows that you understand the requirements and know what you’re doing. This will more likely lead to an air of confidence in your abilities.

Finally, dressing for success also means being true to your industry. An example is as a business consultant. A business consultant will likely have to visit your place of work in order to understand what it is that you do; however, they must also dress in a manner that remains professional. This might mean showing up at a job site dressed in a suit and tie to maintain an aspect of preparedness or this may mean wearing work boots and a hard hat even if it isn’t your traditional everyday attire.