Category: First Impressions

Dress to Impress – Men

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The Professional Man’s Capsule Wardrobe Collection

"Clothes make the man,” said Mark Twain.  That saying has never been truer today, with a competitive job market and the importance of looking professional.  It cannot be stated too often that your wardrobe is essential to your professional appearance and career success.  Your professional wardrobe can be daunting to put together.  Thus, a “capsule” wardrobe, a set of clothing items and accessories that work together and can be mixed and matched, is the way to go for men, as well, and will provide variety and sophistication.  When your paychecks start rolling in, you should add pieces to complete or expand your collection. 

Dress to Impress – Women

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The Professional Woman’s Capsule Wardrobe Collection

Your wardrobe is essential to your professional appearance and career success.  For the young woman starting a new job, however, compiling a professional wardrobe can be daunting.  Thus, a “capsule” wardrobe, a set of clothing items and accessories that work together and can be mixed and matched, can be cost effective while providing variety, flexibility and sophistication.  Once you start receiving those paychecks, you can add pieces here and there to complete or expand your collection.

The Perfect Handshake

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It's Critical to Your Career!

Your job interview, prospective client, seat on a board or membership in an organization can be won or lost on the strength of your handshake. It can put you over the top or sink your chances. While this seemingly routine and innocuous little nicety lasts only a few seconds, it will be remembered forever.

The Eyes Have It

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The “it” that eyes have is the ability to connect with people in a powerful way.  Former President Bill Clinton is well known for his ability to captivate an audience of one or one thousand by making and maintaining eye contact.  You, too, can learn how to achieve eye contact with others in a way that will make you memorable.

Your Most Powerful Secret Weapon

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 One of the most iconic symbols of our time is the Smiley Face. It’s been around since the 1960s with many variations, including the ones that people draw after their signatures or the ones in email emoticons to indicate that a statement is meant in a friendly manner. But why is it that so many people know to use Smiley to indicate kindness and friendliness in the written word, yet don’t use their natural smiles in person-to-person contact?

Brand Central

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   Who are you?   Who do you want to be?

 

Question:  What do Apple, Starbucks, Facebook,  Amazon.com, Coke and Pepsi have in common?

Answer: They are all highly-recognizable, distinctive and wildly popular brands.

Question:  What do Nelson Mandela, Hillary Clinton, The Dali Llama, Justin Bieber and Santa Claus have in common?   

Answer:  They are all highly-recognizable, distinctive and wildly popular brands.

What comes to mind when you hear the word, “Apple”:  a sleek, highly efficient and very cool i-product?  Or when you think of American Eagle do you equate it with chic, up-to-the-minute fashion?   And, how about Coke, a product that’s been around a long time and has had generations to build its brand, employing a wide variety of images and messages?  See how this vintage Coke commercial from the 1970s featuring teen and 20-somethings makes you feel about Coke. 

What Not To Say In 2012

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Whatever.  Absolutely!  You know….like…just sayin’.

These top the list of the most annoying words that litter our conversations, according to a Marist Poll published last month.  Students at Michigan's Lake Superior State University also published their annual New Year’s Eve List of the most overused words.

Several such lists are published every year, yet we continue to hear – as well as use -- these utterances daily.  The latest polls and surveys, however, should serve as a reminder that we need to concentrate on purging these shopworn words from our vocabularies.   And, most of us are guilty of using them to some degree.