Dress, Act & Attain the Part; The art of suiting up
Dressing sharp for any business engagement is a tangible reflection of one’s attention to detail and an unspoken advertisement of the high standards to expect when dealing with that person. Don’t believe me? Think of the military, especially boot camp, trekking through mud and sand, being allowed little (if any sleep), yet special attention is focused on how the cadets look. The shined shoes, crisply pressed shirts, and the sharp pant creases...this is an imperative part of ingraining new values and standards to make cadets embrace that they are different, special, and hold themselves accountable to a higher level.
In the cutthroat business world, every-little-detail matters and collectively can make the difference between closing the deal, getting the job, or having yet another opportunity slip through one’s fingers.
When I started my career, I had two suits- Navy and black; both I got from TJ Maxx (a discount retail store) and one pair of black shoes. It wasn’t much, but I made sure that I showed up at work each and every day POLISHED even though I was a cold caller and wasn’t going to see a soul all day. I remember meticulously shining my shoes despite holes starting to form on the sole, they were all I had. Regardless, I kept polishing them and telling myself “Your sole says where you’ve been, your shine says where you’re headed.” It made me feel good that I was taking pride in dressing for the job I was going to grow into, but I had to dress the part and act the part first...which eventually led to me to getting the part (and to be able to afford a new pair of shoes).
The reason I bring all this up is because I am very involved with mentoring students at THE Ohio State University College of Business (Fisher) and I am passionate about making sure that every student has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential regardless of their economic situation. I am helping OSU build a “free closet” for those who can’t afford to buy professional clothing for their upcoming career fair. Last year I crisscrossed Columbus Ohio picking up clothes and shoes from all kinds of donors. I was like a pizza delivery driver on steroids, Google-mapping my routes to reach as many donors as I could. I am that committed to the belief that this project will change lives and start careers at higher levels. All I was doing was providing the opportunity, it was up to the students to take advantage of it....and they did, in spades!
If you have professional clothing you would like to donate (for both men or women) and want to make a difference please consider donating to the Career Closet (details below).
Doing something so simple can make such a huge difference in someone’s life.
