ADMINOLOGY SKILL SET
Creating a Memorable Professional Image
You can create a memorable professional image for yourself when you start to think about building your own personal brand. Your brand includes not only your attire, but your actions, speech, behavior, attitude and your aura of confidence. Let Joan inspire you to think differently about how you can portray yourself in the workplace.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Today’s competency is on creating a memorable professional image, or ‘brand’ is the word we are going to use in the new decade.
Past:
First of all, in the past, it was so easy for us because we didn’t have a lot of options on how we could dress for work. It was very simple, clear cut, and mapped out, not at all confusing like it is today. The truth is, we looked like true executive assistants; so what do we need to do? What about the present, what about the future? The art, the science, how do we optimize our brand?
Present:
Well, let’s just talk about the present for a moment; in a way, the present is a mess! The reason I say that is because it’s confusing; unless your organization has clear cut dress codes and guidelines on how to dress. Even for those of you who do have those guide lines I know employees who don’t follow them. So it is confusing today, we have more options, and women especially, have numerous options which mean women make a lot of mistakes on how they should dress for success.
Adminologist will establish their own brand and they do. They’re not concerned with what everyone else is going to think and following the crowd, they’re actually creating their brand for future career opportunities.
Memorable is the key word, you want to be memorable. Keep in mind that you want to be memorable in a good way, not because you look like you just rolled out of bed or because you have a bad attitude. Attitude also plays a part in our image and our brand. Your brand includes not only your attire, but your actions, speech, behavior, attitude and your aura of confidence.
Future:
- Let’s talk about the future. Adminologist will project an attitude of being savvy and confident. Adminologist will dress appropriately for the era, but will also keep their own little personality in mind.
Art, Science, Optimize:
Art:
What is the art side of your professional branding? First of all, it’s mental, that is, thinking of this as how you brand yourself to the world. Think of your organization for a moment, your company reflects their band and how they want to be perceived through the colors they use, logos, the design style and so forth. You want to see yourself in the same light, how to you want to be remembered and how you want to be perceived.
Be daring! Try a new look, don’t be afraid to try a new hair dew, change the style of clothing you wear, add some nice jewelry, just a style that you normally wouldn’t think of wearing; and for the men the same applies.
Yet we still have somewhat of a battle that we Adminologist are fighting today. I often time still here administrative professionals say to me, ‘but you should see how my manager looks Joan! He or she doesn’t care how they look so why should I? ’ The reason is, managers have always been taken seriously, it just has to do with the fact that they are on the management team. But administrative professionals have been, and are still fighting to be taken seriously in the work place. So Adminologist need to take the professional image and branding very seriously.
Last for the art side, you are memorable! One way or another, you are leaving a professional branding for people, so you want that to not only be a good impression, but your best impression.
Science:
Now, let’s take a look at the science side. First of all, it’s making logical connections. This is a big one for me; I can’t tell you how many times I see administrative professionals attending business events and their wearing Capri pants. Now males, thank goodness you don’t have to worry about this, but for the females I’m telling that is a NO for an Adminologist. That’s because you want to be taken seriously as a career professional and logically you’re making a connection. When I attend a workshop, or a conference it is a business event.
Next, think about whom you’re going to see that day and how do you want to be perceived, what image do you want to project, and you dress accordingly. Not necessarily how you feel when you rolled out of bed this morning, which may not be good. Learn about what brings out your best features which would include colors, your body shape, and so on and so forth.
Optimize:
Here’s how you optimize this; first you have to seriously think about your career goals. What are your aspirations? What do you hope to achieve? How do you want to be seen and perceived? What roles would you like to move into in the future in the Adminologist profession? Also be thinking where you want to be 1, 3 and 5 years from now. Then you have to be thinking about how to position and brand yourself to create that memorable impression.
Stand out, and not in a weird way; I don’t mean have purple hair and a ring on every finger. That’s not what I’m talking about; you want to stand out in a way that will wow people with how great you truly are.
Create your signature trademarks; this has to do with your style, behavior(s), actions, and speech. For example, one of Jasmine’s trademarks is that she always has a great attitude not matter what is going on. I can honestly say that Jasmine, no matter the circumstances, always has a good attitude, she is even-keel, and unflappable!
Join Toastmasters or a similar program that will help you build confidence in how you present yourself and your ideas. Just remember, the brand you create today, will help you be a success in the future.
That’s it for today, thank you so much for watching this video! Watch more from this series here.