For the better part of my career, my role has revolved around sales and professional services. During this time, I have always had an issue with looking too young. This felt like a constant uphill battle in the business world. In my late twenties, most of the decision makers I dealt with out in the field trying to sell the firm’s services were in their forties and fifties. A common response from these individuals after we greeted one another would be, “You’re a lot younger than I expected.” The problem wasn’t that I looked my age. The problem was that at 27 years old, I looked like I was 17. I had a baby face; some might say that I still do at the ripe old age of 41. I don’t mind being mistaken for being younger nowadays, at this stage of my career, but early on it felt like a crutch.
Over the years, I have realized the importance of image in the workplace. I always felt I had to work harder or overachieve to be seen more credibly or even taken more seriously. Sometimes people mistake youthful appearance for inexperience and I didn’t want to lose out on business just because I looked young for my age. Believe me, I tried a whole slew of tactics to look older, even trying to grow a mustache and beard. If I could post one of those photos with my attempt at facial hair, you would keel over laughing. Needless to say, I have a lot of experience in this department.
Although I couldn’t really grow facial hair to look older or change other aspects of my face, I learned that the type of clothes I wore and how I maintained my appearance could make a positive impact on presenting a more mature image. So if you want to be taken more seriously in your next business meeting, here are three easy style tips you can implement immediately, without a complete makeover:
- Pay close attention to how your clothes fit. I remember my early days when I was young and broke, I wore hand-me-downs. Suits can be quite expensive, so instead of going out and buying new suits, I wore my brother’s old stuff. We weren’t quite the same size, so the suits were a tad baggy for me. I thought no one would notice, until it was pointed out to me in a joking manner from one of the more senior sales reps. Obviously being the butt of someone’s joke won’t command the type of respect you’re looking for.
- Wear a more conservative hairstyle to work. I know it’s cool and fun to style your hair like movie stars and entertainers or what’s trending at the moment. However, the one thing that hasn’t changed too much is what the corporate world considers professional hairstyles. You won’t see too many mullets or mohawks being worn by executives in a boardroom. Alternative hairstyles are cool on the weekends, but if you want to be taken seriously, don’t show up to work sporting a goofy-looking haircut.
- Footwear can reveal a lot about you. Have you heard the cliché, “Shoes make the man”? One of the very first job interviews I ever went on, I wore the only pair of dress shoes I owned. I hardly ever wore them so they had very little wear and tear. Thus, I didn’t think I needed to buy new shoes even though they were dated and out of style. However, when the interview had wrapped up, as I started to leave the room, I overheard the interviewer making fun of my shoes to one of his colleagues. When I left the building, I knew I wasn’t getting that job.
As professionals in the workplace, we all want to be taken seriously and respected for our abilities rather than being pigeon-holed as something else because of false perceptions. As Andre Agassi so famously promoted in those Canon ads, “Image is everything.” Well, it may not be everything, but it certainly is important in business.
