dress for success/business etiquette presented by: david smith, jr
TRANSCRIPT
Dress for Success/Business
Etiquette Presented By:
David Smith, Jr.
Topics of Discussion
Dressing for successBusiness Etiquette
Failure to Dress for Success Letting your family choose your clothing Letting your favorite sales clerk choose
your clothing Letting your designer choose your clothing Letting an image consultant choose your
clothing Letting your background choose your
clothing
Environment We are preconditioned by our
environment The clothing we wear is an important
part of that environment It is possible to change your dressing
style People who look successful and well
educated receive better treatment
Dress For Success
Not only individuals, but industries, professions, specific jobs, geography and climate dictate a natural clothing range that is easily identified through common and business sense
The Right Clothing will make you look:
Authoritative Powerful Rich Responsible Reliable Friendly
We all wear uniforms
Uniforms are clear and distinct signs of class (upper middle/lower middle)
Socioeconomic level of our clothing People react to our uniforms accordingly
– I am more important than you– I am your equal– I am not your equal
Corporate Dress Codes
Most companies have dress codes Many went casual during the 90’s
(business casual) and are starting to return to more formal dressing codes
Clothing styles were too relaxed (Tank Tops, Slippers, etc)
The Suit
The suit is the single most important garment worn by a business professional
Most expensive Your status, character and abilities are
judge based on your suits Central power garment
The Business Suit Suits are positive authority symbols,
worn by people who make important decisions in our lives
We are much more likely to believe, respect, and listen to the person who wears a suit than the person who does not
In any level of society, suits are associated with authority, with position, and with power
Buying a Suit
Decide on: Color, Pattern, Texture, Weight, Material, and Style
Know your approximate size Decide how much you are willing to
spend Buying a suit is a serious, thoughtful
endeavor
What to look for in a suit Feel the material and know what it is Read the label Look at the stitching behind the collar to
see if it is neat, even and reinforced Examine the lining (interior pockets) Look at the workmanship of the
buttonholes (plastic or bone) Look at the pattern Twist the sleeves of the jacket - should
spring back into shape (final test)
What material to look for The best material is wool: does not snag;
fits well; does not lose its shape; is resilient; lies better on the body; warmer in winter; outlasts any other fabric
Second-best suit fabric is a polyester and wool blend - general rule is that the more wool the richer looking the material and the better the suit
Avoid any suit made with less than forty-five percent wool
What color to look for
Blue Gray Beige Brown and shades thereof Black (limited basis)
What pattern to look for
Solid suits (the best) Rich and soft if they are standard
business suits Two types of stripes are acceptable: a
very narrow vertical pinstripe (white or blue stripes) and chalk stripes - wider about 1/8 inch - tricky (Wall Street)
Plaid (mainly summer suits)
Psychological Association: Suits
Solid Navy: upper middle class Solid Dark Gray: upper middle class,
negative with lower middle class Dark Blue Pinstripe: upper middle class,
negative with lower middle class Dark Gray Pinstripe: upper middle class,
negative with lower middle class Medium Blue Solid: positive with all
classes
Psychological Association: Suits
Medium Gray Pinstripe: upper middle class, negative lower middle class
Medium Blue Pinstripe: upper middle class, negative with lower middle class
Light Blue Solid: Positive with both classes
Light Gray Solid: Positive with both classes
Psychological Associations: Suits
Dark Brown Solid: Positive with both classes
Dark Brown Pinstripe: Positive with both classes
Medium Brown Solid: Positive with both classes
Medium Brown Pinstripe: The only pinstripe suit that tests well with all groups in our society
Shirts Most common and most acceptable
material is cotton Feels good to wear Soft and smooth Looks very rich Breathes Wrinkles (should dry clean) Second best- blend of cotton & polyester White is the most popular color
Business Etiquette
The Corporate Culture
The Job Interview
Business Attire
Complimenting dos and don’ts
Corporate Culture
Success in getting, keeping, and advancing in a job depends 85 percent on “people skills” and only 15 percent on technical knowledge and skills
Critical to know the rules of business etiquette
Relationships in the business world has always been based primarily on rank
The old gender rules have been discarded within the corporate culture
The Job Interview
The basics of corporate etiquette begin with the job interview - your overall demeanor may have a critical impact on your future
Dress conservatively
Enter the room, smile, and make eye contact with your interviewer. Then wait until you are asked to be seated. Don’t touch anything on their desk. Thank the interviewer.
Business Attire
Never, ever underestimate the critical importance of attire within the corporate culture
What you wear says a lot about you You can damage or even destroy your chances
of success in business by dressing inappropriately
If your organization has a dress code, observe both the letter and the spirit of the code
If there is no dress code, observe the workplace and and ask your supervisor
Business Attire
Jewelry: shouldn’t be obtrusive, and it shouldn’t jangle. Avoid wearing rings on the right hand. Wear a watch (promptness counts)
Furs: Don’t wear them in the business world
Shoes: Shine them Briefcases: Keep them polished and clean
Business Appointments and Functions
Take off your topcoat Give it up or hang it on the back of your
chair - don’t carry it around Keep your suit jacket on in someone
else’s office Don’t scatter things around. Keep files on
your lap. Put your briefcase or handbag on the floor, or keep it on your lap.
Two Types of Business Functions
Black tie formal: The correct term for “tuxedo” is “dinner jacket.” Black is always correct for men. White jackets are not. Women don’t have to wear gloves, and never should shake hands in them
Informal, or semi-formal: slightly less dressy than black tie. Men should wear a dark business suit, a white shirt, and a dark silk tie with a quiet pattern. Woman should wear a dressy suit in an evening fabric, or a long skirt and blouse
Introductions General Rule: People of lesser authority are
introduced to persons of greater authority – Ms. CEO , I would like to intro….. A client is introduced first.
Look at and speak to the greater authority first; look at and speak to the lesser authority second
The person who is being introduced, or “presented,” is named last
Include background information
Introductions
Greetings Upstanding (everyone should stand up
when being introduced) Shaking Hands (firm, not crushing grip)
– Comes with eye contact– Is firm but painless– Lasts about three seconds– Takes only two or three “pumps”– Starts and stops crisply– Doesn’t continue through the entire intro.
Introductions
Hugs and Kisses: In general, hugs and kisses are inappropriate in any business environment
Touching others in the workplace is impolite - includes patting on the back, arm around someone, or putting your hand on their shoulder
Don’t address someone verbally by a corporate title
Titles Titles are vitally important In the company of others, show your boss
respect by addressing him or her formally as “Mr.” or “Ms. Smith.”
“Ms.” is the appropriate address for a woman in business, regardless of what she chooses to call herself in her private life. “Mrs.” and “Miss” imply social, marital, and sexual distinctions that have no place in the business arena
The Workplace
Proper etiquette in the workplace generates efficiency, helps to eliminate distractions, and creates a pleasant environment
Workplace
Your Co-Workers (relationships) Your Superiors (Respect) Visitors (you are the host when in your
office Visitor should be greeted out in the
reception area Doors: If you reach a door first,
regardless of gender, you should open it, go through it, and hold it to ensure that it doesn’t hit the person following
Workplace Elevators: If you are nearest the door, you get on the
elevator first, then hold the door until everyone else has entered– If you are near the control panel, ask the others what floor they
need and select those buttons for them
Smoking: Not allowed in most workplaces today
Telephone Etiquette: Speak unto others as you would have them speak unto you - when using the telephone, use your mouth for speaking only. Avoid chewing, eating, or drinking