Dress For Success & First Impressions

Preparation Punctuality Organization Individually & within the team Practice, Practice, Practice! Use note cards if necessary!

Nonverbal Skills Body Language Appropriate gestures Relaxed and self-confident Facial Expressions Smile, Practice in front of a mirror Eye Contact Face the audience and make eye contact with a variety of people Poise Empowers one to command respect Rise above the crowd, Head up, avoid slouching

Handshake Degree of firmness Dryness of hands Duration of grip Depth of interlock Eye contact Say their name

Content Intro Be creative Grab the audience’s attention Give a statistic, ask a question, tell a short story Tell the audience your objective/purpose for the presentation Body Give details, Use marketing terminology Conclusion Recap what you said Ask for questions???? Know the content so you are able to answer them!

Professional Dress for Men Dress shoes – black, brown, burgundy; polished Dress socks – high enough when sitting down Dress slacks – black, gray, dark blue Shirt – Ironed, buttoned, conservative colors, tucked in Tie – clean knot, complements suit Belt – simple, match attire, shoes DECA blazer INVEST IN A SUIT!!!

Examples

Professional Dress for Women Hosiery – skin color, no textures; Knee-high dress socks (pants) Always for an interview Not necessary for day to day, but depends on the business Shoes – simple pumps, short heel (2” max), may need a closed toe Shirt – buttoned, collar; tucked in if possible, Dress or skirt – appropriate length No shorter than 1-2” above knees, avoid extreme splits Skirt suits are best for interviews Conservative colors – black, brown, gray, navy, beige Belt – optional depending on attire INVEST IN A SUIT!!!!

Examples

Business Casual for Men and Women Chinos/Dockers Collared shirt, ironed, tucked in, preferably button down Dress shoes, loafers Dress socks Women could wear an appropriate (knee) length dress or skirt No tie required Possibly a sport jacket

Examples – Business Casual

The Details… Shoes should be clean and polished Shirts should be clean and well-pressed Hair should be neat, clean and out of face Fingernails should be cleaned and trimmed Avoid strong cologne or perfume Remove or conceal visible body piercings and tattoos Conservative ear piercing for women, no piercings for men Well-brushed teeth and fresh breath No gum! A breath mint prior to the interview or presentation is helpful Keep jewelry to a minimum

What Not To Wear….

Verbal Skills Tone Rate of which you speak (tempo) Volume Pronunciation (diction) Critical in phone calls Confidence, enthusiasm, optimism, and sincerity should be conveyed The more you practice, the less “ums, uhs, and likes” you will have

Activity Use the Internet to find images of clothing that will create an appropriate outfit for a Business Professional outfit and a Business Casual outfit In Word, include the following Images a description & brand price (each outfit cannot exceed $200) where it was purchased Include accessories such as jewelry and shoes. Save as LastName_Professional Dress and print Turn in the box