Career Blog
Reading week is upon us! For some of you, this will mean a well‑deserved rest after the midterms frenzy. For others, it will surely be an uninterrupted blitz of study. However you intend to spend this week, one thing for sure: you probably have no intention to spend it perfecting your professional image. You’ll surely be at home with your family and friends, or bing-watching your favourite show on Netflix. “Networking during Reading Week? Now way!” But if I told you that there are numerous, simple and interesting ways to network during this highly anticipated break, would take my advice?
Networking is not the only way to make your way in the professional world, and here is the proof. Below are three ways to strengthen your career development.
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Use YouTube for educational purposes
Did you know that we spend on average more than two hours a day on our various digital platforms? Why not use this time to watch informative capsules such as TED talks? There are thousands focusing on different topics, such as networking and the business world. Think about it next time you try to make a good impression at a networking event or during an interview.
Click here to see Isaac Serwanga’s talk on networking.
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Become best friends with Eventbrite
Eventbrite allows its users to see, create and promote local events. Thanks to research parameters, you can find business-related events on days that suit you. You wish to apply the tips you learned in a TED talk? Eventbrite is full of networking events and workshops focused on various skills (communications, leadership, IT, etc.)
Click here to discover what Eventbrite has to offer in Ottawa from February 17 to 24, 2020.
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Take care of your image
For any Telfer student, a LinkedIn profile is of the outmost importance: it is a way to get in touch with professionals and to stay informed. If you don’t have one already, create one immediately! Take advantage of Reading week to create a profile photo. Even better: get your own business cards! It’s an effective way to leave a good impression after a conversation with a professional.
Interested? Start exploring the various models offered by Vistaprint.
In all honesty, your professional image depends on the efforts you invest in them. Naturally, you will be busy during your reading week. Nevertheless, I invite you to take some time to pursue your career development. Good luck!
As you evolve at the Telfer School of Management and enter the business world, slowly but surely, you will have to abide by a “professional attire” dress code, either for an interview or for a networking event. As the business world and technologies have evolved considerably over the last few decades, the idea of a “professional attire” has transformed. It is worth going over and debunking some myths surrounding this concept that are making things overly restrictive and complicated.
Myth no. 1: Matching Is a Must.
Although matching pantsuits and skirt suits are still considered as staples of a professional wardrobe, they may make you feel a little bit too formal or stuffy, if not costume-ish. Fortunately, you have another fantastic option: dressy separates, i.e. a pair of slacks or a dress/skirt with a blazer of a different colour. Examples: a wine shift dress with a black blazer; navy slacks with a charcoal jacket; a charcoal pencil skirt with a cream blazer, etc.
Tip: Don’t try to wear two separates of the “same” colour together as a suit; if you do separates, make sure their colours are different enough. And yes, mixing navy and black is okay. ;0)
Myth no. 2: Black Is Always the Way to Go.
If you are on the market for a new suit (or your very first one!), and are considering black, you may want to think twice before you make such an investment. Although black is a conservative colour and conveys authority, it can actually look harsh on a lot of people. If you feel that black makes you look washed out, try another dark neutral such as charcoal or navy, or even mouse gray, olive green or steel blue if you are very fair.
Tip: Black pantsuits and skirt suits should be reserved for very specific, formal occasions (like funerals, galas and weddings).
Myth no. 3: Tailoring Is for Hems Only.
An ill-fitting suit or garment looks unprofessional, no matter how fancy or expensive they can be. And chances are that even the best-fitting blazer, jacket, skirt or slacks you can find will still not fit you 100%. The good news is that seamstresses and tailors can do so much more than just shortening hemlines: they can make a myriad of alterations to transform a garment from “OK” or “seemingly borrowed” to “WOW!”
Tip: If tailoring services are not included with your purchase, prepare to spend anywhere between $10 and $35 per piece for a perfect fit that will make you feel like a million bucks.
Myth no. 4: Professional Attire Can Make You Feel Uncomfortable and Weird… And That’s OK.
If you’re not feeling it, you won’t fool anyone. If a “professional” garment does not instantly boost your confidence, it is simply not for you. Find out what works for you: not all male bankers wear pinstripe suits, and not all female accountants wear stuffy tweed jackets with strings of pearls. Not all men are comfortable in a Prince of Wales check suit, and not all women are comfortable in high heels and a pencil skirt. Take time to become familiar with what suits you, and trust your instincts.
Remember: Professional attire is something that you own and, most importantly, wear: it should not wear you.
Myth no. 5: Personal Touches Are a Big “No No”.
Abiding by a “professional attire” dress code does not mean refraining from expressing your personality. Incorporating vintage jewelry, coloured (closed toe) pumps, patterned socks, a ruffled top or a bright necktie is entirely OK, as long as they are tasteful and that the overall ensemble says: “I’m ready. I’m smart. I’m competent.”
Tip: If your gut tells you that an outfit or garment would be inappropriate for a meeting with the Prime Minister, then it probably does not fit the “professional attire” dress code.
I hope this article will make it easier for you to choose professional attire in the future. Remember: for any event where you need to display confidence and ease, such as an interview or networking event, preparation is key. Don’t wait until the last minute to decide how you will dress: find options, ask for opinions and take full-length photos to get a better perspective.
Of all dress codes, business casual is certainly the hardest to define, and yet the most common in the workplace. For most Telfer students, this ubiquitous concept may be just as hard, if not harder to decode, than the most advanced accounting notions. Practically absent from work environments until the mid-60s, “business casual” has grown to become a “standard” in many professional settings. Yet, there is still no clear definition of what business casual is or should be. Here are a few tips to help you grasp this concept and put your best foot forward at work without committing any faux pas.
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Watch and Learn
One of the key indicators of how to dress at work when faced with a business casual dress code is how most people at your level or just above you dress themselves. On the first few days, it may be prudent to pick dressier, more conservative outfits, just to test the waters. Over the course of your first two weeks, take a good look at your coworkers and immediate supervisor, and take notes: the corporate culture will guide you in the right direction.
Remember: Being overdressed does not offend anyone and pleases the discerning eye, while being underdressed can be seen as a lack of care or respect. When in doubt, take it up a notch.
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Find Balance
A good rule of thumb when following a “business casual” dress code is to anchor a more casual piece with a crisp, pressed, tailored one. For example, you could pair a collared button-down shirt with dark-wash jeans (check first with your manager if denim is ok), or a smart pair of slacks with a polo shirt. You could also pair a jersey knit top or a blouse with ankle trousers, or a print shift dress with a solid, structured blazer.
Remember: No matter what combination you go for, make sure to compliment your look with the proper footwear. Very often, shoes set the tone of the whole outfit.
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Consistency is Key
Marketing students know this already: consistency is the key to successful branding. The same principle that applies to major brands applies to your style: maintaining a consistent image at work will help you establish your credibility and create trust. How to achieve it? By creating a capsule wardrobe specifically for work, or by picking a set number of winning combinations within a palette of 8-9 colours maximum.
Remember: You can still reinvent yourself as often as you want outside work! Your 20s are the perfect time to experiment.
Your outfit should match the level of respect and trust that you want to inspire in people.
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Think blazers
Regardless of the gender you identify to, a smart, tailored blazer is the workhorse of the professional wardrobe, as it can elevate almost any outfit and boost confidence. An increasing body of research on “enclothed cognition”, or the power of clothing to affect our thoughts and the way we perceive our capacities, suggests that wearing a blazer or a suit can enhance our productivity and sense of self.
Remember: Choose dark colours, such as navy, charcoal, forest or wine, as they convey authority.
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“business” trumps “casual”
Matching suits may be too formal for your workplace, as they often look severe and can create an unwanted distance between you and your clients when you want, on the contrary, to look amiable and approachable. That being said, your outfit should match the level of respect and trust that you want to inspire in people. Big logos, offensive graphics, anything distressed or overly revealing, as well as athletic apparel used for actual athletic activities, should be avoided at all cost.
Remember: In “business casual”, business comes first.
I hope these few pieces of advice will help you make smarter decisions next time you dress for a “business casual” environment. Keep your eyes open: if someone at your job or at school exudes confidence and inspires trust, try to identify the patterns in the way he/she dresses, and see how you could draw a formula that truly works for you!
Personal branding. As business students, we know what it is. We have to know what is is, or else we won’t survive.
That may be exaggerated, but it’s not entirely false. Business school is naturally competitive, and as it’s been repeated to you time and time again, you must differentiate yourself. We know how to get this done: we must network, take part in extracurricular activities, volunteer, you name it. And all of that is true. We must get involved and network in our community, or else we won’t have a certain advantage in this “competition”. However, I’m not writing this today to tell you what you already know. As a student at Telfer, I want to remind you that your personal brand will serve you better if it remains on the individual level and true to its name of “personal” brand.
As students, you may have noticed the slight lack of personality around you, or even within yourself. We tend to separate our personality, our true passions and the personal aspects of ourselves from the business persona that we define as our “personal brand”. Building a personal brand means continuously establishing a prescribed image or impression of oneself in the mind of others. It’s essentially marketing, and we tend to believe that marketing is showcasing the good stuff, and hiding the other, not so good stuff. But when it comes to personal branding, there’s no better way for you to stand out to your peers, employers, professors and LinkedIn network than by showcasing all of you. Your personality. Your true attitude. Your passions. In other words, be genuine, even when establishing your prescribed image in the business world.
To be genuine means to insure your actions are consistent with your brand. So if you’re telling employers at a networking event that you are passionate about finance and that you’re a great team player, ask yourself if you embody those things in your daily life. Are you actually good at communicating with your teammates in a group project? Do you talk about finance even outside school-related contexts? If not, then you’re not being truly genuine, and employers will eventually see that.
To give you some context, I’m an HR student, and although the field of HR is arguably not as competitive as some other specializations, it is still my job to reach my goals and to get a job after graduation, at a company I feel passionate about. To achieve my goals, I got involved with the Human Resources Association and became a Career Centre Ambassador. But, so do other students. So what’s so special about me? Well, I try to stay genuine in everything I do. I am truly passionate about the field of Human Resources, and my team at the HRA can see that. I love leadership, and my teammates can pick that up as well. Therefore, my personal brand is the professionally focused me, which is still, in the end, me.
My takeaway is to hopefully encourage you to be yourself in everything you do. Don’t be afraid to promote ideas that you are passionate about and to express yourself, because that means you will always be consistent with the brand you are communicating, whether it’s to peers, teammates or employers. And trust me, what your peers know of you, employers will as well, eventually.