Attire
Attire is a pretty complicated topic, and by no means am I a fashion expert. Fashion trends tend to change year to year, so what may be in style at the time of writing this book, may make me seem like the uncool dad by the time you are reading this. Instead, I wanted to talk about some of the unchanging rules of dressing for your consulting job. The ultimate rule is to always dress better than your client. That does not mean for you to wear a full suit if their general attire is very casual as you don’t want to create a large disparity, but it is recommended you stick to the basics of business casual. Always remember you are supposed to be the expert in the room and your personal image is a part of that. A big part of your professional image is rooted in the fact that you are always selling. You are selling the firm, your work and yourself, so how you present yourself directly influences your goals.
Coming out of college, it can be very difficult to know what is acceptable and, more importantly, what is affordable. Dressing well can get very pricey but there are ways to save a few bucks and look good. Look online and check blogs for what is considered business casual and business formal. The basics of what classifies have not changed drastically over the years. What has changed are colors, fit and cut. Once you have an idea of what looks you are shooting for, go to your local mall and try to figure out what fits well and what you are comfortable with. Once you have a good baseline of the look you are going for and your basic size, you should be able to start building your wardrobe. Designer labels are nice but they are not necessarily a good choice if you are on a budget. How clothes fit and look are usually more important than the brand. You should be able to shop online or at department stores to always look for sales on work clothes. You can always mix and match tops, bottom and shoes to create new outfit combinations out of a fewer number of items. If your personality is loud, don’t be scared to express some of that as long as you stay within the bounds of business casual. If you wish to stick to the dark greys, blues and black for the first few months or years to blend in until you’re comfortable, there is nothing wrong with that either. Keep an eye out for veteran peers to get a good pulse on what goes and what does not.
As a basic rule of thumb, tattoos and piercings should be covered up or removed. Although some of these are permanent decisions and expressions that are a part of you, it is easier to keep them covered as the attention should focus on the skills you were hired to share and not on your body art.
Are you interested in starting a career in consulting? Be sure do read the full book Jack of all Trades Master of Some; An Introduction to Consulting available on Amazon.