4 Self-Perceptions Can Improve Your Career!

Is it any wonder that the better you feel about yourself the more fulfilling your relationships are and the more empowered you feel in your work? It shouldn’t be! If you think about it, your own self-perception is the biggest driver of how others perceive you. It makes perfect sense that if you feel good, you project a positive and upbeat manner – other people area drawn to that. Human nature indicates that people like to be around those that make them feel happy, successful and good. If you feel good you give off vibes that attract others – smile and the whole world smiles with you – frown and everyone around you frowns. Here are my top tips to ‘feeling good and spreading the love’ to facilitate strong relationships that translate directly to positive career choices:

Give a little, get a little: One of the single biggest ways to improve your job prospects is to network with other people. How you network is a critical component to success. Interested in getting help from someone influential? You need to give that person something first. And no, I don’t mean give them 50 bucks – I mean something that they need. Look for ways that you can add value for that person; you will then be in a much better position to solicit help – or, even better – they might offer. One of the best ways to increase your circle of influence is by providing something yourself first. I am not usually big on quoting scripture but “give and ye shall receive” has always worked for me.

Dress for success: It should come as no surprise that others like to be around good-looking people. I am not making this up – studies show that those who present better get offered positions more often. They way you carry yourself and how you dress is directly correlated to how you feel about yourself. If you look put together, you will feel better about yourself; the chances that your positive impression will come across to those around you will vastly improve. As a result your self-perception will improve. I think you get the idea. The point is that when looking for work you need to put your best foot forward in all areas to drive your success.

A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet: I know it’s difficult to just start a conversation with someone you don’t know. How many times have you been in an elevator and said hello to someone? How many times has that led to a full-blown conversation? You didn’t know that person before stepping into the elevator. BUT, you could very well end up developing a valuable friendship from a short exchange. I even have an example! Many years ago my husband’s ex-wife was in a post office in New York. She gave some assistance to a man who was visiting from Holland. Their brief conversation turned into a 20+-year friendship. When he and his family come to the States they visit with her and vice versa. Is this an extreme example? Maybe. You never know though where or when you will encounter someone that you are in a position to help – or who is in a position to help you.

Establishing your personal brand: Your personal brand and perception in the market is critical to facilitate your success. You want to create a demand for YOU. The idea is to generate recognition so that others perceive you as valuable, in the know, a resource. You need to present yourself in a way that engages others so they are interested in pursuing you. Establish your presence as someone who can deliver – consistently. Demonstrating that you are a valued resource will go a long, long way in establishing your personal brand. This in turn will generate interest in you. Deliver what you say you are going to deliver. Follow-up with people. This will ensure that when your name is mentioned only positive things are shared and spread.

The bottom line – Look your best, act your best, feel your best and you will be your best; and those around you will be their best too. You will end with a spiral of goodness that makes everyone perform at the top of his or her game.

Smile and see what happens – my bet, is you will be surprised at the impact – for the better.

by Debra Wheatman. Reprinted from www.careerealism.com.