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Professional Apperance

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Professional Apperance
Components of Professional Appearance
July 23, 2012

Abstract
Business dress, personal grooming, body language, and attitude are components of a person’s professional appearance. These things can serve as forms of nonverbal communication and send messages to others about an individual. Before a person ever speaks a word, typically others around them can make judgments and form opinions based on the subtle messages provided by that person’s appearance. These components largely influence how well an individual is received and how well their message in heard. They can also affect ongoing things like job performance and financial compensation. I researched how these components of professional appearance can affect an individual in the business environment. In this paper, I provided examples of some factors that are considered in a person’s professional appearance in detail. Also, I provided some general guidelines to follow to present a proper professional appearance. Finally, I outlined some examples of how these things can serve to help or harm an individual in the workplace.
Keywords: nonverbal communication, business attire, hygiene, body language, attitude.

Components of Professional Appearance “First impressions are often lasting impressions; research shows that 55 percent of this first impression is based on appearance” (Chaney & Martin, 2007). Opinions can be formed before any verbal communication is ever made. Considering this, professional appearance is an important factor in how a person is perceived and how well they are received in the business world. It can also impact how well an individual performs and how long they are able to maintain a presence in that environment. Professional appearance includes a person’s business dress, personal grooming, body language, and attitude.
How does professional appearance affect you in the business world? Consider the following situation. You have two candidates for a sales



References: Bowden, M. (2010). Winning body language, control the conversation, command attention, and convey the right message without saying a word. New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies. Bowman, J. (2007). Don’t take the last donut: New rules of business etiquette. Franklin Lakes, N.J: Career Press. Casperson, D. M. (1999). Power etiquette: What you don 't know can kill your career. New York, NY: AMACOM. Chaney, L. H., & Martin, J. S. (2007). The essential guide to business etiquette. CT: Praeger Publishers. Croucher, J. S. (2010). Body language in business. European journal of management, 10(3), 193. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?id=GALE|A26 0256401&v=2.1&u=vic_liberty&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w Fager, J. (Executive Producer). (2012, July 15). 60 minutes [Television broadcast]. New York: Columbia Broadcasting Service. Grooming. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster online. Retrieved from http:// http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/grooming?show=0&t=1342722356 Langford, B. Y. (2005). The unspoken rules for business success. Saranac Lake: AMACOM Books. Retrieved from http://http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/lib/liberty/ docDetail.action?docID=10120197 Pigford, L. (2001). The successful interview & beyond. Albany, NY: Delmar. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu.

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