The Importance of Personal Branding: How to Remain Relevant

So you have been out of work for a few months due to the recent economic downturn, but alas you have received the golden call requesting you to attend an interview. After hanging up the phone, and jumping around in excitement you suddenly realize that it has been almost a year since you've been on the hot seat in a formal interview session. You have the credentials, portfolio of recent clients and a solid reference list, however do you look the part?

As a result, you decide to seek professional help from an image consultant to assist you in remaining competitive and relevant amongst the dozens of qualified applicants vying for the same position. You are skeptical, and a little apprehensive but you decide to place the call. The responsibility of an image and style consultant, such as myself, is to utilize our clients personality, inner strengths, and career goals - integrate those components into creating a personable, credible brand for our client that will not only set you apart from your competition, but leave a lasting first impression that will speak volumes after you have left the interview.

When we think about branding, we often think about identifying symbols such as (Apple Computer), signature slogans (BMW - the ultimate driving machine), and distinguishing colors (Google). The result is a reputable, identifiable brand that communicates leadership, innovation and consistency. Similarly, an image consultant will work closely with you to identify your signature colors through a scientific process known as color analysis taking into consideration your power colors - these colors convey an image of authority, intelligence, loyalty and credibility. Next, we will identify the best silhouette styles or body-lines that will further enhance and compliment your physique. There is nothing worse than tugging and shifting your collar shirt, blouse or tie during an interview because you did not take the time to purchase the right size and fit for your body.

In addition, the style portion of your consultation is extremely important because it carves out a specific image that you wish to convey to a potential employer. If you are reentering the corporate world you will want to portray a clean, sharp, authoritative image that communicates credibility and organization. On the other hand, if you are being interviewed for a creative organization, such as a marketing firm or advertising agency there is some room to play up your creative personality - perhaps adding a signature accessory piece, such as a trendy necklace or bracelet for women, or a trendy new blazer and brief case for men. Your mission is to visually communicate to a potential employer that you are the face of the company. If you can successfully accomplish this task you have already opened the door even wider to secure the position.

Of course there is much more that will take place during your consultation, but these three key factors (signature color, body awareness and style enhancement) are essential in building and executing a credible and personable brand for yourself in a competitive employment market. Essentially, you are a walking advertisement and what you are visually communicating to your viewers consciously or not can have a positive or negative impact in how society in general will perceive you.

About the Author: Tonya Jarad

Renaissance is a holistic full service image consulting company, based in Toronto, Canada specializing in career and lifestyle's management for the contemporary, savvy woman. Whether you are a hip, witty stay at home mother, executive career professional or new graduate embarking into the corporate world for the very first time, we here at Renaissance are available to you for all your image and styling needs. At Renaissance we strive to capture our client's inner beauty and strength through our invigorating consultation packages designed to transform our client's total lifestyle and image from the inside out!