Dress for Success

I’ve often heard the phrase “you have to dress for your next position.” Does this mean, if you are in the mailroom, but want an executive position, you need to start wearing a suite? It doesn’t hurt if it’s going to help you move up to the next position.

Nevertheless, you need to do more than just wear a suite. You need to assume the feeling and the attitude of your desired position. You may also need to obtain the desired credentials for the position of your dream.

All in all, you need to begin a full overhaul to become the person that fits the position you desire.
Dressing for your next position is a process or transformation you will need to go through to shed old ways and habits. It’s like an ugly duckling becoming a beautiful swan.

Depending on where you’re today and where you’d like to be tomorrow will determine how many steps and how drastic of a change you may need to make. There can be many steps to just a few little changes that can get you to where you want to go. However, the challenge for some is in recognizing what to let go and what they need to add.

To resolve that problem, find a mentor. Someone that has the same or similar position you would want to be in. This mentor can be someone from your job, family or friend. If you can’t find a mentor from one of those sources, then find someone you don’t know and research their path of success.

A mentor can be a wonderful resource to help guide you through the pitfalls, thus helping you get to your dream career quicker. Mentors can provide you with the suite or the foundation to begin the planning process to become the person that fits the position you desire. Providing you with a step-by-step process from change A-Z.

Transforming to that beautiful butterfly is a process that can go quickly or slowly. Still a process, nonetheless. You can’t skimp on the steps laid out for you. Often times you see the person in the position you want to be in, but you never realize all the hard work it took for them to get to that dream career until you begin to walk in their shoes.

Remember, you can only put your pants on one leg at a time. Don’t rush the process. It’s just as enjoyable getting dressed for the position, as it is being dressed for the position.