Clothes Calls

Fort Myers resident Janine Burrows, 55, wanted to cover all the bases as she conducted her job search. That’s why she went to Image Matters for a consultation to ensure that she was dressing for success.

“I had already worked with a consultant on my résumé,” says Burrows, a designer in the clothing industry. “It’s a tough job market out there, and I really just wanted to do all the right things to be as competitive as possible.”

Her meeting with Fort Myers–based Image Matters boosted her confidence in the way she was presenting herself and gave her a few pointers to help in her job search. Wear closed-toed shoes to an interview, she was told, and be sure that her hair is styled in such a way that she wouldn’t be adjusting it during the interview, which can be distracting. Another tip she received: The more skin you show, the less serious you are about getting the job.

The consultation “absolutely” helped her land her job with Tail Activewear in Miami, where the Fort Myers resident works during the week. “They also told me to always dress, even after you get the job, like you’re still applying for a better job, and that really paid off for me, because I took the job and then got promoted.”

It’s long been said that the clothes make the person, and in the business world, that is often the case. According to a 2008 CareerBuilder.com survey, 41 percent of employers say that people who dress professionally tend to be promoted more often than others in their organization.

That’s why businesspeople and job seekers turn to Image Matters to learn what not to wear when making a presentation or interviewing for a job. “The dress code in a lot of places has changed, so you have to take all those things into account,” says Burrows. “The rules we may have followed a few years back may not apply now.”

Navigating workplace wardrobe dos and don’ts can be particularly tricky in Southwest Florida, where flip-flops and shorts are wardrobe staples. “Our warm weather dictates that we have to dress to accommodate that warm weather, which generally means dressing a little more casually,” says Christine Sherlock, a partner in Image Matters along with Kelly Walsh and Lisa Kitner. “We live in a resort-like area, where the atmosphere all year-round is more casual and laid-back. So the challenge becomes, how do you look polished and put together? We saw a real need for this kind of business in this area, because so many people face that challenge.”

The three women started the company in 2008, drawing upon Sherlock’s 20 years in the image-management industry, including a long stint with Color Me Beautiful; Walsh’s 15 years in the apparel industry, most recently as director of store training for Chico’s; and Kitner’s 20 years in the cosmetics and skincare industry, during which she served as a training director at the Estée Lauder Cos.

Their own marketing efforts revolve around their image. They’ve spread the word via presentations at area country clubs, senior centers, spas and groups such as the American Business Women’s Association.

“We’re big believers in networking,” says Sherlock. “Meeting people is absolutely, hands-down the No. 1 way to get business for us. We’ve done no paid advertising; we’re our own best advertisement.”

People seem to be responding. “It turns out that people are always interested in whatever they can do, in small ways or large ways, in the area of self improvement,” says Sherlock. “We offer an opportunity for people to learn more about themselves and to show people new and different ways they can look their best. And when you look better, you feel better.”

Where you work and what you do for a living determine what’s appropriate dress, says Sherlock. For example, lawyers and those in the financial services industry tend to dress more conservatively (think suits and ties), while those in education or creative fields often dress more casually.

“The smartest thing to do is watch your boss,” says Sherlock. “But things like flip-flops are never appropriate at work, no matter where you work.”

Job seekers unsure how to dress for an interview might want to do a little reconnaissance. “Go to the place where you’re interviewing around noontime, and watch people coming and going and look at how they’re dressed,” says Sherlock. “Your goal should be to dress like the best of them dress. It’s always better to err on the side of being more conservative rather than more casual.”

You may be thinking, “But it’s what’s inside that really counts, right?” That’s true, of course, but that doesn’t mean your appearance won’t impact how you’re perceived.

“People generally form first impressions in about seven seconds,” says Sherlock. “For that reason, it’s important to pay attention to how we look.”

“With work, it’s a lot like dating,” says Rachel C. Weingarten, author of Career and Corporate Cool. “You meet someone, you size them up, and you’re either disappointed or impressed. When you’re presenting yourself in a businesslike way, people take one look at you and get the impression, ‘Wow, he’s capable,’ as opposed to, ‘Wow, he hasn’t done laundry since October.’”

Image Matters consultations normally start at $75 an hour. It offers color consultations, style consultations, event preparation, personal shopping and more. But because Southwest Florida has been hard hit by the recession, the partners held special events in April and May, providing free consultations for job seekers to help give them that extra edge. “So many people are in trouble in our community now and are looking for jobs,” says Sherlock. “We have the information and the capability, so this is just a way for us to give back.”

Bill Janulin, who’s in his early 60s, attended one of these free consultations in April. “I wanted to reinforce the approach that I normally take on job interviews and see if there were any tidbits of information I could pick up that would help me,” he says.

The Image Matters team suggested some subtle changes to his look, such as a more conservative tie choice. Within about a month of the consultation, Janulin had landed a job with Advanced Software Products Group in Naples.

“Personal appearance, I feel, is utmost when meeting someone for the first time,” says Janulin. “I’ve always felt that how you take care of yourself is the same way you’d approach any sort of position you have. If you’re thorough in your personal appearance, you’re going to be thorough on the job. It all goes hand in hand.”