You are dressed in a trendy business suit with sensible shoes and accessories which compliment your attire. Your hair and make-up are done to perfection. One look at the outward package and there is no doubt that you are a career woman with “potential”. However, your personal image is more than the “polished “look. If you have been passed over for promotions which seem a perfect match for your skills, or miss getting the second interview, it may be time to update the “other components” of your personal image.

In today’s competitive environment, hiring managers have a large pool of candidates from which they can select. If you are applying for an internal position, while you may have an edge over the external candidates because of your knowledge of the company culture, you may also be at a disadvantage because of the personal image which has been observed.

Hopefully, the questions listed below may cause you to take some actions on
“re-defining” your personal image. The choice is up to you.
1. Are you professional with your verbal communications?
2. Do you use profanity to help illustrate your point in a business discussion?
3. Is your volume overly loud when engaged in discussions where there may be differing points of view?
4. Do you check your written communications for grammatical errors before sending?
5. Does your non-verbal language reflect a positive team player?
6. Do you offer sincere compliments to co-workers for a job well done even if your efforts are not yet recognized?
7. Are you discussing your personal goals for a second career during current work hours instead of on break or lunch time?
8. Does your name appear on a large range of email messages that are non-business related?
9. Are you visiting people in other areas while someone is seeking you at your desk?
10. Have you volunteered for a special project will showcase your unique skills?

Employees applying for internal positions are often “observed” long before the actual position is available or posted. Start working on your professional image well in advance of applying for the job.