Office

Personal
and
Professional
Image
Monday, Wednesday,
Friday – 9:00-10:00 A.M.
Presentation
Outline
Key topics for discussion
THE CONCEPT OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE
ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE
THE IMPORTANCE AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE
THE EFFECTS OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE ON SELF-CONFIDENCE
DEVELOPMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE
 OVERVIEW

In developing your personal standards for appearance and

behavior, you should take into consideration the
substantial effect of professional image in the business
world.  In most of the business environment, it  may seem
somewhat unfair to judge an
individual through physical appearance and behavior
rather than solely based on performance.  However, these
judgments are
based on the professional image an employee or an
individual display as a result of their appearance and
behavior. In the business environment, you must
understand what constitutes a professional image in order
to effectively meetthe standards and expectations you set
for yourself and the company itself. In
addition, professional image has great impact and affects
self-confidence, communication and interaction with other
such as peers, customers/ clients and supervisors.
TOPIC 1: CONCEPT OF
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE
What is a professional image?

Is it how you dress?

Your grooming?

The quality or cost of your

clothing?

What creates an individual’s

professional image?
"Your professional image is the
image you project in the
professional business world.” A
professional image is an overall
concept that is a composite of
many aspects of your
appearance.
Professional image consists of personal
appearance with regard to clothing,
grooming, manners and etiquette, personal
behavior, and
communication effectiveness.
ATTRIBUTES OF A
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE
The four main attributes of a professional image include:

1 Appropriate
Professional Appearance.
3 Appropriate personal
behavior.

2 Use of correct manners

and etiquette.
4 Effective
communications.
 Appropriate Professional
Appearance.

Professional appearance is a combination of

how you dress professionally and how you
groom properly. The outlook you project is
a result of the combination of these two factors.

Professional dress - can be defined as dressing

in such a manner as to enhance
your authority, promote your respect, aid in
your promotion, and promote your
advancement opportunities in the workplace.
Appropriate Professional Appearance.
Professional dress involves appropriate clothing selection based on the
following considerations:

PROFESSION
COMPANY POLICIES
LEVEL OF CUSTOMER AND CLIENT INTERACTION
GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
CLOTHING CARE AND MAINTENANCE
APPROPRIATE STYLES FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL
BODY
TYPES OF FUNCTIONS YOU MUST ATTEND
BUDGET AND PURCHASING TECHNIQUES
Appropriate Professional Appearance.

Personal grooming habits are also very important in your

professional image. You must develop and practice good grooming
habits to ensure that your appearance is clean and polished in your
professional role. Grooming involves all aspects of your body,
including the following:

Overall cleanliness
Hair 
Nails  
Teeth
Makeup
 Manners and Etiquette

Your professional image is also interconnected through

your use of appropriate manners and etiquette. It is a
must that you should be familiar with the various
protocols of behavior as they relate to social manners and
etiquette. Some of these include:
Making introductions and appropriate greetings.
Being able to initiate and maintain conversations.  
Respecting the customs of others.
Being able to express appreciation.
Knowing appropriate dining rules and protocol.
Extending courteous behavior to others.
Knowing how to behave in difficult situations.
Manners and Etiquette

Manners and etiquette are important in the overall professional image you
project. You can learn to be proficient in these areas and enhance your
professional image with practice and attention in determining the etiquette
requirements for different situations. Most people feel comfortable once
they are sure about what is expected and know how to carry out these
expectations. Many resources are available to help you develop this aspect
of your professional image.

Manners and etiquette are important in the

overall professional image you project. It’s showing respect to yourself and
everyone else in this world. You can learn to be proficient in these areas
and enhance your professional image with practice and attention in
determining the etiquette requirements for different situations.
 Personal Behavior

As a professional, you want to practice a code of personal

behavior that demonstrates respect for your organization
and the people who work with you. You should recognize
that personal behavior contributes to the overall
professional image you project. Some aspects of personal
behavior include:

Respecting the organization and its rules.

Being a loyal employee.
Conducting business in an ethical manner.   
Assuming responsibility. 
Respecting the diversity of people
 Communications

Effective communication is another significant component of your

professional image. Communication should be clear, concise, and
precise. There are two types of communications you can do in the
business world. It’s verbal and non-verbal. Nonverbal
communications send messages through your projection or your
professional image. These nonverbal communications
include the following:

Posture
Facial gestures
Neatness  
Listening  
Personal behavior 
Punctuality
COMMUNICATIONS

In addition to nonverbal communications, your overall ability to

communicate effectively is very important. Effective communications
required in the business environment include the following:

Speaking correctly.
Writing appropriate communications.
Expressing written appreciation.
Listening effectively.
Communicating verbally in difficult situations.
COMMUNICATIONS

Communication abilities can be developed and refined as you

progress through your career. It is important to give significant
attention to the development of these skills as they not only
contribute to your professional image but also may determine
the level of advancement you attain
in your career.
TOPIC 2: THE IMPORTANCE AND
SIGNIFICANCE OF A
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

The importance and significance of a

professional image should not be
underestimated. “The way you look has a great
edge during your interview and in your future
career though it may not make up for poor
performance. Employers often decide whether
an applicant will fit in with their organization
based on a first impression. This statement
reflects the importance of a professional
image in the business world.
The Importance and Significance of a
Professional Image

The effect on your career can be significant and varied

and may include:
• Selection for participation on project teams.
• Inclusion in social settings with customers or clients.
• Selection for presentations.
• Promotions to positions of greater responsibility.
• Performance rating.
• Overall competitiveness in numerous situations.
The Importance and Significance of a
Professional Image
Your professional image tends to project your character or they will form an
image of you based on the perception they have of you. You are the one who
really forms your “professional reputation”.
Hence, some people can project who you are and your capacity based solely
from your appearance. They may tend to give credits to
your professionalism, level of sophistication, intelligence, and credibility.
Whether these perceptions are real or imagined, your appearance influences
the opinions of strangers, colleagues, and superiors. The benefits of being well
dressed in a corporate setting can reap many rewards, including respect,
promotions, admirations and the like.
 TOPIC 3: THE EFFECTS OF A
PROFESSIONAL IMAGE ON SELF-CONFIDENCE

The effect of a professional image on your career and your interaction with others can
be significant. Your professional image not only affects how others react and interact
with you but also affects your self-confidence and performance. When you believe you
are dressed appropriately, know the required protocol, and are comfortable
communicating with others, you tend to feel a heightened sense of self-confidence
because you know what to do and how to do it. This sense of self confidence can
positively influence your performance. In addition to your increased self-confidence,
others around you perceive your professionalism in a positive manner and,
consequently, believe you are able to perform your job in a satisfactory manner.
Gaining the Respect of Others

If you project a positive professional image,

the effect will be the gaining of respect of
others. This respect is important, as people
observe you and form opinions about your
professional image. Many times throughout
the course of a day’s work you will be
observed and evaluated in an informal
manner. These observations contribute to the
overall perception that people have about
you. Supervisors and peers make judgments,
choices, and decisions based on these
observations over a period of time.
 First Impressions

Accordingly, first impressions are made during your initial interview based on your
professional image., manners and etiquette, and your ability to communicate. These
judgments may result in decisions about whether you are the best candidate for a position
or you are deemed not qualified or suitable to the position. You only have one opportunity
to make a good first impression so it is important to always consider at all times the
necessities of professional image as it relates to first impressions and career mobility.
  Always take this opportunity seriously, and concentrate on making a positive first
impression. Do not play around with this matter because our image can smooth your way or
stop you cold. With great effort, you can usually overcome a bad first impression,
but why waste the time? Start right, start strong, and your image will be your
most powerful advocate, telling people who and what you are as you connect with
them and get your message across.”
 TOPIC 4: DEVELOPMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL
IMAGE
Given the many aspects of a professional image, you may wonder
where you can learn about professional image and find answers to
questions that may be difficult or embarrassing to ask others.
Many resources are available to enhance both your knowledge and
performance in developing a professional image.
Some resources include the following:
• Literature and studies
• Online and other social media resources
• Consultation from an expert
• Mentors and role models 
• Training and professional development
opportunities and growth
 • Company policies, procedures and
guidelines
TOPIC 4: DEVELOPMENT OF A PROFESSIONAL IMAGE

To create a desired professional image, majority of

the employees have used these various resources at
one time or another considering the fact that each
factor can assist and each one has unique
advantages over the other.
 
You may use the Pre-Assessment Activity at the
beginning of this module to conduct an assessment
of the areas you desire to improve with regard to
your professional image knowledge based.
 RECAP OF KEY CONCEPTS
In the business world, making judgments about
you based on your professional image is a factor.
The business world creates an expectations for
appropriate and professional appearance in
dealing with the business environment. 
 Professional image refers to the personal
appearance that relates to clothing, grooming,
manners and etiquette, personal behavior, and
communication effectiveness. 
Professional appearance is a combination of how
you dress professionally dress and how you
groom properly.
 RECAP OF KEY CONCEPTS
Professional dress is a must to the individual who
wants to enhance his/her authority, promote
respect, aid in promotion, and promote
advancement opportunities in the workplace.
Professional dress involves appropriate clothing
selection based on profession, company policies,
level of customer interaction, geographic location,
clothing care and maintenance, appropriate styles,
types of functions, and budgetary resources
available.
Personal grooming refers to the proper care of hair,
nails, teeth, and makeup.
 RECAP OF KEY CONCEPTS
In making introductions, maintaining conversations,
respecting the customs of others, expressing appreciation,
knowing appropriate dining rules, extending courteous
behavior, and knowing how to behave in difficult situations,
use proper manner and etiquette. 
 Personal behavior is one of the important factors in
projecting your professional image.
 Nonverbal communications includes posture , facial
expressions, paralinguistic such as loudness or tone of voice,
body language, proxemics, neatness, listening, personal
behavior, punctuality, gestures and artifacts. Each of these
contributes to professional image.
RECAP OF KEY CONCEPTS

Many resources are available to assist in the

development of a professional image. These
include literature and studies, online and other
social media learning resources, consultations
from expert, mentors and role models, training
and professional development opportunities and
growth, and company policies, procedures and
guidelines.
Post Assessment and Feedbacks

  
Questioning   
Evaluation     
Projects
Test/Exams
Demonstration   
Portfolio Review   
Reflection/ Case Analysis
 Group Discussion

Class discussion can provide a wonderful opportunity to assess what students have learned in
a particular unit. Discussions can be especially useful assessment tools in eading, language
arts, and social studies, but sometimes they also work in science, too. “We are having a group
discussion, and that I as your teacher will not participate in this discussion. On the board, I
will write three or four questions relative to the Office Personnel Professional Image” to frame
the discussion; Then, I will be setting the following ground
rules:

Students should monitor their participation in the discussion and should not talk more
than their fair share.
The discussion should stay focused on the questions on the board.
Students should respond to one another and indicate that they are actively listening.
 Post-Assessment /
Homework

Every end of the topic, the students will submit one (1) reflection paper or case analysis.
There is no specific format/presentation on how your work will look like. Find your preferred
presentation incorporating the terms and conditions cited hereunder, for your kind reference
and perusal. Likewise, include the references in the last part of your paper.
 
-         Minimum of 5 pages and not more than 10 pages
-         Font – Times New Roman
-         Font size – 12
-         Size of paper – Short
-         Header – the usual header the department is using
- Footer – your name and section at the right part of your paper.
 Post-Assessment /
Homework

Kindly submit your work in any of the following forms of

social media not later than ___________.
 
Email address:  [email protected]
                                               [email protected]
Facebook Account: Syrell Magistrado
Hallare
 
You can also keep in touch with me thru these mobile
numbers: 09126744713/ 09991871903.
 Resources

Books, Published and Unpublished Research,

Scholarly Article

References

Module 204, Professional Image, Northeast

Missipi Community College The Importance of
Professional Image, Wolf Pack, April 2012,
Professional Image in the Workplace, Jennifer
Gant
Prepared by:

SYRELL M. HALLARE, MBM

Instructor I
Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges
Nabua, Camarines Sur
[email protected]
09466744713