They say, dress for the job that you want. And that is 100% true.
Now, I know what you are thinking. No, you will not get paid to just lounge around in a robe with cucumbers all over your face. Taking a day off at the spa is not about letting go, but is actually the opposite. Taking a day at the spa is all about taking care of your well being and appearance. The workplace is not a beauty contest and you should never compare yourself to others. You do not need to be a Victoria Secret model or be 10 pounds lighter to get that job. Absolutely not! Taking a spa day is all about branding your professional image in how you represent yourself as a person, as a business partner, or a future employee.
Whenever you score an interview or even a new client meeting, your focus always tends to be on the other person and less on you. You have your resume, your proposal you studied about the company or client that you want to retain and you are now ready for the big meeting. But never overlook the other important details that may make or break your chance of getting that opportunity. The minute you shake a person's hand can lead to the beginning of a long-term business partnership or even mentorship opportunity. Keep in mind that hiring managers will be looking at you from head to toe. It takes two minutes for any hiring manager to know if they will hire you or not, by how you dress and the way you walk into the room.
As a previous manager working in a corporate environment, I can tell you that that is exactly what I did. There are so many resumes coming through the online system or piling on top of your desk, you don't have time to look at all of them under a microscope. Clients will go through so many proposals and words and numbers start to blur. During my time working in a corporate environment, I had the opportunity of being part of the hiring and training process. I was interviewing candidates and writing evaluations for each candidate and training new hires. I can tell you, the ones who came in a suit, were the ones that I would pay extra attention to and knew that they are using their time and taking the interview process seriously. If someone walks-in in jeans and boots like it was Friday night with the girls, I have a feeling that person did not prepare themselves at all. And I was right. That person had no idea about the company, the position, no experience, and no goals. The person didn't care to brand themselves in a professional light, how will they represent my company professionally as well if hired?
The ones who groomed their hair, wore a blazer, heels or polished shoes or even took the time to read about the company, were the ones that I would take extra time out of my busy day to speak with them, because a hiring manager will look at you and think if this candidate took an extra five minutes looking polished for our meeting, they not only respect their well being and time but they respect my time in making our meeting worthwhile.
Ladies and Gents, go to the spa. Get a haircut, do your nails, go to your barber and shave that beard you've been growing (because you lost a bet). The hiring manager does not want to be distracted by a long beard with some mysterious foreign object hidden there. A hiring manager does not want to notice your nail polish from a month ago slowly being chipped off, or your bangs falling to our face every five minutes. The hiring manager wants to focus on you and your long list of accomplishments. Do not distract them with purple hair or an overpowering scent of cologne. Do not come in looking like you had a rough day. You want to present yourself in the best light. Leave an impression. Now, don't spend lots of money just for an interview. My point is, take extra time to take care of yourself and your personal brand. Wherever you go, you are branding yourself with your style, your hair, the way you talk, your personality and who you associate yourself with. Brand yourself. How? It all starts at the spa.
It's 9 am. I'm going to the spa!
To keep in touch with Lucy or to read more blog posts and articles, visit and connect with her on LinkedIn.