How to project a winning professional image at work

Many believe that success comes naturally with the acquisition of an advanced academic qualification like the MBA degree.

They believe moving up the corporate ladder becomes easier with their newly-acquired paper qualification. Although it may help, one must know that there are other factors too, which contribute to a person’s success. One such factor lies right under your nose  — your very own image. Soft skills are important and essential qualities which will help you become successful by serving as a ladder. It helps build your personality too.

Industries vary significantly in terms of their assessments of MBA student skill needs, but across industries, the ability to think analytically and strategically are the key ones which employers find most attractive in graduates.

Recruiters are now looking for another set of abilities to complement their businesses in today’s competitive economic climate and that is the demand for soft skills in today’s competitive era.

Basic soft skill development techniques:

Many MBA candidates are unsure of what soft skills are and how they can be developed. The simplest solution is to work your strengths, and to work even harder on your weakness.

It’s clear that the MBA degree is a complex programme and takes up a lot of time, so doing this while poring over complex case studies may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but it’s evidently worth it.

The following is a list of suggestions on how to adapt successfully to a role and to learn a better approach to communication, management and leadership:

*Get specific feedback from colleagues and peers (and clients if you can) on the qualities that are important for the roles you want or may be applying for. Consider ways of capitalising on your strengths as well as focusing on areas that need development. Prepare to take negative criticism as well as positive.

*Identify somebody who you think is particularly successful at demonstrating the skills you want to develop. Talk to them/sit in a meeting with them and gain an insight into their approach.

*Think back to a recent time when you weren’t very successful at influencing or convincing an individual. Ask the individual how you came across and what you might have done differently to be more successful. Prepare for bad news, and accept it.

*Develop the habit of critically reviewing the impact you have had after any meeting. Consider ways to increase your impact and put this into practice. A top tip here? Record your thoughts and refer to them before the next meeting.

*Take opportunities to regularly network within your organisation and externally. Don’t just approach people when you need their help.

*Spend more time with people who you find difficult to deal with. Don’t just think about your feelings about them but think about how they might view you. Try out different approaches with them to see if you can develop a more effective relationship with them
Quantitative and management skills are the areas employers assess when recruiting fresh-out-college MBA graduates. Employers also evaluate the candidates’ work experience and cultural fit within the company.

Top skills that strengthen

* Strong communication/interpersonal skills
*Proven ability to perform
*Cultural fit with company
*Evidence of adaptability
*Quantitative knowledge/technical skills acquired in MBA programme
*Management knowledge/skills acquired through MBA programme
*History of increased job responsibility
*Prior work experience
*Reputation of MBA school
*History of leading teams     
*MBA academic success factors

Enhancing your image will enable you to communicate more effectively through your image tangibles, develop greater poise and personal confidence while dealing with people of all levels, handle social and professional situations with total ease and confidence and command a stronger presence by applying the principles of successful imaging to project a winning professional image.