Looking your Best with Executive Makeovers
If you are a candidate looking for your next opportunity, Crazy, Stupid, Love offers a lesson in the power of executive makeovers. Steve Corell portrays a man who has gotten so comfortable in his marriage that he has stopped trying, much in the same way some executives do later on in their careers. He meets Ryan Gosling who is, in every sense of the word, a “player”.
Substantial evidence indicates that people who are good-looking have an easier time in society. Society perceives beautiful people as happier, more successful, wealthier, healthier, and more intelligent. In candidate interviews, executive candidates may find themselves competing with the Ryan Goslings of the business world.
Power of First Impressions
It may sound harsh, but as a television journalist turned recruiter, I am painfully aware of the power of first impressions and executive makeovers. In television, there are whole armies of people that polish talent to such a high-buff shine that it is as if you are staring into the sun: nutritionists, fitness trainers, hairstylists, colorists, make-up artists, fashion stylists, alterations tailors, dermatologists, cosmetic dentists, plastic surgeons, photographers, lighting pros, photoshopping air-brushers, publicists, and, if you’re lonely, an entourage.
Executive Makeover Your Life
Changing the way you look is a career accelerator. One minute, you’re the average executive fading into the C-suite woodwork. The next minute — cue music — you are taking someone’s breath away just standing there. Of course, you have to live up to the promise of appearing successful. You have to be good at whatever it is that you do. Nevertheless, the effect of tuning your appearance is profound — suddenly the you that deserves to be seen is finally recognized and admired as if there were slow motion in real life.
Avoid Ageism
Executive makeovers are an effective way to avoid ageism. Far too often, gifted executives get overlooked because they haven’t paid enough attention to how they “present”. In the world of executive search, we talk about whether a candidate “presents well”. Tragically, whenever there are layoffs, boomers are among the first to go and they are among the last to be hired back because, well, they often look old.
Keep Up with Fashion
Keeping up with fashion is a way to pass as younger than your actual age. As a culture, we have grown more sophisticated in our sense of style. In earlier years, young girls looked to their mothers for fashion cues. Now, according to new research reported in the Atlantic Monthly, that’s coming out in the Journal of Consumer Behavior, now girls look to celebrities, and mothers, in turn, look to their daughters for guidance on style. So people will notice if you dress the same or do your hair and makeup as when you entered the workforce. You can stay current together by wearing classic looks that flatter the current version of you.
Makeover Your Body and Mind
While growing older is impossible to avoid, much of what we consider aging can be. I’m not talking about actual age, but rather a state of body and mind. We can’t pull all-nighters like we used to. Our bodies don’t bounce back as they did before. Suddenly, we really do have to start taking care of ourselves. There are athletes, who are well into their 60s and beyond who make age seem like a number. Exercise may keep your body 30 years younger.
Reboot with Exercise
The good news is that boomers now have the secret to remaining as young as nature will allow: simply exercise, big time. Research into aging is rapidly advancing, but teasing apart what symptoms of aging we can prevent versus what we cannot is the conundrum facing scientists. The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow is written by Michael F. Roizen, Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic. It is a fascinating guide to extended longevity. He writes people must be proactive in maintaining their own health—he recommends a healthy lifestyle consisting of a plant-forward diet that’s low in sugar, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated. Remaining vital longer is the key to remaining a productive leader in the workforce.
For more executive makeover tips, check out our blog post Top 20 Things Headhunters Want to See in LinkedIn Profiles.
