You probably spent a lot of time on your professional image when you first started your a career. Think about the first few shopping trips you made, trying to get everything just right. If you were just out of college, you may have sought an image that made you seem more mature. Eventually though, as we get busy with our personal lives, we tend to put our professional image on auto pilot, and we stop making the same effort we used to make. This approach works fine for people who have very stable careers, with low risk for change or negative impacts. However, for a professional who experiences drastic changes in the work environment, such as in the IT world, having your professional image on auto pilot doesn't prepare you well for a job move or a career change. 

Have you dusted off your professional image lately?

Take a good look at how much effort you've put into your professional image lately. Making sure your resume is updated and regularly cultivating your professional network is very important. This is the first advice you'll get from a career coach. It is part of the basic requirements to get your foot in the door and get an interview. But what happens once you get the interview? Does your outward appearance convey the same professional image as your resume? Does your appearance also demonstrate your meticulous attention to detail? Does your look inspire confidence and trust?

How to tell if your professional image is stuck in a rut

It's difficult to admit to yourself that your professional image is in a rut. Once you've gotten yourself in a rut, it's hard to pull yourself out. After all, you've worn those ruts into a nice and comfortable spot. Take a look at your wardrobe first:

• Do you own similar outfits, such as owning multiple black or navy suits?
• Are the outfits you wear to work similar to what you've worn five years ago? How about 10 years ago?

Next, look at your hairstyle:

• Do you have the same hairstyle now as the picture from your work ID (which was taken five years ago)?
• If you looked through photos from high school, do you notice that you still have the same style today?
• Does anything about your hair make you look older? Things like dry split ends, gray hairs peeking out, over processed hair, or a hair color job that no longer matches your skin tone.

Are you doing all you can to put your best face forward, including:

• Hair removal in the unwanted places, such as stray nose hairs, ear hair, and stray hairs above the lips or by the jaw line.
• Eyebrows groomed nicely, but not over tweezed. Men and women should always remove hair between the brows.
• Skin that looks healthy and well cared for, starting with a good moisturizer. For women, this also includes wearing neutral makeup.

Professional (and Powerful) Accessories

• Make sure accessories are modest and not overdone. Women should avoid overly large earrings or anything that distracts from the overall package you want to present with your professional appearance.
• Accessories should reflect the current style, be in good taste and convey a professional image.
• Avoid novelty accessories, nothing screams "don't respect me" like novelty jewelry. 

Start with Small Steps to Renew your Professional Image

You don’t need to do everything at once. Identify a few things that you could easily get accomplished, such as adding more color into your wardrobe, updating your hairstyle, or reviving your accessories. Experiment with small changes.  

Reach Out to Your Network

I know you know this — keep in touch with your network, and regularly build your professional contacts. Professional networking is the one action that all my career management students absolutely detest. Maybe it’s because we all all hard-working no-nonsense Midwesterners, but it seems so slimy and self-serving. “Don’t ya know?” (Read that in a Midwestern accent.)

Guess what? You have to get over it. In fact, the best way to feel better about networking is to flip the concept around. Approach it as a way to help others. Identify what you can do for them, then do it.
Did you run across an article that might be interesting to someone in your network? Share it with them.

Can you provide an introduction for someone that could result in a mutually beneficial opportunity for everyone? Find a way to be of service to others in your network so you can rely on your network when you need it.