Confidence really is the key to professional success, according to a new study. Whether you “fake it to make it” or dress for the job you want to have, using confidence-boosting techniques, including how you dress, really can help you get ahead in your career.
A study of 2,000 Americans who define themselves as having successful careers finds that 66 percent admit that they’ve had to “fake it to make it” in a professional environment.
The study conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Trunk Club, a Nordstrom-owned personal styling service, examined how successful people have progressed in their careers and the impact of personal style on career development.
The study found that feeling confident is the number one step to getting ahead in your career and how a person dresses is one of the top six factors for career success.
When asked what colors make them feel most confident, respondents reported black made them feel most confident, with blue, red, white, and navy rounding out the top five colors.
“Feeling comfortable in your clothing is a simple and easy way to boost your confidence at work,” says Linda Bartman, Chief Operating Officer of Trunk Club. “We found that nearly 60 percent of people have a go-to outfit that boosts their confidence for a big day in the office.”
“When you’re in a well-fitting and flattering outfit, you can’t help but feel capable, and that confidence is apparent to those you work with.”
Many of those surveyed shared that they use their workwear to help them get ahead and nine in 10 Americans follow the adage about dressing for the job that they want to have.
