Dress for success, “Dienas Bizness”
Riga, Latvia – Evita Lune, Partner at Pedersen & Partners speaks to „Dienas Bizness“ about dress codes and ethics in the business environment.
The appearance of candidates is not formally assessed during the selection process, but it is nevertheless of great importance in creating an overall impression. Some studies have shown that 75-90% of communication is non-verbal, meaning that the way in which information is presented is often more important than the information itself. It is critical for candidates to understand standard business etiquette, so that they are not disadvantaged by their appearance.
Even companies that do not have strict codes of business etiquette still expect their employees to follow the basic principle that their appearance should not cause detriment to their professional activities. Employees should appear pleasant, approachable, well-groomed and tastefully dressed.
Some innovative and specific sectors are more tolerant of free style in appearance, for example IT, the media and the creative industries. However, even in these fields a business-like appearance is expected for employees who interact with clients; their more wildly-dressed colleagues tend to be confined to back-office roles and functions.
Above all, employers value employees for their productivity and capacity, so general health will be more crucial than appearance for career development.
Evita Lune joined Pedersen & Partners in 2005; she is Partner, the Country Manager for Latvia and Head of the Retail Practice Group. As Partner Ms. Lune also takes on regional oversight, and through completing numerous senior level assignments Ms. Lune has established strong cooperation with clients in Poland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, Russia and CIS across such sectors as: Consumer Goods, Retail, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and the Professional Services sectors. Her previous experience includes three years with the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga as the Executive MBA Program Director and six years with Shell in international regional marketing management functions in Riga, Budapest and Brussels.
Pedersen & Partners is a leading international Executive Search firm. We operate 56 wholly owned offices in 52 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia & the Americas. Our values Trust, Relationship and Professionalism apply to our interaction with clients as well as executives. More information about Pedersen & Partners is available at www.pedersenandpartners.com
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