Image is Everything, almost!

I surmised it was the Hobson's choice for her. An image or none. And I thought for a successful corporate career, it had to be the former. At least to make it past the first set of assessment tools, namely the Group Discussion and Interview. But then there's a tinge of remorse for my recommendation. Because I told her, a change in image would mean changes in exhibited personality. It would mean a stronger tone for the voice, a stiffer body language, maybe even piling on a few more pounds. Recommending the superficial doesn't come easy to me. But then again, the consolation is a greater possibility of a job offer.

Some people are born with a physical form that's great default material for the 'right' image. Some aren't. Some among the former make best use of it and appear on silver screens. Many cheer. Many swoon. And riding on the adulation they go on to advise us on how we must live our lives, when they themselves walk deviant lines.

The latter, sans great physical forms get advised on piling on the pounds, strengthening their tones and so on.

Some products too have an advantage of default stimuli that contributes to a 'right' image. For example, the parent country of the product. If its consumer electronics and the manufacturing firm's Japanese, perception's positive. Engineering and Germany go together. Precision and Switzerland are bedfellows. But what if the Electronic or Durable good's Korean? What about Korean cars? Tell you what, at one time that would have been a drawback. Not so today. The Koreans have topped the Japanese, the Americans and Germans. It surely was harder for them, considering the 'country of origin' effect they were susceptible to. Yet they made it. They got to the top. Kudos to them. Kudos to the likes of LG, Samsung and Hyundai.

Now, back to what I started with. I know, it will be difficult for her to get the tone, weight and body language right. But if she can, and I know it can be done, it would be like what the Koreans did. She'll beat the Hollywood types.

And I for one, will be pleased.