Perception is reality. How you’re perceived by a prospective client or hiring manager is, to them, the reality of who you are. Today, with the economic concerns the way they are, you don’t want to be perceived as wasteful or extravagant with your money. At the same time, you don’t want to be perceived as scared or passive. It’s a fine line.
Today, the perception of being smart with your money–more frugal than before–is a positive perception. It’s clearly more so during the past few months, as Johnny Diaz explains in his Boston Globe article a couple days ago:
“It’s cool to be frugal,” said Frederic Brunel, a Boston University marketing professor. “The culture of the moment is to be smart with your money and get the best out of it.” Brunel, who also teaches consumer research, said he’s noticed that TV commercials are spreading the message that cheap equals cool.
It goes all the way up to the top:
Even President Obama showed that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look good. During his inauguration, commentators talked about the fact that the first family wore clothes from J.Crew, a mid-market retailer. “They looked very good but didn’t spend a lot of money on it.”
It’s not just what you wear that sends the message. Like Craig pointed out in a post yesterday, the way that you handle your business lunch will affect the perception people have of you. You’re not seeing as many loud, obnoxious groups of expense-account happy business people throwing money around. More business lunches are being looked at as a smart, sober investment. Some are even turning into business breakfasts or business coffees.
12. February 2009 by Craig Peters
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