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Ask the Image Expert Sherry Maysonave is the founder and president of Empowerment Enterprises, one of America's leading communication-image firms. Sherry conducts corporate seminars and coaches executives, professionals, and politicians in achieving excellence in communication and image. She is also the author of Casual Power: How to Power Up your Nonverbal Communication and Dress Down for Success
Finding an Image ConsultantQuestion: Where can I find a listing of qualified image consultants in my area? Many people advertise that they are great at helping executive (moms), but some of them seem to know little about the real executive world.Thank you, Kirsten Answer: First, I suggest that you check my web site www.casualpower.com to see if there any certified consultants trained by me in your area. If you have trouble linking to their e-mail address, please let me know and I will give you their full contact information. I have personally trained each of the image consultants associated with my company. My training program runs for nine months and focuses on business image, including attire, demeanor, nonverbal communication, etiquette, and all aspects of presentation. Each trainee must demonstrate a high level of expertise before they receive certification from Empowerment Enterprises. The overall industry problem is that there are minimal standards that a potential consultant must meet before billing herself/himself as an image consultant. It is my experience that many so-called image consultants have simply sat through a half or full-day color analysis and/or skin-care course. Then, they call themselves image consultants. While they may have valuable information, they are not trained in what apparel and demeanor will get a woman ahead in the business world. With that said, check the national association of image consultants, A.I.C.I. Their web site address is http://www.aici.org. They have a nation-wide list of consultants (without reference to qualifications). Hence, it would be prudent to inquire into their training, specialty, and qualifications before booking an appointment. Depending on your location, I may be able to recommend an A.I.C.I. consultant for you to contact. Before you "interview" a potential image consultant, I recommend that you read up in business attire and image issues so you can ask them questions that will reveal their depth of knowledge. A good resource would be my book, Casual Power. My company is experimenting with a remote-consulting program whereby we do a goal session by phone and a full image assessment based upon photos of the individual and a completed profile form. In particular, four photo views are required:
You may also submit photos of you wearing three different business outfits that you currently own; they can be business formal or business casual or a combination thereof, depending upon your company’s dress code. We then make recommendations based upon your body type, coloring, face shape, and most importantly, your goals. Photos can be submitted in digital form through e-mail or hard copy via regular mail. If you are interested in participating in our pilot program, contact my assistant at samantha@casualpower.com.
Best of luck to you,
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