By Susan Hatten | Chief operating officer, BrokerTech Ventures

I have a personal branding vision board in my kitchen that features images, photos and quotes, which I believe make up my personal and professional brand. There are photos depicting travel, wine tastings, fitness, socializing with family and friends, and statement quotes that I love.

One of the statement quotes frames the adage “Dress for the Job You Want.” Given the turn of events of late and lack of in-person interaction, I began to wonder, is this an outdated philosophy?

In this new world of Zooms, MS Teams, Hangouts, and fully virtual meetings and social outings, does the way you dress really have that much of an impact on your sense of impression to others? Even prior to the COVID transformation, companies and corporations alike had embraced more casual work environments, and the “dress for your day” mentality.

What I found amidst the pandemic world of virtual exposure is that by dressing up each day as if I were walking into a board meeting, I was more motivated, confident and energized. I felt a sense of pride and could even feel that trickle down into my composure and demeanor as I led and contributed to meeting dialogue throughout the day.

This is what led to my I belief that there is still relevance in adopting the mentality of dressing for the job you want. Why?

The way you dress is a representation of who you are. Why would you not want to offer the greatest experience for those you interact with — whether on a Zoom screen, in a boardroom setting, or coming and going from your daily activities?

Dressing well and with intention is an illustration of your professional and personal competence, aspiration and mindfulness.

Dressing for the job you want means never settling, and realizing that with each new day is a new opportunity for you to shine, learn and grow.

As I write this, I also think fondly of my grandmothers, both of whom were always impeccably dressed, whether picking strawberries on the farm, running errands about town or lounging about on a lazy summer Sunday afternoon. While my grandmothers were very different in terms of upbringing and personality, they both embraced their own version of “dressing for the life they lived and desired,” which was that of a proud wife, mother, co-worker, co-farmhand, philanthropist and community citizen.

If the doorbell would ring, they would rush to the mirror to reapply lipstick and rouge, always telling me that it was better to look respectable, as you never know who may be on the other side of the door.

This statement offered to me as a young girl may very well be an analogy of dressing for the job you want. After all, you never know who may be on the other side of your Zoom.

Susan Hatten is chief operating officer of BrokerTech Ventures and oversees corporate and community engagement at Holmes Murphy. She dedicates much time to community involvement through fundraising and volunteering for several organizations. She is immediate past president of the Variety – The Children’s Charity of Iowa and serves on the ChildServe board of trustees and on the United Way of Central Iowa Tocqueville Society. Susan is active in Holmes Murphy’s Women Optimizing Women (WOW), Lead Like A Lady, and Million Women Mentors. Hatten was named the 2017 Meredith Corp. Emerging Business Woman of the Year and a member of the 2011 Forty Under 40 class by the Business Record, dmJuice Young Professional of the Year, Variety’s International Ambassador in 2012 and the Downtown Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year in 2012, among others. Hatten is a graduate of Iowa State University. Contact her via email.