Earnings and Yearnings: Personal Packaging

There's no escaping the force of your physical image at work: Social psychologists and career experts agree that you're judged not only on your abilities, but on your clothes, style, and grooming, too. Consciously or not, bosses make desk-side decisions based in part on whether they can easily imagine you in a bigger role, so cast yourself carefully. Since every profession has its own (often unspoken) style code, a good beginning strategy is to subtly imitate your boss's look. And give your workspace a makeover, too: Your crisp attire is less convincing when you're buried in papers and empty coffee cups.

The Stats

• You can express individuality, but add unique accents on top of a generally conservative look.
• Men with long hair are viewed as creative, according to Yale psychologist Marianne LaFrance's research.
• Women with medium-length brown hair are judged as outgoing, found LaFrance.
• Image is most important when you first meet coworkers. It's almost impossible to later adjust people's expectations of you upward, says Megan Hustad, author of How to Be Useful.
• Women who show cleavage are judged poorly at work (unless they're selling an inferior product).
• Strangers' assessments of CEOs' power-and leadership-related traits—based only on their head shots—predicted company profits in a Tufts University study.

Personal Packaging Profiles

Dapper Don

Name: Aldon James
Occupation: President of the National Arts Club

Having grown up with an identical twin, James appreciates stand-out touches such as his bowtie. He exudes quirky intellectualism—perfectly fitting for his job.

Playful Rebel

Name: Ashleigh Ciucci
Occupation: Makeup Artist and Stylist

Ciucci works in fashionable settings where wacky getups win points. But generally, those who show skin and tats are recommending themselves for low-level positions.

Charming Disarmer

Name: William Miller
Occupation: Senior Business Development Rep. for the Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J.

Miller's conservative suit conveys professional confidence while his long hair lends him an approachable aura.

Polished Perfectionist

Name: Sarah Scofield
Occupation: Corporate Lawyer

Scofield's impeccable grooming signals to clients and higher-ups that she won't miss a single contractual detail, and her feminine style shows that powerful women don't need to look mannish.