A Harsh Truth
Recently I attended a Broker’s Roundtable where someone made a statement about her observation of more and more real estate professionals “dressing down” when on the job. The word bum was mentioned which made me think “how is our profession viewed by both itself and the outside world?”
You are Who you Work With
There’s a rule of thumb that you should dress at or slightly above the client(s) you are with. Our business is about people and rapport. If you dress the same way for everyone you will more than likely not “click” with everyone. Just as you wouldn’t show up to a black tie event in shorts you also may not want to meet with a client who doesn’t wear suits with one on.
Keeping the Image (Playing Devil’s Advocate)
I understand the view that the agent/broker needs to always be dressed the best to feel like they are in control and also to “command control of the situation”. As I have heard from several sources although our society has become more casual the pendulum is starting to swing slowly back the other direction. Many professionals are shying away from casual dress or fears that it is a detriment to their bottom line.
Is There an Answer?
Many factors play into this topic and the discussions they create. Local customs, climate, your personality, and the personality of your target clientele are just a few. However, I do feel that fellow professionals using words like “bum” to describe us shows somewhat of an ignorance towards how varied both our industry and our melting pot of a society is today.
