Choosing a New Career: Image Consulting

If you have been thinking of changing careers to feel personally fulfilled and gain a sense of freedom in your life you are not alone. Many people who contact us have spent many years in the corporate world or in a safe job after graduating where they can grow and learn useful skills, but are not in love with their jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person changes jobs more than 11 times in their lifetime.

Perhaps you have finally decided, NOW is time for a change. You have looked at your aptitudes, your hobbies and those occasions when you consider you do your best work and wondered if image consulting is right for you. You love shopping for friends, you always get compliments on your outfits and you follow the trends. You are a born stylist!
However, stylists and image consultants tend to have a different focus towards their clients although there may be a few overlapping services. Stylists dress people for events, social media, photos shoots, fashion shows, magazine ads and catalogue spreads. They are fashion and clothing oriented.

Image consultants dress clients strategically for their lifestyle. The clothing choices match the client’s color harmonies, facial cues and body proportions. In addition, consultants can work in-depth with clients’ etiquette, communication, presentation and Personal Branding.  Image consultants are lifestyle, goal and people oriented.

Conquering Fear of a Career Change

Any big change presents a challenge to most adults and if you are contemplating working for yourself, you might be immediately seized by doubts. A valuable exercise is to examine what specifically you fear and make a written list.

For example, up until now you have really been doing styling with friends and family. If you are contemplating working for yourself, are you self-motivated? Can you do what it takes to launch a business not just dabble in a hobby? Perhaps you are suddenly doubting your own capacities, accomplishments and talents? What gaps do you have in your experience for image consulting? The money might be an issue and are you anxious about losing income or not having savings to sustain any financial changes?
Go through the list and in a logical, focused way as if you were writing a resume, write a rebuttal to each.

It’s time to think about the unique experience and perspective that you can bring to any new venture. Write in the third person all your talents and personal accomplishments. Specify why you were promoted, acknowledged for your contribution or a valued team member. Write out how you want to represent yourself so you can present a clear vision of what you can bring to a new venture. Change your perspective from scared and apprehensive to positive and optimistic.

The Benefits of Image Consulting

• The overhead to start off is low. The supplies are comparatively inexpensive
• You don’t necessarily need a studio outside your home
• You can work part time
• You can plan your own hours
• You are always doing what you love and making a difference with clients
• You can start at any age, our students range from late 20’s to 60’s.

Research What it takes to be Successful

First and foremost, successful image consultants are men and women who sincerely love people, failings and all. Success also comes to those who have a genuine desire to grow and develop their clients, help them overcome challenges and reach their goals.

To make a start it’s best to research Image Consulting and hire a consultant for yourself. The technical and specific skills needed include color analysis, body analysis, style analysis, professional shopping and wardrobe organization, accessories and menswear. If you want to train groups there are several other skills you need such as public speaking, seminar and curriculum design and facilitation. Business development skills include sales and marketing, including social media and business management.

Write out all the formal and informal skills you know you have gained over the years and find out how many are transferrable to image consulting and running an image company. Do you have experience managing and growing individuals and teams? Have you taught, trained, consulted or coached? Are you organized and people oriented? All of those are really useful capacities for an image career.

Tabulate all your essential expenses. You have to pay the rent. Opening your own business is tough and you really have to love what you do. For some time, don’t expect your image consultant salary to match your corporate salary. Talk to your accountant or a financial manager to discover what money you have at your disposal for at least 1-2 years. Check with your family that they support this new venture.

Write a list of the technical skills you need for the new services. Find classes, courses, blogs and articles to help you acquire them. Not essential but useful as an image coach, you might consider an online coaching course.
Go to www.aici.org (Association of Image Consultants International) to find out authorized training companies and research certification. Go online and find career research websites that explain what image consulting actually entails.

Start Your New Career as an Image Consultant

Order our books on how to start an image business: Skinny Bits and The Perfect Fit by Lynne Marks and Dominique Isbecque. Amazon should have them.
At London Image Institute, you can enroll in Foundation and Advanced Courses Zoom online courses as and when they are offered. Later this year we hope that the in-person courses can start up again. Courses might be available in the U.S., Atlanta, GA, London, U.K., India or Singapore. To learn more about this exciting opportunity go to www.londonimageinstitute.com and fill out the CONTACT form for more information.