DRESS FOR RESPECT AND AUTHORITY
“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society” Mark Twain
People will judge you by how you look. You may act differently depending on what you are wearing. As a Monitor, your clients will be influenced by the visual cues you present. In addition, different colors evoke emotions that range from trust to danger. The mood and tone of the visit will be directly influenced by the clothing and colors you wear. Therefore, dressing appropriately is very important.
We all act differently at different occasions.
For example our behavior will be solemn at a funeral, but could be loud and boisterous at a sporting event. We also dress differently when we attend both these functions. We may wear a brightly colored baseball jersey and baseball hat to the ball game, but we would dress more sedately in darker colors for a funeral out of respect for the family who has lost a loved one. The clothing we pick should reflect how serious we want to be viewed.
The styles and colors of your clothing while conducting home visits, makes a non-verbal statement to the provider. If you want to be assertive and viewed as serious, then you need to dress accordingly.
What is proper dress that will send the massage that you are professional and proficient in what you do? First, you need to wear clothing that will give you confidence, especially when you may have to give constructive criticism or take corrective action with a provider. When we are dressed professionally we act in a more confident manner.
Your clothes should be clean and neat. If you arrive at the provider’s home in shorts and a halter top, you would not match the seriousness of the regulations you are there to monitor.
Paying close attention to what you wear will help you succeed in achieving successful visits. Pay particular attention that when dressing casual that you do not pass over the line into sloppy. Here are a few things you should consider:
SHOES: Make sure your shoes are sensible and appropriate to the weather. You would not want to wear heels when there are icy conditions present. Comfortable shoes that have holes or are splattered with paint would not portray the image of organization, professionalism, and respect that you need for a successful visit.
In addition to the clothes we wear our appearance should reflect professionalism. Things to consider:
HANDS: Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with you to use after each visit. Make sure your nails are a reasonable length. If you have difficulty picking up a piece of paper, then your nails are too longs. You also risk scratching a child with long nails.
OUTLANDISH, GLITZY, OR PROVOCATIVE: These styles will take away from your message. The client will be concentrating on how you look and not what you say. A belly tee shirt is inappropriate and may have saying on them that are inappropriate for visiting homes with children.
PERFUME: Some clients and children are sensitive to smells and perfumes. You do not want to wear overpowering scents on your visits. You don’t want your “aroma” to linger long after you have left.
What you wear is going to reflect how seriously you take you job, and how important your message is. Use this information to assist you in becoming professional, successful, and proficient when conducting your visits