[BC] Look professional...on a budget

[Scott Cason]

>> I tried coming in to work in nice Dockers and a pressed sport shirt and
the
reaction was "who does he think he is, dressing up like that for only being
an engineer". Does he think he is an "executive engineer"?

And the way I fixed that was, there is this huge flea market where I live
now.  In one of the booths, the merchant has used work clothes and uniforms
for sale.  You have seen them, typical work uniforms.  Well one day I was
digging through them and I found a batch of nice looking brown khaki pants
for sale.  3 for $5.  I got nine of them.  Of those nine, two are suited for
working around the house, the rest are nice enough to wear to work.  Then, I
head to Wal Mart and buy their off season clothes.  You know, long sleeve
button up shirts in the spring, golf shirts in the fall.  All in all, my
"work" wardrobe didn't cost me no more than $50.  Oh, and shoes.  I picked
up a pair of running shoes in Wal Mart's shoe department, $20.  So I can now
look nice at work, and not worry about getting the clothes messed up since
they didn't cost me that much and are relatively inexpensive to replace.  I
save the Dockers and pressed shirts for church, I wear my $1.50 pants and $5
shirt for digging around the muddy base of an AM tower or the high voltage
cabinet of an FM transmitter.

Now that I'm out on my own with my own company, I take it one step further.
When I go to meet with a potential client for the first time, it's a suit
and tie.  Why?  Because it's business.  And owners/GM notice things like
this.  When/if I go back to actually work with them, then it's khakis and
golf/button-up shirts.  The only time I would ever wear jeans would be if I
got an emergency call on the weekend and had to go right then.  Khakis and
golf/button-up shirts are my "uniform" now.

Now, you can't control how people think of you.  I have had several PDs tell
me I don't look, talk and act like the "typical" engineer.  In one way, I
take that as a compliment because the experience I have had with some other
engineers is that they prefer to stay hidden away in the shop with a "Black
Death" t-shirt and jeans that are well past their prime and questionable
personal hygiene habits (I said SOME engineers).  I on the other hand, am
more than happy to join in the hallway conversation about Pittsburgh's
defensive line (or the lack of it this year), If Ken Griffy Jr was really
worth the money to the Reds, What Louisville's chances are going to the
final four next year, the little red headed sales intern with the brick
house for a body (although I think that's Politally incorrect now), and why
Dale Jr can't seem to beg, borrow or steal a win this year in the NASCAR Cup
circuit.  The side benefit to this is that I have also found when people see
you as a regular person, not a mysterious person hides out in the shop or
the transmitter site all day, they tend to trust you more and can relate to
you more.

People will not treat us like professionals unless we look professional.  If
some people want to make snide comments about dressing up a little, let
them.  They are the ones that don't get it.  And when you do become the
"executive engineer" and they are still the runner for the morning show,
we'll see who gets the last laugh.

Scott Cason
President
LaGrange Communications, LLC
502-213-0024