Non-Verbal Communicating

by: Rebekah Beachum

This is my first post as an LACD graphics intern. Exciting, yeah?

As a kid I loved to read and write and did so voraciously. The result is my love for words and languages. It was actually a slight surprise to my parents that I didn’t go to school and study literature or something where I could read constantly. I think I eventually learned that I communicated with other people just as well artistically as with words (though I still use them constantly in my designs).

Along these lines, I’ve been learning a lot about non-verbal communication recently. Did you know more than 80% of communicating you do with others is non-verbal and unwritten? This stresses even more the importance of positive communication in other ways: facial expression, body language, and choice of clothing. Attire someone wears in the workplace can tell a lot about the person. On first impression, an outfit could show someone’s occupation, cultural background, hobbies, level of professionalism, their favorite color, or even how they feel about themselves in regard to others. Clothing communicates. It communicates levels of confidence, drive, and individualism. Learning the appropriate attire for your given professional field will improve your chances of obtaining and sustaining a job. This may sound shallow, but clothing matters. It could be the difference between getting a job or watching someone else get it (who might be better dressed, just saying.)