If you are wondering how to become a corporate image consultant, below are tips and advice on training for and beginning careers in this area of marketing and PR, as well as job prospects in the UK.
The Job Description
Image consultants draw on their skills and knowledge in advising companies and individuals on every aspect of appearance and personal impact.
Typical responsibilities:
Choosing colours and styles to suit
Selecting make up and applying it to customers
Assisting with wardrobe selection
Providing a personal service when it comes to shopping
Your corporate clients could require help with:
– Workshops that provide overall training
– Handling formal talks and presentations
– Branding of goods
– Audit services
– Coaching at various levels eg – executive
– Body language
– Styles of etiquette
– Neuro-linguistic programming – NLP.
Consultants can work with a variety of clients across many industries – for example, the general public, retail companies, private organisations, media bodies and MPs.
Members of the media may require consultants for newspaper articles, television programmes and national radio.
Person Specification
The key personal attributes of good corporate image consultants include:
– The ability to choose correct colours for make up and styles
– Customer focus
– Interpersonal skills (essential)
– Ability to liaise with people at all levels
– Skill in ensuring clients and customers are comfortable within the relevant situation
– A polite manner
– Persuasiveness in providing advice, directing customers into your way of thinking in order to meet their requirements
– Skill in offering positive feedback
– A high level of motivation
How to become an image consultant
Image consultants can come from a range of educational backgrounds and no set entry requirements exist, although you might find it helpful to have some experience in areas like:
– sales or marketing
– consulting
– PR
– retailing
– fashion or beauty therapies
– employment or HR
– management
– coaching and training.
You may well need to set up on a self-employed basis after gaining some relevant qualifications and / or experience.
The qualifications you could complete to become an Image Consultant include BTEC’s, HNC’s / HND’s and foundation degree courses in areas related to health and beauty, design, media communications or marketing.
Starting and developing your business will be time-consuming – you need to spread awareness of your services through marketing / public relations and networking to build your reputation.
With qualifications, skill and experience, skills and interests you could do training that is endorsed by TFIC – The Federation of Image Consultants.
Training and Development
You can train to be an image consultant through attendance on courses that are recognised by TFIC. Their contact details are shown below for information on endorsed training providers.
You could obtain a qualification – TFIC / City & Guilds Joint Award in Image Consultancy. This is only provided when you become a member of TFIC and you must have one year’s work experience after completing your training. You do not need this qualification to work but having it helps towards showing that you meet industry standards.
The Joint Award consists of one core unit, Colour Analysis, plus two units chosen from:
– Style Analysis (Women’s)
– Instruction to Basic Cosmetic Application
– Analysis (Men’s)
All the above units must be completed and you must also provide evidence in a portfolio.
Another way to progress is to attend workshops, seminars (TFIC) and of course, there will be a number of events to go to.
The Pay (a rough guide)
With experience – up to £30k+.
If you are in demand within the corporate sector – £40k+.
Job Prospects
Most image consultants work on a self-employed basis, but some work within large agencies, and with a specialist field.
Useful industry contact:
Federation of Image Consultants (TFIC)
The Gables
Lammas
Norwich
Norfolk NR10 5AF
Tel: 07010 701 018
https://www.tfic.org.uk