i had all the best intentions to post a video clip i saw on the today show a few weeks back entitled “how to stand out in a crowd”, but alas, the technology gods and fast pace of the internet foiled my plans (i couldn’t embed the video, and now it’s been taken down anyways). HOWEVER, i did remember the general gist of the piece and of course i want to share it with you guys.
in the segment, a group of stylists and various other folks transformed a normal, every day woman (one of the today show’s producers) into a “celebrity”, complete with a platinum blonde mane, a huge entourage, some paparazzi, and even a tiny dog. as the cameras rolled and the woman walked through the city, countless city passersby were fawning over her and asking for pictures and autographs. when questioned as to who she was and why they wanted her picture and/or autograph, the majority of people had the same general answer “she looked important, so i figured she must be a celebrity.”
now, obviously it would be ridiculous (both unnecessary and impossible) to hire paparazzi and a gang of people to follow us all around each day. but the point of the segment was that ANYONE can create an “aura of importance” from the minute they walk into a room. the key is to really believe that you’re an important, strong person…and most importantly, the perfect person for the job – and others will believe it too. don’t buy it? the next time you walk into a room, decide consciously on a confident, powerful attitude- combine that with good posture, eye contact, and a firm handshake, and you might just have employers asking for your autograph in no time. 
I find that acting with confidence and acting like a horse’s ass are distinctly different approaches, each with their merits.