Lizandra Vega

The Image of Success Blog is about all things career, and everything that impacts its success. It’s also an informal way to share the life experiences that influence my advice to you. As you revisit this blog, you’ll find that reinvention is a key principle to follow, as per my book, “The Image of Success: Make a Great Impression and Land the Job You Want (AMACOM Books, May 2010).” My mission is to inspire self-awareness, the catalyst for reinvention, through your ABC’s—Appearance, Behavior, and, Communication—integral components to portraying yourself as the consummate professional. Coincidently, my background, with its challenges and opportunities, has laid the groundwork for my book and this blog.

Early Reinvention Years

An only and first generation child of parents from Puerto Rico, it was both my duty and dream to succeed. Conquering my language barrier was the first step toward achieving this goal. Second on my reinvention list, was to modify my accent. Years of speech, voice, and performance training helped accomplish this successfully. You can expect many of the posts within the Communication topics of this blog will help improve your: verbal, nonverbal, written, and virtual communication skills.

Image Reinvention Years

My appearance reflected the 1980s era, and my inner-city surroundings. I dressed in skin-tight clothing, paired with bold, gold jewelry. Stiletto heels, teezed hair, and heavy makeup emulated Melanie Griffith’s look in Working Girl (gum chewing included). It wasn’t until I entered college, where I encountered a diverse student and faculty population that the true metamorphosis began. Since then, I’ve evolved from Bronx Chic to Preppy Chic to Execu-Mom-Chic, and I'm still a work in progress. Aren’t we all? Posts pertaining to "Appearance" will focus on: career wear, accessories, grooming, and hygiene.

Career Reinvention Years

In 1991, as a recent college graduate entering the job market, I faced a major challenge: the employment picture was bleak. My eyes were set on Broadway, but I had to earn money. This led me to temporary employment firms. Each work assignment taught me invaluable skills that would later be applied toward building my career. When Broadway stardom seemed to elude me, I decided to pursue a “practical” full-time job. Naturally, I turned to an employment firm for help. To my surprise, I was offered a job on the spot at that very firm, and I graciously accepted it. That’s how my recruiting and career coaching career began. Within eight years, the opportunity to establish Perennial Resources International, a full-service, boutique recruiting firm was one I also graciously embraced. Blog entries in the Behavior section will guide you in the areas of: business etiquette, social, protocol and more.

My hope is to inspire reinvention in you by blogging about relevant career-related topics, using a straightforward, yet entertaining approach. You'll benefit from me as your career consultant, confidant, coach and correspondent all in one. May The Image of Success Blog catapult personal and professional success in your life. Please visit often, and be sure to enter your comments, forward to your friends, and the rest of the world through the social network of your choice.

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Submitted by Laura (not verified) on September 8, 2010 - 8:29pm

Looking forward to following

Looking forward to following your blog and picking up lots of career tips!
Warmest regards,
Laura M

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