Image Consultant

Image consultants advise individuals, both men and women, on all aspects of personal appearance, presentation and public speaking. They may also work within companies, helping individual employees and advising the company on issues such as its image and public relations.

The Work

You could be:

• meeting clients individually or in small groups to advise on the choice of clothes to suit their colouring, body shape and personality


• analysing clients' skin tone, hair and eye colour to decide which colours are best


• analysing body size and shape to decide on the most suitable patterns and textures of fabrics and style of clothes


• taking clients shopping and giving advice on the right clothes for particular occasions, both formal and casual


• advising clients on issues such as body language, social etiquette, accepted behaviour and cultural awareness


• helping clients to deliver presentations and speak in public


• training celebrities to deal with the media


• writing feature articles in style magazines and company house journals


• advising companies on keeping their image up-to-date, company dress or uniform policy, presentations and business etiquette, contact with the press and media.

Conditions

• You may work with individuals; at other times you might attend conferences or run training sessions.


• You would work in a variety of locations, including hotels, conference centres, salons, companies' own offices or training centres, clients' homes and perhaps your own premises.


• You may travel to visit clients and perhaps spend time away from home.


• You may have to work some Saturdays and evenings.


• You often work alone and sometimes as part of a team.

Getting In

• People enter this job with a wide range of qualifications and previous experience. These can include beauty consultancy or therapy, cosmetics, hairdressing, fashion retailing, marketing, public relations, design and business studies. Entry requirements for these initial careers vary greatly according to the length and level of initial training.


• Some entrants train for the job by following the Foundation Training in Image Consultancy. This is available from a variety of private training companies and can cost about £2,500 to £3,500. The Federation of Image Consultants (TFIC) can provide a list of approved training centres.


• Most image consultants are self-employed. There are between 350 and 650 image consultants operating in the UK.

What Does It Take?

You need to have:

• a good eye for colour and shape


• imagination


• common sense


• an interest in helping people to change their lives


• shrewd judgement


• business skills if you are self-employed


• decisiveness.

• persuasive


• self-motivated


• a good listener


• able to relate to a wide range of clients, from school leavers to celebrities


• interested in clothes, fashion and style


• knowledgeable about current fashion trends


• self-confident, outgoing and a good presenter


• smartly dressed and well-groomed


• tactful and patient.

Training

• The professional qualification for image consultancy is the TFIC and City and Guilds masters Award in Image Consultancy. This is open to image consultants with appropriate experience who are members of TFIC. It is available at a range of private training centres, and the TFIC can provide further details.


• In addition, for those who need to extend their knowledge in specific areas, there is a range of qualifications available part time, including National Certificates (NCs), Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) at various levels, Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and degrees. Relevant subjects include beauty therapy, make-up, hairdressing, design, fashion, marketing and public relations.

Getting On

• Most image consultants are self-employed, working either alone or with a partner or a small team.


• If you work for a big agency you might specialise in particular areas.


• As a self-employed image consultant you improve your prospects by building up your reputation and adding to your list of clients.


• The TFIC runs seminars aimed at career development, covering areas such as marketing, networking, and how to run a business.

Pay

The figures below are only a guide. Income for image consultants depends on success in building up a client base and on whether you are working for individual or corporate clients. Session rates for image consultants can range from £50 to £350 or more.

• An image consultant might start at £12,000 a year.


• Some who are successful working in the corporate sector can earn more than £40,000 a year.

More Information

Addresses

The following organisation(s) may be able to provide further information.