March 26, 2012 | Alberta

From graphic design companies to major accounting firms, the proper way to dress varies in industries across the board. As an accounting and payroll administrator, the right attire may include a blouse, blazer, matching skirt and heels, while for an art designer, the style may be as casual as jeans and a clean T-shirt. Either way, each company possesses a certain standard dress code and it is the employees' responsibility to abide by it.

"I think it's projecting yourself in the way you would like other people to view you," Kim Lawrence, a Calgary-based professional with a career in leadership, told The Calgary Herald. "For me, that gives me the confidence to be myself, as opposed to being so concerned about how people are viewing me."

Lawrence, as well as many other successful business people, believes that physical appearance can have a major impact on a person's career path. While a person's skills, industry knowledge and motivation speak the loudest, these qualities work best when paired with a well-kept image.

Students looking to excel their careers with skills-based training programs can prepare for the real world by dressing appropriately in the classroom. Not only can this get them accustomed to wearing the right attire every day, but it can demonstrate to professors and their peers that they wish to be taken seriously. The Accounting and Payroll Administration program at CDI College can be a great place to get started. To begin enrollment, fill out the form on the right.