Dressing the Tribe for success

Preparing for the world of jobs and internships is quite a job in itself. In particular, being a strong interview candidate takes lots of preparation and practice. We don’t want you to spend that prep time rushing around the mall or breaking your bank account. Choosing an outfit for an interview can be challenging, especially when you are new to professional interviewing. This is only compounded by time constraints and college student budgets. But, dressing for success is of the utmost importance when heading to that internship or job interview. First impressions matter. In fact, research has shown that employers’ immediate reactions to candidates affect hiring decisions.

At the Career Center, we answer lots of questions about what to wear to interviews, but we also see how excitement upon receiving an interview quickly turns to anxiety when students realize their wardrobe may lack professional attire. This is especially evident when the turnaround time between finding out you have an interview and the actual interview may only be a few days.

For the past year, we’ve been working on a solution for those situations. In January, the Career Center will officially begin its Suits for Scholars program, in which students will be able to rent professional wardrobe pieces – full suits, blazers, skirts, slacks, and other accessories – from an inventory of new and gently used items we have collected from generous alumni, faculty, staff, and student donors this year. So far, we have collected 50 professional pieces, including 17 full suits, in a range of sizes for men and women.

We are, however, still hoping to fill some holes in our closet before the program formally commences in the spring.  In particular, we need:

• Women’s suits (all sizes welcome, but currently lack size 4 in the inventory) and dress shirts
• Men’s slacks, especially between sizes 30-34
• Accessories, especially belts and dress shoes

If you are interested in donating to Suits for Scholars, or would like more information about the program, please contact Ashleigh Brock. We are eager to get started next spring and thank you sincerely for your donations!