Clothes Event | Photo by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
On Friday, Sept. 31, the university Management Club hosted Clothes That Work, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and outfitting individuals with proper job interview clothing in the Montgomery county area.
Background
According to education and outreach program director Laura Hart, Clothes That Work began in 1998 as a grassroots effort to provide women re-entering the workforce with interview clothing, but has since expanded to mens clothing with great success. According to Hart, the organization has assisted over 37,000 individuals since its conception.
Hart explained that the organization divides over 167,000 articles of annual donations into clothing for job interviews or its boutique to raise funds for the organization. Clothes That Work donates the leftover clothes to local charities, further empowering individuals to enter the workforce.
“[Clothes That Work] really is helping to empower our workforce, to be ready for the workforce. So oftentimes, not all the time, but a lot of our clients are first-time entering the workforce or they’re re-entering the workforce,” Hart said.
Hart described Clothes That Work as a referral-based organization, helping universities, re-entry programs and other institutions.
The event
With an established relationship between the university and Clothes That Work as referral partners, Management Club President Destiny Rogers approached the organization to host an educational event.
“I remember struggling to figure out what to wear to my first interview,” Rogers said. “I know other students have probably struggled with that as well.”
Hart presented about the organization’s educational programs, the importance of its mission, what hiring managers are looking for and tips and tricks for interviewing.
Clothes That Work educational programs include soft skills, resumes, mock interviews, time management and conflict resolution.
Attendee Hailee Fowler felt the event was beneficial.
“I thought it would be, like, communication, but it was actually, like, your personality and that the first 30 seconds of your interview are most important,” Fowler said.
According to Rogers, the Management Club is willing to host an event of this nature again.
