NEWS

Dress for Success: Non-profit teams up with WCC to help students with job prospects

By Brittany Dekorte
Editor

First impressions are hard to shake, and a large portion of one’s first impression is how they look. These impressions, if not made right, can cost people a lot, even a prospective job.

This is why dressing right for one’s interview is so important, nearly as important as what’s on one’s resume. And with a career fair coming up on the Oct. 17, first impressions for jobs should be on most people’s minds.

But not all students can afford the nice clothes that can help land them a job, or the accessories and makeup to put the look together, let alone hygiene products to stay clean.

That’s where Dress for Success Michigan can help. A local branch of an international nonprofit organization, the Michigan branch has serviced 15,000 people, mostly women, with appropriate interview attire since its doors opened in 1998.

Dress for Success will schedule appointments with interested people, where they will help visitors pick out clothing for interviews and continuing employment. Dress for Success also has hygiene products, makeup and other accessories that it gives to visitors.

Chloe Peak, who volunteers for Dress for Success, says that Washtenaw Community College’s Career Services department is one of the many partners that the organization has.

“We also work with women’s shelters, but many of our referrals come from WCC and are WCC students,” said Peak.

Dress for Success worked with Career Services to put on their Hire Attire Fashion Show, which was held on Sept 27. Students modeled outfits supplied by Dress for Success, to show attendees how to -and NOT to- dress for interviews and employment.

The clothes and supplies given out by Dress for Success are either donated, or bought with monetary donations and money raised from fundraisers. One such fundraiser was their 5k Women’s
Empowerment Walk, which took place on Oct 2.

Dress for Success is also always looking for more volunteers to act as makeup artists, hair stylists and to sort inventory.

While many of their products are geared toward women and most of their clients are women, they also keep men’s clothes in stock.

“We get donations from around the state since this is the only branch in Michigan. Anyone from the community is welcome to donate, and to stop in for our services,” said Peak.

To set up an appointment with Dress for Success,

call (734) 712-0517, email michigan@dressforsuccess.org, or stop in at 5361 McAuley Drive Suite 1125 in Ypsilanti.

To meet with a career counselor to talk more about the interview process, visit the Career Services office in room 104 in the Morris Lawrence Building, or call (734) 677-5155.