Students get a wardrobe boost before job interviews
KENT — Kent State University employees have set up a free clothing shop to help students dress more professionally when they meet with potential employers.
The Kent State Career Closet is housed in the lower level of the new Women’s Center, 1200 E. Main St. in Kent. The boutique is available for male and female students to shop for free. There are no financial restrictions or guidelines. Anyone with a Kent State student ID card can use the boutique.
“It’s so important to make a positive first impression,” said Tabitha Martin, venture initiatives adviser at LaunchNet, the hub for entrepreneurial thinking on campus. “College isn’t just about preparing you skill-wise for being out in the career world. Knowing how to dress and act and how to present yourself is also important ... How you look when you walk into an interview makes a difference. You can’t go on an interview if you don’t have anything appropriate to wear.”
Martin said four women on staff at Kent State came up with the idea of a clothing boutique full of professional attire after a recent career fair on campus. She said they recalled their own limited college wardrobes with mostly sweatshirts, jeans and sneakers and decided students could use some nicer clothes for career fairs and networking events.
The founders wanted to make sure that students not only have good resumes, but that they look professional for interviews as well. In addition to providing clothes, the career closet offers tip sheets with advice for students about how they can best present themselves to potential employers and information about other resources on campus to prepare for the career world.