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Students
Get A (Pants) Leg Up
By Jacqui Shine '05
In a tight economy, a job seeker needs every
advantage she can get, and the college’s new “Suit Yourself” program
has been giving students a leg up since its inception last
fall. The program, which is run by the Career Development
Office, ensures that
Smithies will stand out in appearance, as well as qualifications,
by outfitting job- and internship-seekers in one of the classic
black suits
that makes up the unusual new “lending
library.”
Funded by
a grant from Goldman Sachs, “Suit Yourself” makes available
to students a collection of professional clothing -- pants, skirts and jackets,
all in matching black and a range of sizes -- to borrow for job or internship
interviews or other professional situations. Participation requires only the
presentation of a student ID and a promise to return the clothes, dry-cleaned,
when the interview is over, which makes the cost of wearing a classic black interview
suit under $10.
First-year student Nabila Noor has already
participated in the program. Noor,
a member of Smith’s Model United Nations debate team, has borrowed suits
for weekend tournaments and finds the program both accessible and convenient. “Because
I am a first-year student,” she says, “I didn’t think I would
need a suit so early in my Smith career. But then I joined Model UN, and the
dress code for our conferences is strictly professional.”
CDO counselors
recognized that, while the right look can give a job candidate
an edge, a student’s budget can’t always accommodate the purchase
of professional attire. As spring interview season heated up, the program’s
customers proved to be a diverse group, including some who couldn’t afford
a suit and others who had last-minute interviews and no time to shop.
“The program really eases your anxiety over how you’ll dress for
an interview,” says senior Helen Lee, who has borrowed suits for job interviews
in New York City and Boston. “I don’t have to think, is this suit
contemporary enough? Am I over the top? I can use the time I would spend worrying
about my appearance to better prepare for interviews.”
Students can try
on the garments during daily open hours, when student workers are on duty to
help clients choose clothing and arrange a return schedule. Borrowers
must provide their own top and shoes, allowing students to add their own personal
style. “I’ve opted to wear my suit without much adornment,” says
Lee. “The suits are really simple and elegant, so even if you choose not
to accessorize you’ve still got a great look.”
More than 50 students
have borrowed suits this year, many on multiple occasions. Not surprisingly,
more than half of those have been seniors, but a number of
students from all four classes, as well as graduate students, have availed
themselves of the suit collection for interviews, conferences and other
formal events.
So while “Suit Yourself” doesn’t address the stress of creating
résumés or writing cover letters, it does eliminate one fear: standing
in front of the closet on interview day with nothing to wear. |
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