Colleges helping students get leg up with professional attire for job interviews

Ryan Cameron of Scottdale was checking out some clothes recently at the Pitt-Greensburg campus in Hempfield, where he is a sophomore.

“This will help a lot,” said Cameron, 19, a Southmoreland High School graduate, said of the Career Closet carved out of an office on the second floor of Chambers Hall. Cameron said he is interested in pursuing a career in pharmacy when he finishes at Pitt-Greensburg.

The campus’ Career Services office said the opportunity to create an inventory of professional clothing for the students is another resource in helping them in their professional development, said Dorothy Zilic, director of the campus’ career services.

Professional attire can be expensive for students, so the Career Closet helps ease that burden.

“It is essential for students to be confident in themselves and their appearance as they interview for jobs and internships,” Zilic said.

Marcy Yonkey, assistant director of Career Services, who was responsible for developing the idea and stocking the clothes, said it was a collaborative effort.

The inventory of clothing was built through donations — first from faculty and staff in the spring — of new or what they describe as being “lightly-loved-and-laundered clothing.”

“The campus community responded to our idea,” Zilic said.

The clothing offered to students facing a job interview is coupled with career-preparation services. They are to submit a draft of their resume for feedback, in order to borrow the clothing they need, Yonkey said.

The clothing was professionally appropriate for job interviews, said Sri Rawanda, a freshman from Monroeville, who tried on some of the clothes in the Career Closet.

Providing appropriate professional clothing for students who may not have them when an interview is scheduled or other career-related appointments are made is not exclusive to the Pitt-Greensburg campus.

Seton Hill University in Greensburg and Saint Vincent College near Latrobe have similar programs for students facing interviews or internship opportunities, spokespersons said.

Seton Hill started its Career Closet three years ago “to provide gently used and new business and professional clothing to students at no cost,” said Jennifer Reeger, a university spokeswoman .

The clothes, which are free for Seton Hill students to keep, are donated by alumni, as well as employees, Reeger said. Those operating Seton Hill’s Career Closet hold “pop-ups” around campus prior to major events, and there is an online option where students can pick what they want and their order is filled for pick up at their convenience. Seton Hill even allows students to use the clothes for “life after college.”

Pitt-Greensburg student Esther Camick from Titusville, Fla., a history and anthropology major who will graduate in the spring, said the Career Closet is a great resource for students.

“It will be really helpful to have this resource, especially if they can’t get home to get clothes or aren’t able to buy them.”