Career Closet: Offering Professional Confidence
Kent, Ohio —
The Women’s Center offers scholarship opportunity, events/panels, support, a pantry, and a Career Closet. Located in the Williamson House, the Women’s Center has a Career Closet in the lower level. The Career Closet is a resource of the Women’s Center that offers professional and interview-ready attire to the Kent State community.
Created in collaboration with Launch Net and the Career Closet and Development Center, Kent State community members of all genders can utilize this resource. The Career Closet takes donations such as blazers, button ups, pencil skirts, blouses, and other career-ready attire, accessories and shoes.
When Kent State University students cannot afford an entire look for an interview, the Career Closet is there. The Career Closet is a resource that is open to everyone, and gives them a chance to feel confident and ready for anything.
A Women’s Center intern tried to make the closet amore welcoming space with positive mantras, inviting flowers, and a mirror to see how clothing fits. All of these little details are what make the Career Closet a unique experience.
The Career Closet separates clothing by size. This makes it easier for people of all sizes to find items that work for them. There also is a space to try on clothes. After community members find what fits well, they are invited to fill out a form to make the Career Closet even better.
The Career Closet, although small offers a chance to lessen the amount of waste related to clothing and the fast fashion industry. Utilizing this resource means less of a need to buy new, often cheaply made clothing.
In less than 20 years, the volume of clothing Americans toss each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons, according to Newsweek.
The Career Closet is ran by Women’s Center workers, including interns at the center. Maddie Camp, a Kent State University sophomore Political Science major and intern at the Women’s Center described the benefits of the Career Closet. Camp is currently a social justice intern and helps with the pantry, another resource available at the Women’s Center.
“It kind of takes away those barriers that may limit them, whether they are low income students who have not had a lot of direction in interviews in terms of their clothing” the 20-year-old said.
The Kent State University student has seen first hand how transformative and beneficial the Career Closet can be. She has worked in sorting and displaying clothes to make the closet appear inviting and accessible. Seeing students walk out of the Career Closet with confidence can help in their present, and in their futures with their employment and other forms of opportunity.
All interviews are formal situations according to Minnesota State CareerWise Education. This is why it is so important that the Career Closet is available to all students. First impressions are invaluable in all aspects of life and success.
The Career Closet is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.