Dressing for Success on a Limited Budget
By Clarence Fanto
First impressions often become lasting impressions, and dressing for success is crucial when it comes time toenter or re-enter the work force. Wearing the right outfit to a job interview can make all the difference, and job-seekers who need to jump-start their
professional wardrobe can get help from a homegrown program that has expanded into a community-wide effort.
The Suit Yourself initiative, based at the Christian Center in Pittsfield, is an outgrowth of women's clothing drives conducted by about 30 members of the Zonta Club of Berkshire County starting in 2003. The past president of the club, Jennifer Kerwood, explained that "we were looking for a unique service project here locally and wanted to take on something that would directly benefit local women."
With an eye toward the national Dress for Success program, Zonta began holding spring and fall women's professional clothing drives, seeking out gently used items that were ready to wear, Kerwood explained.
"Each year, we built more awareness, and women would look to our drive as they cleaned their closets, or retired and wanted a good home for their business suits," said Kerwood.
The initiative is now expanded to serve men as well as women under the leadership of the Suit Yourself Advisory Council, headed by Cindy Bucier of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, one of a half-dozen agencies involved in the collaboration.
Bucier explained that previously, clients had been taken to Springfield to attend that city's Dress for Success program. In an effort to offer the services locally, a meeting was held with Cheryl Nolan, the executive director of the Christian Center and a member of the Zonta Club. "Cheryl was really open to collaborative work," Bucier said.
Stepping up the advertising and marketing of Suit Yourself became a priority, Bucier explained, after a survey of 35 social-service organizations in the county revealed that very few knew about it.
The expanded program held an open house at the Christian Center on Aug. 28. with Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto and State Senator
Benjamin Downing on hand, lending their prestige to the effort.
Bucier reports 23 referrals have resulted as of early October, "and the word is also getting out to men."
"We'll be seeking a grant for funding," she said. "Another goal is to serve men and women while they're attending vocational or
apprentice programs, to help them get into whatever industry they might be looking at, such as banking and hospitality." For men
seeking work at industries, Bucier said, "we're hoping to provide some less-formal attire such as boots, khakis and sweatshirts."
"We're collecting data on every referral we get," she reported, "so we can improve, and we're hoping to have a better grasp of which needs we're meeting, and which ones we're not."
In a recent interview, Mayor Ruberto listed three elements of the program "that really speak to the community of Pittsfield and Berkshire County."
He praised the "cross-agency collaboration that went on to bring all of the forces together to get the initiative going." In his view, Suit Yourself focuses attention "not only on the importance of being properly dressed, but of how you properly present yourself as it relates to your life experiences."
He also cited "the importance of organizations like the Christian Center, which open their doors to ideas of all kinds and which provide the kind of safety net essential for people to get motivated, to become educated without intimidation."
The third crucial element, according to Ruberto, is that the program "created a mechanism to encourage women without any fear
of intimidation to expose themselves to ways of re-entering the workforce. An initiative that speaks to people and encourages
them to recognize their skills and their talents has an immeasurable benefit. What this group has accomplished is to address women's skills and show them that they can create successful careers."
At the Christian Center, Cheryl Nolan has supervised the intake and sorting of clothing, with the help of staff members and volunteers.
After making an appointment, applicants can come in, browse through the clothing needed for interviews or for the first week of
work, and take home one or two outfits for free, Nolan said. She encourages them to "come back for more" after they land the job.
Nolan explained that the program is open to job-seekers needing to spruce up their wardrobe — "people from all walks of life, including those re-entering the community."
With a goal of serving more clients in North and South Berkshire, Nolan is hoping to increase the supply of available clothing through the Zonta drives each October and April.
Debbie O'Neill, current president of the Zonta Club of the Berkshires, says the expansion of the program beginning this past August has been "wonderful".
"We're really thrilled with it, and we've got everybody working together on it," she added. "We service everybody — young people getting out of college, people getting back into the work force because of divorce or coming off welfare, or people getting out of prison. We're just getting off the ground, and more people will be using it as more social agencies know about it." Eventually, O'Neill sees the possibility of a grant to fund an expansion of services beyond Pittsfield and central Berkshire.
Suit Yourself encourages those interested to call 443-2828 for an appointment to visit the Christian Center at 193 Robbins Avenue for a consultation, weekdays from 9 to 3. Evening and Saturday appointments also can be arranged. Applicants are asked to bring a form of identification to the consultation.
After answering questions about their job search, applicants will fill out a referral form so their needs can be assessed. Before meeting with a consultant, questions will be asked about the prospective employer and the type of position a client is seeking, along with information about clothing sizes. Additional outfits will be provided after the individual is hired.
The program accepts donations of gently worn suits, slacks, sweaters, blouses, skirts on hangers, cleaned and ready to wear, as well as accessories such as purses, scarves and shoes. Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Receipts will be available.
The Suit Yourself workplace attire boutique is a cooperative effort by the Christian Center, Zonta of Berkshire County, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, Berkshire Business and Professional Women (BPW), the Berkshire Community Action Council and the Corporation for Public Management. Molari Employment Services and the Mildred Elley business school also have become involved.
Future plans include monthly workshops to prepare job-seekers for success in the workplace.