College career fairs are a major event for many undergraduates looking to be more connected in the professional world. While being involved and participating in campus activities is important, career fairs also allow students to get to know prospective companies and meet potential employers. These interactions provide students with a glimpse of what life will be like after college.
Career fairs are a great place for exposure; schools like Tech draw in a number of companies and employers from a broad range of industries to fit the many majors and diverse interests of its student body.
Throughout its two-day run at the Campus Recreation Center (CRC), the 2023 Fall All-Majors Career Fair will host hundreds of companies. In past years, thousands of students at Tech have attended, looking for potential opportunities in internships, co-ops and full-time positions.
To stand out in these high-tension and busy environments, making a strong, positive first impression is key. Dressing appropriately for these professional events is the foremost way to make a lasting impression and is an important life skill to learn.
Especially for undergraduates who are likely new to attending these events, professional or business casual attire may not be a staple in their closets. Finding a properly fitting suit, dress shoes or heels for one or two events per year is not a financially practical task for many students on campus.
Luckily, there are several on-campus services that accommodate these needs for Tech students! These services are there to provide everyone with an opportunity to attend any professional event they want in appropriate attire with a confident mindset.
The Campus Closet is a rental service for professional attire that operates out of the Bill Moore Student Success Center. Their mission statement reads, “the Georgia Tech Campus Closet is dedicated to relieving the financial stresses of day-to-day life. Our goal is to provide access to professional attire for any opportunity that you cross paths with.” They offer various gender-neutral styles and sizes in business casual or professional clothing fit for interviews, networking events and conferences.
They use a reservation system for visits and appointments and fittings also use a registration service. Walk-ins are not allowed and available clothes are given on a first-come,first-served basis, so it is ideal to book an appointment a few days before the event.
Their rental service is valid for 15 calendar days, with an extension policy if necessary, and they expect all items to be dry-cleaned upon return. A list of local dry cleaners are also provided on their website. This is the ideal service for those needing professional attire on short notice and do not wish to purchase an additional suit for just one event.
Kendeda’s Revolving Closet is a similar concept with a closet of donated and gently used clothes, but there is no return policy. Any piece of clothing can simply be taken for personal use with no fee. There are also no reservations or appointments necessary. Simply walk into Kendeda and down into the basement area. The racks of clothing are located at the base of the stairwell.
Unlike the Campus Closet, the Revolving Closet is not specific to any type of clothing; professional and casual clothes of all sizes are set up together. As it is with the rest of the Kendeda building, environmental sustainability is the primary purpose of this service.
Kendeda is highly innovative in its use and design, and its many amenities, including the Revolving Closet, reflect the building’s core values of reuse, reduce and recycle. Clothing here is meant to be taken and given a new purpose with a new owner, which may fit perfectly into one’s career fair outfit.
Ultimately, one’s expertise, experience, passion and other soft skills will be the greatest factors in determining whether a certain company or employer is a good fit. However, dressing in the appropriate styles will impact first impressions and recognition of one’s professionalism and ability to respect industry norms or even a potential employer.
These services are here for Tech students, so do not hesitate to make use of any campus resources at the upcoming career fair or any professional events for one’s future.
Students can view details about the various options for sourcing affordable and sustainable clothing options at https://www.campuscloset.gatech.edu/ and https://livingbuilding.gatech.edu/key-living-building-details. The Career Center website can be accessed via https://career.gatech.edu/.