The stress of finding employment post-graduation is only amplified by trying to figure out what to wear to your job interviews.
Looking to relieve students of their worries is “Suit Up For Success” (SUFS), a volunteer initiative offering Ryerson students donated clothing and the chance to “suit up” for free.
Launched last year by Ryerson students Rudhra Persad and Shauna Busjith Brown, SUFS’s first major event will be today in POD 60 from 12 to 4 p.m.
Every Ryerson attendee who possesses a valid student ID card will get a three-piece outfit including tops, bottoms, footwear and accessories.
“We know that students don’t have a lot of money hanging around so giving the opportunity for them to create a full outfit is great,” says Tiffany Landau of the SUFS team. “Ryerson students deserve to get into the professional world and this is a step to get there.”
All donations for the SUFS initiative came from Ryerson staff, alumni, fellow students and community partners.
Landau says the hardest part of the event will be the preparation. Organizing the clothes will be necessary, as the team will be getting outfits of the same size set together and sanitizing all the garments. The team will also be using steamers to make sure that each piece isn’t just clean, but also looks presentable.
“We won’t be handing out clothing that doesn’t look great. No wrinkles at this event, the clothes will be smooth, clean and crisp,” Landau says. “We are also having a vintage bazaar at the event. Goodwill will be there with an assortment of cheap clothes for purchase.”
The clothing donation isn’t the only part of the event. There will also be special guests offering additional help to student’s, such as H&M representatives who will be on sight to pick outfits that suit an individual’s style while looking work appropriate.
Another offering at the event will be interview skills support, where students can speak with a qualified instructor from the Ted Rogers School of Management Careers Centre to practise answering tough interview questions.
“We don’t know what to expect. We’re really looking forward to seeing the students reactions,” says Landau. “And if the student doesn’t get the job, they have the outfit for future interviews.”
This story was first published in The Ryersonian, a weekly newspaper produced by the Ryerson School of Journalism, on April 2, 2014.
Graduate of the Bachelor of Journalism program at Ryerson University 2014. Aspiring feature writer with a passion for local news. Reporter for the Ryersonian in print, online and broadcast. This is me, and always will be.