For the third straight year, seniors at Timberland High School have learned how to make a good first impression on potential employers by attending the Charleston District’s Dress for Success seminar.
Held during Timberland’s “Senior Day,” four groups of approximately 50 seniors each rotated through their auditorium to hear from Charleston District’s Narissia Skinner (now working at our Division office in Atlanta) and Santee Cooper’s Marcus Britt about the best ways to make a first impression at an interview. Skinner and Britt, looking pristine in their business attire, discussed topics such as hair, tattoos, clothes, eye contact, handshakes, scents and more.
“A lot of times, you only get one chance to make an impression on a potential employer,” said Skinner. It’s important that they feel like you fit their culture and would make a good team member.”
Overall, Skinner and Britt talked about the general ways to dress for an interview, but also stressed that you need to be mindful of the type of office you are interviewing at. Britt mentioned that if you are applying somewhere like a technology company that has a laid-back attitude and casual dress code, you would appear out of place if you showed up to your interview in a suit.
“It’s all about knowing each place where you will be interviewing,” said Britt. “There’s no problem with calling a company before your interview and asking them questions.”
Skinner and Britt also talked to the students about how to balance being yourself and acting the part. They say it’s important to appeal to what the interviewer is looking for, but also to give them an honest representation of who you are. One student stood up and asked if their particular hairstyle would hinder them from getting a job. Britt said it’s all about where you’re applying and that he should take that into consideration when looking at potential jobs.
Students also participated in mock interviews where they were able to put some of these tips to good use. Hopefully, after learning how to Dress for Success, senior Timberland Wolves will be ready for work!