The outfit you choose for a job fair is just as important as the outfit you choose for a job interview.
Brian Weiland looked like a bum.
He wore plaid pajama pants, a dark hoodie and scruffy gray sneakers. A backpack hung on his shoulders, earphones cradled his neck and a backward baseball cap topped his head.
Believe it or not, he was on his way to a job interview.
“I don’t think he even wants the job,” said an onlooker as Weiland walked through the S Building lobby of Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Downtown Milwaukee Campus. “He’s crusty.”
Weiland certainly wasn’t dressed for success, agreed Courtney Kelly, MATC’s career services coordinator. “There may be a time and place when you can dress like that on the job, but you need to get the job first,” she said.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23, Kelly and other MATC staff impressed upon students the importance of professionalism, polish and punctuality at a career fashion show called Style Your Success.
The event was a 45-minute showcase of what students should wear and not wear to job interviews and career fairs.
Weiland, who works as a career development coach at the college’s Career Hub, served as one of eight models during the show. The models showed their clothes and attendees used blue and orange pieces of paper to decide if the models were appropriately attired.
Unsurprisingly, the crowd was down on Weiland’s get-up. He got a wave of negative blue cards and catty comments. “Not only did he dress bad, he didn’t smell good,” said one student.
The pajama pants and earphones would be totally out of place at an interview or career fair, Kelly said. “Some people will tell you it’s only a career fair,” she said. “Well, that doesn’t cut it.”
Faced with the throng of thumbs down, Weiland relented. “I think I’ll be stopping by the Career Hub,” he said.
College Events Coordinator Ebony Hagler was another sad case. She decided that a hoodie, jeans and flip flops was a good ensemble for her interview.
Different companies and industries have different rules regarding attire, so it's important to research a company and its culture to learn more about its dress code, Kelly said.
More successful candidates included Maiyer Thao, who works in the college’s STEM Education Center. Smartly dressed in black slacks, a black blouse, polished black shoes and carrying a portfolio, she was ready to slay her interview, Kelly said. “She’s very confident,” she said.
Another winner was Dr. Eric Gass, dean of the college’s Healthcare Pathway. He sported a brown tweed jacket with a striped tie and matching shirt. “He’s not too flashy,” Kelly said. “He’s very coordinated.”
These days, the hiring market is competitive, so looking for ways to stand out and present yourself more professionally can make a difference to those hiring employees, Kelly said.
“It’s important how you show up,” Kelly told the crowd. “The way you present yourself will serve as the first impression to those with whom you interact at events. The outfit you choose for a job fair is just as important as the outfit you choose for a job interview.
“You don’t have to wear a suit to a job fair,” she added. “But if you do, you certainly will stand out.”
MATC students will get some fashion help next spring when the Career Closet opens, said Equan Burrows, the college’s dean of student experience. The space, located on the second floor of the S Building next to the Student Resource Center, will provide professional attire for students attending career fairs and job interviews.
“We can help you dress for the job that you want,” Burrows said.
Learn more about MATC’s Career Services
About MATC: Wisconsin’s largest technical college and one of the most diverse two-year institutions in the Midwest, Milwaukee Area Technical College is a key driver of southeastern Wisconsin’s economy and has provided innovative education in the region since 1912. More than 30,000 students per year attend the college’s four campuses and community-based sites or learn online. MATC offers affordable and accessible education and training opportunities that empower and transform lives in the community. The college offers more than 180 academic programs — many that prepare students for jobs immediately upon completion and others that provide transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees with more than 40 four-year colleges and universities. Overwhelmingly, MATC graduates build careers and businesses in southeastern Wisconsin. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.