The CEO of Working Wardrobes, Jerri Rosen, says that employers take about six seconds to make a quick judgment call on a potential employee during an interview. The appearance of an interviewee, she says, should not be a barrier to success.
As KPCC's Susan Valot reported this morning, Working Wardrobes helps over 5,000 unemployed people a year with professional clothing and job training services, to help them get back on their feet.
Though there are always people to help, Rosen and other volunteers have seen a steady increase in the number of people walking through their doors in Costa Mesa, Calif., in recent years. California's unemployment rate has been hovering around 12 percent.
From Southern California Public Radio:
[Volunteer Sharon] Solomon is a personal shopper. The Kansas native helps 23-year-old Sang Kim pick out a business wardrobe he otherwise couldn't afford.
"For me, it is, it's humbling because I've had members of my own family that could have used the same service in another state," says Solomon, as her voice cracks with emotion. "I've only lived in California a year and I've been volunteering here for a year. And I feel like I'm helping people here that I can't help in my own state."
Listen to the full audio story from KPCC.