As the New Year has started, you may be trying to start the year off by getting a job or moving into a new career. There are several things to do to help you improve your chances.
First, if you are living at a shelter or are homeless, try to find an inexpensive place to rent a mailbox (like a UPS store) so you have an address to use on your applications. Second, get a small, prepaid cellphone for receiving text, email and phone messages from employers. But the last bit of advice is what I want to focus on. If you do all the above and get an interview, you need to look good to get hired. This may be difficult if you have very little funds, so you’ll want to look at going to one of the many organizations in the District that help people who do not possess the funds to get business attire for interviews.
The first one is Strive D.C. They are located at 128 M Street NW, Suite 318. You must be referred to them by a nonprofit organization. After that, you can make an appointment to go in and get clothing. Their donations are for males.
Women can get attire they need for interviews by visiting an organization called Dress for Success, which is located in the Terra Nova Building at 7826 Eastern Avenue. You can call them at 202-269-4805 and make an appointment, which can be scheduled between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Women can also get clothing for job interviews at Suited for Change. They are located at 1010 Vermont Ave NW Suite 450, and you can call them at 202-293-0351.
Many of these organizations not only have clothing to help you dress up for the interview but some provide additional clothing to help you look professional when you start the position. It’s also important to know that many of these organizations have programs with counselors that will help you to find employment, which could be a huge source of help if you have barriers that have hurt your job search in the past (such as a no high school or college, a criminal history, past drug or alcohol abuse problems). If you have had problems with these, and you are struggling to find employment, it would be very wise to take advantage of the opportunity for help in finding employers who will be willing to give you a chance to prove yourself.
It is a brutal job market out there, but you do not have to go through this battle alone. There are organizations out there that will help you. All you need is the desire to move forward and succeed (and a positive attitude will always help too). So get a great start to 2016, and get your career moving in the right direction by getting the help and the clothes you need to get a great new job.
Arthur Johnson is a volunteer writer for Street Sense.
