On-Site Barber Cut Hair & Shaped Confidence During Prep for WCU Job & Internship Fair!
Employers are ready to recruit candidates who are just starting their senior year
of college, as well as those who are eager to secure internships. WCU students seized
the golden opportunity to prepare for their upcoming fall job & internship fair by
brushing-up on their elevator pitches, refining their resumes, and boosting their confidence in a big way. WCU’s Twardowski Career Development Center
recently expanded their job fair prep session to include free on-site haircuts from
a licensed barber, free professional clothing (new & gently-used) from the Career
Closet, and free headshots taken in a professional photo-booth!
“When it comes to interviewing for a job, prospective candidates can have the perfect resume and the perfect introduction, but if they don’t feel confident about themselves, the outcome may not be what they had hoped. We can help with that,” said Jennifer Rossi Long, career expert and director of WCU’s Twardoski Career Development Center.
Confidence absolutely goes a long way when it comes to a successful interview. Rossi Long remembered hearing a radio interview where a young man shared that his new haircut made him feel like going out to get a job.
“The interview really resonated with me, so I decided to incorporate an on-site, licensed barber who would give free haircuts to students during our Prepare for the Fair event. The barber chair was sitting in my office just waiting for the pre-fair event and students signed-up enthusiastically.”
In addition to an on-site barber during Prepare for the Fair, students were also able to select free professional outfits that were available from the Career Closet that is housed in the Center. Once students had their outfits, they were able to visit the Iris Booth, a free professional photo both that takes the perfect headshot for LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
With such an ingenious idea, Rossi-Long plans to build upon the concept by inviting local businesses in the area to donate coupons to students preparing to attend the University’s fall and spring job fairs. One business, Champions Premier Barber Shop, sent coupons for free haircuts to this fall’s Prepare for the Fair event.
Much is being done by those at WCU’s Twardowski Career Development Center to help students prepare for the big day. In addition to the one-stop-shop offerings, the Prepare for the Fair event also helped students craft and practice their introductions to employers in attendance, helped with last-minute touches to their resumes, and provided tips for easing nerves. Employers were even at the pre-fair event to give advice to students about what to be sure to emphasize when speaking with company representatives.
“Everything we do at the Center is to help our students be prepared, be career-ready and be successful in whatever field they choose to pursue,” added Rossi Long.
The Prepare for the Fair event was designed to help WCU students engage successfully with more than 150 employers from throughout the region during the Twardowski Career Development Center’s upcoming fall job and internship fair.