In a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology from 2016, researchers found that first impressions significantly predicted recruiters’ decisions. This means that the way you dress and present yourself matters and that first impression is as important as the interview.
For the last 250 years, America has been known as the land of opportunity where hard work and determination can get you any job you want. However, an often-overlooked aspect of being hired for your dream job revolves around soft skills such as the way you dress or your posture. This trope significantly affects many young women looking to enter the workforce, which is why O created her social enterprise.
Born in North Africa, O moved to the American South when she was eight-years-old, and she has spent her life helping others and breaking down barriers. When thinking about obstacles to entering the workforce, clothing is seldom thought about, but not having a proper wardrobe can be an unknown roadblock to finding your dream job. This is why O created a 501c3 to help solve this barrier that helps mentor young women on everything from what to wear to a job interview, to networking advice, and everything in between.
Sexism is an underlying trend that inhibits women’s growth in the professional world and is a significant roadblock in many women’s attempt to capitalize on the opportunities that their hard work and determination have created.
In our society, women are judged far more for their clothes than men. If a man’s pants are too short during an interview, he has no style but is still qualified for the job. However, if a women’s shirt is too low or her heels are too high, then she is unprofessional and unqualified for the position. Sexism is an underlying trend that inhibits women’s growth in the professional world and is a significant roadblock in many women’s attempt to capitalize on the opportunities that their hard work and determination have created.
O and her enterprise are trying to fix this trend, and their hard work has helped many women seize their opportunities. However, it is also essential that we as a society take a hard look in the mirror and realize that we must stop determining qualifications by the way someone dresses and instead focus on the quality of their work.
O is…
- 31 Years-Old
- Female, Cisgender
- Black
- Christian
- Middle Class
- Straight
