In a survey of top leaders and elected officials in Hardin County, they were asked about the top 3 issues they believe Hardin County is and will continue to face in the future. Consistently, workforce development was listed. It was unanimous after discussion that workforce development is our top concern. We have a large number of industry jobs available, with no seemingly willing candidates to take them.

In a further discussion with leaders and hiring managers, it was brought to our attention that often times, individuals show up to interviews in jeans or leggings, and that hiring managers will not give those individuals an opportunity to be offered the job. They felt that the interview should be when you dress your nicest and give your best impression, and that individuals who could not even put on better pants would not commit themselves to the job.

The Hardin County Family and Consumer Sciences Program, lacking space and logistics to complete this on their own, approached the Career Services director at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College with the idea to start a donation closet for professional clothing. That this would allow individuals who did not own or could not afford professional clothing for interviews the opportunity to receive them, dress nicely, and hopefully obtain the job they otherwise would not be considered for.

The Career Services Director invited a student counselor from the Success Center who identified this as a great need for their students. She had met with 7 young women in that week alone who had gone to job interviews in black leggings. When she asked them why they felt those were acceptable, ALL girls told her that they were told to wear black pants and leggings were the only black pants they owned, so they felt those would be better than any other pant simply because of their color.

So, the clothing closet was born. Hardin County Adult Education recently moved into the ECTC Campus and had available space, so they agreed to collaborate as well and provide the location.

Secondhand First Impressions was born. The professional clothing closet will not only provide acceptable interview wear for both men and women in Hardin County at no cost, but will also offer career, academic and financial management resources. Our intent is to not only help the individual get the job, but to help them keep the job as well.

A packet of interview do's and don'ts, tips for keeping your job, budgeting basics and other services will be given out to each individual who uses the closet. We will also collect contact information of those who receive clothing, and will follow up with those individuals to ask if they got the job, and how we can assist them with keeping their job and stretching their new paycheck. 

In the first two days of being open, more than 10 individuals donated over 100 pieces of professional clothing, and one individual sought clothing for an interview. The closet has now expanded and is being used by youth interviewing for leadership programs, drug court participants looking for attire suitable for court days, and more.