Will You Donate Your Suit to the Job Seekers?
The power of a suit in the workplace is not to be underestimated, according to the nationwide Men’s Wearhouse Well-Dressed Men Survey conducted earlier this year by Kelton Research for Men’s Wearhouse, which offers men’s formal and professional attire.
A full 75 percent of Americans polled believe well-dressed men are more successful in the workplace than their casual colleagues, and 22 percent of men actually believe they would earn more money if only they dressed better.
So, for the fourth year, Men’s Wearhouse has held a National Suit Drive for collection of gently used professional attire. The company devoted the month of August to encouraging patrons to transform their unwanted businesswear into a second chance for millions of disadvantaged Americans facing joblessness.
Despite recent job increases in select industries, Men’s Wearhouse says that the unemployment rate is still hovering just above an alarming 9 percent. It says according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of July 2011:
- African-Americans are experiencing a 16.2 percent unemployment rate — almost 1.8 times the national average of 9.2 percent.
- The U.S. Latino population is experiencing an 11.6 percent unemployment rate.
- U.S. males are experiencing a 9.1 percent unemployment rate, while U.S. females are facing an 8.0 percent rate.
With just days remaining to donate to the drive, 80,449 items have been collected at more than 900 Men’s Wearhouse locations around the country, including 9,027 suits.
August 31 is the final day stores will be accepting donations to the drive.
