Dress for Success Prepares Youth for Professional Opportunities

June 24, 2026

When Charla Jae walked into Dress for Success Chicago last week, she expected to leave with professional clothing. Instead, one of the most valuable lessons she took away had nothing to do with blazers, dress pants, or accessories.

“My favorite part was learning about how to brand myself and how to present myself to different companies when I’m going for an interview,” Charla said.

The morning began with introductions before participants split into groups for workshops focused on personal branding and interview preparation. They learned practical skills such as maintaining eye contact during interviews and presenting themselves professionally in workplace settings.

Afterward, each young woman participated in a personalized styling session with Dress for Success staff and volunteers. Working one-on-one, they selected professional outfits tailored to their needs and future goals.

“I got two blouses, a blazer and then some work pants,” Charla said.

The visit came at an ideal time. Charla already has a summer job, and many of the participating youth will spend the summer gaining professional experience through internships, employment opportunities, or Mercy Home’s Summer Career Institute.

“This year, they reserved the whole morning for our group specifically,” said Mercy Home’s Vice President of Education and Career Resources Liz Kuhn Tomka. “They brought in four volunteers and their staff. They were able to do rotations including some instruction around personal branding as well as job interview preparation and then the personal styling appointments.”

Planning for the event began during the winter as Mercy Home’s Education and Career Resources team looked for ways to prepare young people for upcoming career opportunities.

“The idea is that they can get professional clothing so that they can interview or wear them to their summer jobs or internships,” Tomka said.

“Since this year ECR was doing the Job Skills event and they were working on getting appropriate attire for the youth, I thought this is the perfect time to try and connect Mercy Home to Dress for Success,” Kistner said.

She also hoped the experience would introduce young people to additional community resources they can rely on in the future.

“I thought it would be a good way to show the girls that there are other supports in the community that they can reach out to for help in their ongoing journey to secure employment,” Kistner said.

For Tomka, the partnership provided another benefit as well.

“It’s nice for the kids to hear it from people outside of Mercy Home coworkers,” she said. “It’s also nice for them to be paired with female role models since it is an all-female organization.”

As the young women prepare for summer jobs, internships, and future careers, the lessons they learned at Dress for Success may prove just as valuable as the outfits they brought home.

After all, as Charla learned, success starts with how you present yourself—and the confidence to believe you belong.

Our thanks to Dawn Matune and the team at Dress for Success Chicago for encouraging our young people.