A Triangle organization that prides itself with getting women back to work is celebrating its 10,000th client.
Since 2008, Dress for Success Triangle has helped thousands of women improve everything from their resume to their wardrobe in order to make a smooth transition back into the workforce.
Monique Tirado, 37, is Dress for Success’ 10,000th client. She moved from Queens, New York to Raleigh, North Carolina to find more sustainable work. When her plans hit a snag, she turned to Dress for Success.
“I immediately found a perfect outfit, I was just like, this is great," said Tirado. "And with them critiquing my resume and with their mock interviewing and my new outfit, I was ready to go.”
And Tirado got the job.
“They really are supportive. Their love, their compassion has really helped me even more so now that I have the job," said Tirdo. "They are still supportive and I am so grateful for that.”
Beth Briggs, the organization's executive director, said about 55 percent of Dress for Success clients in Orange, Durham and Wake counties get jobs the first go round.
"That 45 percent of women who are having more of a challenge getting a job, we take them through our job acquisition program – Going Places Network," said Briggs. "Seventy-four percent of those women are getting jobs."
Briggs said they start women off with a good resume and help in articulating their purpose.
“And then when a woman gets a job, she gets 5 outfits but she also becomes part of our professional women’s network. And this is where she has a network of women, it’s a job retention program in helping her keep her job.”
Briggs said they expect to serve 2,200 women in 2017.