Charity shops to offer job interview clothes for £10 in new initiative

People seeking work can dress to impress on the cheap under new scheme

Hundreds of charity shops across the UK are to sell clothes that are suitable for a job interview for £10 or less as part of a new initiative.

The “dress to impress” scheme aims to help jobseekers find attire more likely to help them wow potential bosses and secure work.

More than 650 charity shops will dedicate floor space to such apparel.

Charlie Taylor, founder of careers app Debut, which is behind the plan, said: “Everyone in the UK can benefit from this campaign – jobseekers can pick up a great outfit on a budget and feel interview-ready, while everyone else can get involved and donate their own pre-loved interview attire that they no longer need to help a number of fantastic causes.

“The idea stemmed from a piece of research we did that revealed that seven in every 10 people aged 16 to 23 are confused about what to wear for an interview.”

Robin Osterley, chief executive of the Charity Retail Association, added: “Charity shops play a vital role in every community, making them a perfect place to help this campaign start conversations about finding work, give people a helping hand to get into employment, or source a fantastic interview outfit for a good price.

“The initiative is extremely relevant today as competition for jobs is increasing, and people are looking for ways to save money during the application process.

“Often education around what to wear is also missing and this campaign helps to overcome that while supporting great causes across the UK.”

Additional reporting by PA