3. Start While You’re in High School
Newberry and other recruitment experts paper their companies’ sites and social feeds with mood boards and ideas for not only different stages of recruitment, but also tailgates, study nights, and even dorm move-in day. In an Instagram carousel providing tips for move-in day (pack your car the night before!), Newberry includes a slide of “move-in day outfit inspo,” featuring a pastel rainbow of athleisure tennis skirts and dresses, chunky Hoka sneakers, and stylish, flowy track shorts for schlepping those extra-long sheets up the stairs.
“You never know when you’re going to meet your future employer or future husband,” Newberry says, “so why don’t you go ahead and put on an outfit you feel cute, classy, and confident in for move-in day? Because one, you might bump into an active in a sorority. Two, you might bump into your future employer. Maybe, like, a dad on the floor that’s moving his daughter in; they might try to hire you one day. So you want to put your best foot forward in all facets of life that’ll help you for rush, but then also for years to come after that.”
Newberry even coaches some girls as young as high school freshmen on etiquette and personal style, helping them steer clear of bikini pics and sloppy party photos on social media before they can even be posted.
“One of the main things that we start with with girls is the importance of representing yourself well online and picking out outfits for your senior-year events, for that senior photo shoot, for prom, that are classy and that you feel confident in,” she says. “Older girls are looking at younger girls’ social media before they even get to rush itself.”
4. Don’t Let Them See You Sweat. Seriously.
Be prepared for situations to get a little sweaty.
“I mean, it’s August in the South,” Newberry levels. She keeps up on continuing education and recently took a lesson on sweatproofing makeup to better advise her nervous clients, recommending they stash a bag with translucent setting powder, a towel to wipe off body sweat, oil blotting sheets, and clear roll-on deodorant for reapplication.
It’s important to be strategic in outfit planning as well, she says, like “picking fabrics that don’t show sweat as much.”
5. Logos Can Be No-Gos
Opinions on donning recognizable designer logos are mixed. Newberry says she advises girls to take a less-is-more approach.
“If you’re wearing something designer, let’s just do one piece and keep it on the down-low,” she says, “because being humble and people not knowing exactly who you’re wearing, but you carrying yourself in a classy way, is way more attractive than being flashy with Louis Vuitton shoes, belt, and earrings.” If you must indulge your logo-mania, she says, “just pick one [piece] and go with that.”
Darnell, however, meets the topic with a shrug.
“You should just dress in what makes you feel the best, because it’s such a nerve-racking experience,” she says. “These girls are nervous because they’re meeting these girls for the first time, and there is a lot of pressure built up behind it. If you wear something that’s comfortable, that you’re going to love, and that you’re going to feel good in, then your energy will be brought out. Myself, I will get dressed up if I’m going to go take an exam, because if I look good, I feel good, right? I am not, like, the fashion police or anything. Logos don’t bother me. I think it’s just that you should wear whatever makes you smile walking in there, whatever shows your personality.”
