• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1996-11-21_Vol62_No14_05

otfje Astern Carolinian Features Thursday, November 2119% 5 Career Fashion Show Models Corporate Attire CHRISTINE KUHN CONTRIBUTING WRITER WCU's exclusive models hit the runway with an executive splash last Thursday at the Career Fashion Show held in the Ramsey Center's Hospitality Room. Sponsored by the Fashion Merchandising Association and Career Services Office, this spectacular event could not have taken place without the dedicated work of Kara Corpening, President of FMA. Featured on the 9-to-5 corporate catwalk were both appropriate and inappropriate skirt lengths—the most inappropriate, of course, being thigh-high micro skirts. This contrast was accomplished through a "night on the town" versus "office" scene. The office scene featured classic double-breasted skirt suits shown with trendy blouses underneath. Bifurcated garments were also featured in the form of cigarette pants, Gap- looking chinos, and corduroys. These were blended with a neutral-colored miniature tiger printed silk blouse with a thin cocoa silk matching scarf to tone it down. A rusty rainbow- colored zigzag button-down and basic black pilgrim-style shoes were not considered too trendy for the casual corporate world, as long as the ensemble is worn correctly. Corporate-casual men sported the "Dockers" look, made for the office, as well as afternoon golf. Walking arm- in-arm with coordinating women, the men were dressed in colorful cardigans over simple button-downs matched with corduroys. Attire for those inevitable corporate parties featured men with polished tuxedos, while the women wore simple yet elegant dresses. The dresses featured were empire-style with added designs such as crisscross back straps, and lengths that varied from the ankle to just above the knee. One guy intentionally showed an example of how not to dress. His pants were too short, too tight and simply did not match anything else he was wearing. A hilarious but professional skit called "Goofus and Gallant" was also acted out. This showed two men who were applying for a job. Before, throughout and after the interview, "Gallant" expressed interest in the position and did all the correct things, while "Goofus" was wrong on everything. [See "Goofus and Gallant at the Job Interview," below.] Later, Dr. Rita Noel of the business department spoke on WCU students showcase latest fashions. the topic of International Etiquette. Her focus was on international differences and similarities. In the international marketplace, it is important that we get rid our ethno- centrism, and realize that there is not just one way to handle business. She explained that eye contact is inappropriate in some countries, whereas we in America are taught the importance of looking people in the eye. In America, personal space is essential, but in countries like South America, "to feel your breath is to enjoy your spirit." Learning to observe the PHOTO SANDRA GRUNWELL world around us will get us a lot further than thinking that our customs are the best. It is important to understand that mistakes will be made, and we just have to keep on trying to break down that communication barrier. Goofus and Gallant at the Job Interview DAVE BONYUN CONTRIBUTING WRITER NARRATOR: If you think back to your early childhood you may remember Highlights magazine. It's the one in all the doctor's and dentist's offices with the Goofus and Gallant cartoon strip. In this cartoon, Gallant is always making the right decisions while Goofus seems to be a little less competent when it comes to good decision-making skills. Goofus and Gallant have grown up and they are both trying to get a job with Prospect Technologies. Let's watch as they plan, prepare for, and then attend their interview with Mr. Smith. MR. SMITH: I let both candidates know about the interview well in advance so they would have time to prepare. I scheduled Mr. Gallant for Monday the 11th and Mr. Goofus for Tuesday the 12th. GOOFUS: I decided to show Mr. Smith the real me. I mean, I'm not stupid. I wore a suit and everything, but I figured if I spent a lot of time researching the company it would make me look like I was sucking up. Why should I try to be something I'm not? GALLANT: I spent two weeks researching Prospect. I tried to familiarize myself with their products, the key people in the organization, their major competitors, and their mission statement. I also tried to anticipate some of the questions Mr. Smith would ask me and then formatted some responses for them. I wanted to make myself stand out as an applicant. MR. SMITH: I generally encourage applicants to relax on the night before an interview. GOOFUS: I knew I had to be at Prospect at 8:30, so I decided not to go out. Instead I stayed at home, watched a movie and had a few cans of Milwaukee's Best. Well, more than a few, but I drank a lot of water before I went to bed so it was cool. GALLANT: I was feeling a little nervous about the big interview so I made an effort to relax. I called'home and talked to Mom. I promised to send her money for her operation if I got the job. I made sure my suit was pressed and my shoes were polished. Before I went to sleep, I reviewed the information I had on Prospect Technologies and wrote down some questions I wanted to have answered. MR. SMITH: I like to schedule my interviews for early in the morning. That way I can be at my best. GOOFUS: So my alarm went off at 7:00...and at 7:10...and at 7:20...and at 7:30. At seven forty I realized I had over slept. I jumped out of bed, stuck my head under the sink to rinse out my bedhead, slapped on some Stetson and grabbed my suit. It was a little wrinkled but I figured I'd tell them the dry cleaner messed up. I was still running a little late so I skipped breakfast, grabbed my papers, and headed out the door. GALLANT: I got up at 6:30, took a nice hot shower, brushed my teeth and hair. I made myself a high-fiber, low- cholesterol breakfast of oatmeal, juice, and a slice of melon. After breakfast I got dressed, gathered all my papers, and headed out the door. It was nice not to have to rush. GOOFUS: As I was driving I realized I was going to be late. I figured a good excuse could make all the difference. I thought about telling them I got stuck in traffic, but eventually decided to go with car trouble since I could use that to explain my wrinkled suit. Still, I felt a little nervous so I smoked a couple of cigarettes to help me relax. GALLANT: During the drive I tried to picture in my mind the perfect employee for Prospect. I then thought about how I could present my experiences so I could accent those qualities. I arrived at Prospect 25 minutes before the sched uled interview time. I introduced myself to the receptionist, complimented her on the cross-stitch bunny rabbit that she had on her desk, then spent the next ten minutes reviewing informational pamphlets in the waiting room. Mr. Smith called me into his office at 8:30. GOOFUS: I got to Prospect ten minutes late. I told the secretary about the car trouble. I think I impressed her. She had tears in her eyes as she complemented me on my mixture of Stetson and Marlboro cigarettes. I sat in the waiting room for a couple of minutes, then was shown into Mr. Smith's office. GALLANT: When I greeted Mr. Smith I made sure I had a firm, but not crushing, handshake and that I kept good eye contact. I read somewhere that the first 30 seconds are the most important part of the interview. MR. SMITH: I liked Mr. Gallant right off. He had a firm, dry handshake and he looked me right in the eye. Mr. Goofus was another story. GOOFUS: So I was saying hello to Mr. Smith when I noticed this really cool ship in a bottle that he had sitting on his desk. I figured this would be a great way to start a conversation so I remarked that I could never figure out how they got those ships in there. Unfortunately, when I picked it up, one of the masts fell off. I let Mr. Smith know that he probably got cheated if he paid more than five bucks for it. MR. SMITH: It took me four years to make that ship. It was an exact replica of the schooner Pearl upon which my great grandfather sailed. GALLANT: I waited for Mr. Smith to invite me to sit down. GOOFUS: I took the first available seat. MR. SMITH: I generally like to start off my interviews by having the person tell me a little bit about his or herself. GALLANT: Mr. Smith asked me to tell him a little bit about myself. I avoided controversial topics and instead focused on issues that related to my ability to excel if hired by Prospect. GOOFUS: Mr. Smith asked me to tell him a little bit about myself. I mentioned that I was planning on becoming a teacher, but I figured there were too many liberal Baptists in education so I decided to go into business. MR. SMITH: As president of the local chapter of the Southern Baptists for Clinton, I was a little taken aback by some of Mr. Goofus' remarks. GALLANT: I made an effort to mirror the body language of Mr. Smith. I tried to keep a pleasant face and to answer his questions as directly as possible. GOOFUS: I made sure I looked relaxed. I apologized for my lack of experience, but made sure he knew that I would do a great job if he only gave me a chance. When he asked me questions, I tried to answer indirectly to make it look like I had more experience. MR. SMITH: I liked Mr. Gallant. I can't really put my finger on it, but it seemed like we had a lot in common. I was less impressed with Mr. Goofus. He slouched in his cV\air and 1 never felt like 1 -was getting a complete answer from him. After the interview, I like to ask the candidates if they have any questions. GALLANT: I asked Mr. Smith about the duties for which I would be responsible and about the culture of the organization. GOOFUS: I asked about salary and vacation time. MR. SMITH: I don't like to make hasty decisions about hiring. I generally tell a candidate that I'll let him know within a week. GALLANT: When I got home I wrote a thank-you letter to Mr. Smith. In the letter I went over some of the points I enjoyed in the interview and expressed my continued interest in working for Prospect. I also created a list of areas where I felt I. could improve so I could do better on my next interview. GOOFUS: I figured the interview did not go as well as I had hoped. But then when I thought about it, I figured if they couldn't accept me for who 1 am, then I didn't want to work for them anyway. MR. SMITH: A coupler^ days after the interviews I received a nice thank-you letter from Mr. Gallant. It just confirmed my decision to hire him. I never heard from Mr. Goofis, but I did send him a letter letting him know that we had decided to go with someone else. GALLANT: I was so happy when I was offered the job. I've been working for Prospect for six months now and everything is great. Mom got her operation and is now in Kenya doing missionary work. I met a wonderful girl and am getting married. GOOFUS: I'm still looking for that perfect job. MR. SMITH: I've been thrilled with Mr. Gallant's performance at Prospect. The fact that he is marrying my little Elizabeth is just icing on the cake. WCU Business Club Members Visit New York Thirteen members of WCU's Economics, Finance and International Business Club recently went to New York City. They were chaperoned by Grace Allen, assistant professor of finance, and her husband, Bill May. While in NYC, club members visited the financial district including the Federal Reserve, the New York Society of Security Analysts, and the New York Stock Exchange. In addition, the students went to the Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center, Empire State Building, Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and various Broadway plays. They ate in various ethnic restaurants and shopped on 5th Avenue. To help with trip expenses, each student sent four letters to WNC businesses asking them to contribute to this educational trip. Local businesses that contributed include Giovanni's Pizza (Taylorsville); Walker Insurance Agency (Taylorsville); the office of Sam M. Underwood, CPA (Waynesville); and Mills Manufacturing Corporation (Asheville); and Clyde Savings Bank (Asheville). The following club members participated in the New York trip: Craig Allgood, Chris Carroll, Paul Farquharson, Troy Gaunt, Kerri Gibson, Tim Hayzip, Art Hirschfeld, Dan Painchaud, Ronnie Joe Philips, Herve Plutino, Billy Reneau, Julie Sanders, and Fassetta Seay. COURTESY OF OPI

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1996-11-21
  • Date digitized: 2019-12-04
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.5" x 14"
  • Pages: 12 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1996-11-21_Vol62_No14
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library