Since the onslaught of the “economic drop”, 24Seven Talent, a leader in the industry for fashion job placement has been inundated with questions and resumés from the community asking for jobs.
While Nolcha is devoted to the Fashion Entrepreneur, the goal is to build and guide talented fashion professionals throughout their careers, whether they are ready to start their own label or not… therefore with the assistance of 24Seven themselves, below are tips for securing a job in fashion.
To start the job search process on needs a resumé. This is the first thing anyone will see from you even before your face or your work. Many fashion competitons and runway exhibitions require them as well, to be considered for acceptance, therefore a proper working resumé is essential no matter the position you desire.
It is important to select key words within the document as a lot of companies utilize an applicant tracking system that searches for key words.
Use action verbs, like "created", "managed", "implemented", designed", "presented" "integrated", "communicated", etc.
Include quantitative achievements, such as "increased sales by 10%", "managed staff of 10 designers overseas", "implemented a new process", etc.
Use resume builder as a tool for lay-out. Please note that even though you are in a creative industry making your resume bold, larger than average, thick as a lookbook or generally unreadable with tricky fonts will not help your cause. Be causious choose a font that is no smaller than 10pt and no larger than 12 pt. Avoid lots of script and please do not choose a separate “Artistic Font” just for your name, it looks tacky and egocentric.
“Resume writing is a numbers game. Every keyword in your resume is a point towards hitting page one on a potential employer's search result.” – says Kathleen O'Grady, Director of Recruiting at 24 Seven ”and choosing the right words, she says, takes more than a few lucky guesses. It requires some homework to make sure the words you use lead you to your ideal job - or at least to the interview table."
When choosing the correct verbiage to summarize your skills, think less like a fashion professional and more like a Search Engine. Both career sites (like www.monster.com), recruiters and human resources departments of your favorite fashion companies all start by looking for keywords throughout the thousands of resumes they receive, that fit the job they need filled.
Here are some basic guidelines rating your keywords:
1. Keywords that most commonly describe the position title and industry segment you're applying for. (ie. Senior Designer, Marketing Director, Entertainment)
2. Experience listed as "preferred" or "required" skills in job descriptions, usually found in the first two sentences (ie. Excellent oral and written communication skills, working knowledge of Action Script 3, Illustrator and Photoshop, etc.)
3. Names of companies or top brands you've worked for.
4. Keywords related to industry trends or business strategy (ie. Recruiting, store launch strategy, customer retention, cost reduction, etc.).
5. Active leadership words (ie. Managed, designed, created, upgraded, oversaw, etc.)
6. Technology, e-commerce, software and hardware. (ie. Illustrator, Photoshop, Tech Paks, Powerpoint, etc.)
7. Personal and Company values (ie. Progressive, forward-thinking, design style descriptors, etc.)
8. Top educational requirements
What if your career choice is one that requires a portfolio? Your book should be not only the creative expression of you as a talent… but an echo of your resume. If you stress the fact that you daily use InDesign, the book should not start with free form drawings.Place your most recent work at the front of the book. There should be no loose pages of pieces that are not secured, sized oddly or cumbersome when the viewer flips through. Try to make each period of your work be equally represented, and if it you are looking for your first full time position after university show a variety of successful projects and not just your graduating piece. For fashion designers, balance the editorial and on-line content with images of things shot with detail so the viewer can see the construction. For photographers, having an entire book of mediochre tears will hurt you more than showing your best tears and some tests you have produced on your own that really encompass your true talent. Either way you want to create a story, so the entire book should flow. It does not need to be in order, with the exception of placing the more recent work first. Just like your career, a book should be a building block upward, so as your career advances and experience greatens, so should the work you display.
Always have a leave behind for any company to take after an interview. If they are asking for a portfolio to be shipped without you in person, place your leave behind in the back so they can grab one themselves. Garner the in person interview? Take the time to hand them the piece, or if you really want to dazzle and it makes sense for the type of position you are interviewing for… then customize a specific leave behind for that business (but DO NOT try to redesign something that they are already doing well… that will read as an insult).
The interview stage is tough, and should be prepared for. Employers no longer have the budget to make a mistake in hiring a candidate that is the wrong fit, so they are taking their time to find out through sometimes several meetings if not only the skills, but the personality will work within their already active environment.
"Candidates need to prepare for a job interview just like they would train for a marathon," says Nicole Tebo, Recruiting Director at 24 Seven's Los Angeles office. "Too often people figure they can just wing it and that's a gross miscalculation in today's market where the competition is stiff."
The key ways to prepare are to research the company you are interviewing with, if you can physically go into one of their stores/businesses. Purchase something they work on, and or play around with their website, do so… and do it for more than 5 minutes. Size up their shelves, click through every web tab, read every magazine they publish…
State your benefits in tangible items. This should go back to your resume, but really reinforce the success you have created for other companies What's your potential value to the company? What would you do, if hired, to immediately have an impact on the business? What examples can you offer about ways you have increased business for past employers?
And again, although this is the fashion business dress appropriately. If you are interviewing for a job with Ralph Lauren, you do not need to swaddle yourself in your own designs and militantly talk about the fact that “this is all you will wear”. Keep in mind that you want the company to remember you and your skills, not your wacky purple suit, or shaggy vintage fur. Your style should be exuded through your portfolio, not your wardrobe. Now this is not to say that a boring navy suit is demanded even in the fashion industry… just put your best foot forward, make an error on the side business vs. casual, make certain that any “private” areas are appropriately covered (and by that we do not mean sheer fabric or spandex) and splurge on drycleaning and a lint roller.
Simple human gestures will also work in your favor… look people in the eye when speaking to them and not down at the desk or your hands. Shake peoples hand appropriately and not meekly, remember the names of those that are going to interview you. Take a deep breath, relax and let them see the real you. Do not complain… about anything… not how long it took you to get there in traffic, how long you had to wait to be seen, how far the office is from your favorite lunch spot, how rude the other people in the waiting room were… nothing! Be prepared to answer some of these key questions…
- Why should we hire you?
- Why do you want to work here?
- What are your greatest weaknesses? Strengths?
- Describe a problem situation and how you solved?
- What accomplishment are you most proud of?
- Tell me about yourself?
- Where do you see yourself five years from now?
- Do you have any questions for us?
When it comes to the “Do you have any questions for us?” do come up with a question. Select some in advance (that do not have to do with salary, that topic will arise later when the company is interested in hiring you, but do research how much the position you are interviewing for usually pays and look at the salaries of employees at competing firms), really listen to what is being discussed in your interview and from the previously selected questions based on your research, ask something valid to THE SPECIFIC COMPANY with which you are interviewing.
Your talent may be steps above the rest, now is the time to learn to sell yourself so the world can start to recognize your skills.
-Lynn Furge is the Creative Director of Nolcha: Fashion Business Services; a leading operator of educational, event outlets, and business-to-business services devoted to fashion entrepreneurs and related retail businesses. Her expertise lie in the luxury and creative markets.
“I find that higher end magazines, like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, still focus on luxury goods with high price points, while shopping magazines, like Lucky., feature goods at all price points,” said Ehmonie Hainey, editor in chief at What’s Haute magazine. Conversely, Kathryn Finney, Chief Shopping Officer at The Budget Fashionista, noticed that Harpers Bazaar’s price points have been trending lower for almost two years. Aspirational shopping will never go out of style and with magazines, blogs and e-zines presenting stylish options at affordable price points, it makes it easier for recessionistas to get that oh so desired look. “I think now, more than ever, editors and stylists are being held accountable for the price points of products that they shoot on page,” commented Zoey Washington, co-founder of little biRd style and former fashion editor at Essence.
“Lately you see more and more high end labels being accessed by smaller, online publications, but where it really gets interesting is in the blogosphere,” Washington appraised. “Because of the growing influence of prominent fashion blogs and retail-zines, designers are really embracing online outlets because it translates into trackable sales,” she concluded.
