YOUR CAREER IN FASHION AWAITS
Are you looking to score your first full-time role in a fashion head office? Whether your dream is to be in fashion buying, marketing or retail training, look no further. We’ve created a simple guide that can help prepare you for that next step.
A career in a fashion support office can be yours if you’re willing to work from the ground up. It’s a competitive field, so your main priorities should be getting your foot in the door and soaking up all the juicy knowledge given to you along the way. Each career path will involve slightly different stepping stones to get you to your dream goal, but I am sure my fellow RÈLIER Angels would agree that the best way to get your foot in the door is to get your start on the shop floor.
Image credit: @alemais.official & @lizsunshine
FASHION DESIGN
If you're dreaming of a career as a fashion designer, it's important to equip yourself with the right skill set, long before you graduate.
Our top tips to score that first fashion design role :
Complete 6-12 months’ worth of design-specific internship. This not only gives you an authentic insight into the industry, but also gives you priceless practical experience that you can’t gain anywhere else.
It’s true what they say, in the world of fashion you must start from the ground up. Volunteer in fashion festivals as frequently as possible, as well as working in retail whilst completing your degree are two crucial ways to showcase your commitment, practise your people skills, get close to the product and the consumer and have the right fashion names on your resume before that special role is advertised.
Lastly, now’s the time to really work on making your resume stand out from the crowd. Don’t be humble when it comes to presenting yourself, it’s time to show em’ what you can really do. Highlight any awards, achievements and accolades from your study in your resume and always make sure you have an updated portfolio… you never know what networking opportunity could pop up at a moment’s notice.
MARKETING
Making it in marketing isn’t an easy task, especially when it comes to the fashion and beauty industry. The field is competitive, so you need to figure out how to set yourself apart from the bunch and ensure you’re able to grasp every opportunity that comes your way.
Our top tips to score your first role in fashion marketing:
Image credit: @alemais.official & @lizsunshine
As we previously mentioned with fashion design, employers will be looking for both education and real-world industry experience. You must have completed 6-12 months of marketing-specific internships, alongside the relevant degree to ensure you’re employable as soon as, if not before you graduate.
The same goes for getting your start on the shop floor. Why not ask your employer if you can intern one day a week while you’re in retail? It’s mutually beneficial as the trust is already built, but you get to gain all that juicy extra knowledge from up above! Having a retail role with a great fashion brand is a good way to have strong brands on your resume before you graduate.
It’s important to ensure that you have all of your paperwork in order, as you never know who you could meet at an industry event. Obtain written references & recommendations from your internships, along with preparing your creative resume and portfolio to pass along at a moment’s notice; we’d hate for you to miss an opportunity because you weren’t prepared. Once your pretty piece of paper is ready to go, it’s time to network, network, network!
BUYING
Buying is another incredibly competitive department that requires you to really do your time and get as much experience as possible, even before that first entry level role is available.
Our top tips to help you stand out as an applicant for your first buying role:
First things first, you’ve got to get educated. Buying is a numbers game, so it’s important to be well-equipped with an Undergrad in Business or Fashion Business. Alternatively, you can look into a Diploma in Retail Merchandising and Management, a Diploma of Applied Fashion Design & Merchandising or a Master in Fashion. Certificates in Buying or Merchandising are also great taste testers prior to committing to a full bachelor's degree.
We can’t forget about a buyer’s best friend, Excel. This program will be your bread and butter day to day, so completing a short course and advancing your Excel skills will ensure you are miles ahead of the crowd, making your application truly stand out.
Whilst you’re studying up a storm, why not kill two birds with one stone and work in a retail role for your dream brand at the same time? You’re probably thinking we sound like a broken record at this point, but we meant it when we said that you’ve got to work from the ground up! Fashion roles don’t come easy, and extensive shop floor experience never goes unnoticed. This, along with the relevant internship, will get your foot in the door and allow you to build great connections later down the line.
TRAINING
A career as a Retail Training Manager can be yours if - *say it with me* you’re willing to work from the ground up! Do your time in store leadership roles and don’t be in a rush to climb to the top. This is where you’ll learn the fundamental skills of being a training manager. After all, you’ve got to gain first-hand experience in these store-level roles in order to be a successful and knowledgeable trainer.
Our top tips on being a star applicant for a Training & Development position:
Image credit: @alemais.official & @lizsunshine
It’s important to become a top performing store manager at a retail company that is right for you. Not all retail businesses have training managers, so start putting in the hard yards at a company with the right T&D progression opportunities available. Work your way up the retail hierarchy and ensure you have a minimum of 2-3 years of experience as a successful senior manager in multiple locations before applying to other companies with these progression opportunities.
Showcase your leadership skills by implementing new processes and training opportunities in your store and measure outcomes. Volunteer to train other new store managers or new starters and ask to co-facilitate inductions that your training manager runs. Be open to making lateral moves to manage other stores in other locations within your company and ensure your current location outperforms all others to be considered as a competitive applicant for the role.
And lastly, consider other multisite opportunities on a smaller scale in-between. Some retail companies have training coordinators and Area Trainers - this is generally a great next step for senior store managers. However if your company only has national level roles, you’ll need to work through Cluster, Area or Regional roles first before you can apply for the golden ticket. to T&D.
Hopefully, our wise words have inspired you to put your best foot forward and get started on your journey from the shop floor and beyond. Our fashion recruiters are always ready to talk about career goals, progression opportunities and the steps you need to take to be living your best life as a fashion guru. Head to the Job Board to see where this newfound, motivational magic could take you, or slide into one of our recruiter's DMs for a little career chit-chat and some personalised words of wisdom.
Until next time,
Your Relier Angels xx