Having spent months interning and being everyone’s errand boy/girl, applying for numerous positions, polishing your resume the best way possible while at the same time attending one round of interviews after another, you have finally been offered a job trial in the fashion industry. However, all your previous experience and the fact you are well familiar with the fashion trends are simply not enough for you to succeed in this cruel world. The first couple of months at a new job are crucial so you will need to master some new skills and refresh the old ones to show everyone you are the right person for the job. Look no further because here are some effective tips on how to land the first job in the fashion industry.
Your attitude matters
What people notice first about a person are the clothes they are wearing. Since you are now a part of the fashion world, you must pay special attention to how you dress. But, if you don’t have a positive and friendly attitude then it absolutely doesn’t matter what you wear. Having a favorable attitude combined with a cheerful and outgoing personality will help you get along nicely with your colleagues and facilitate the adjustment period to your new workplace. Moreover, being confident and determined to succeed will take you further than any outfit. Most of all it will make you stand out proving to your superiors they made a great decision in hiring you.
Keep up
The fashion industry is constantly changing as the trends evolve. To keep up with those continuous changes, you need to advance and improve too. The best way to do so is to be on the alert for the latest fashion news and trends, as well as production, transportation and distribution novelties.
Think about signing up for a course that will help you stay in the know. According to a new master’s degree in fashion design in Barcelona, students should be both theoretically and practically equipped for overcoming any challenge they may encounter in the fashion world while at the same time attending international talks and conferences in major fashion capitals.
Moreover, in your workplace, you are surrounded by this industry’s veterans and experts. So why not use this first-hand experience and learn the tricks of the trade. You can certainly learn a lot from them while at the same time creating a wide network of strong and influential people in fashion.
Always ask questions and request feedback
No matter your internship experience, there are still many things you don’t know about the business. You may be familiar with how certain problems are dealt with in theory, but the practice is a whole different level. So when you come across anything you are unsure about or don’t know how it should be done, don’t hesitate to ask anyone who might be able to help you, whether they are your supervisors or bosses. Keep in mind, silly or stupid questions don’t exist and it is much better for you to ask than to work at your discretion and screw it up. Always ask when in doubt.
Apart from asking questions, you should always request feedback either through separate meetings or a casual conversation with your bosses. It is a good way to determine whether you have applied all necessary skills in resolving the issue in question and to help you grow and develop professionally as well. It doesn’t only show you are genuinely interested in the job but also responsible enough to get it done properly.
Take action
It is time to step out of your comfort zone and start paying attention to how the fashion world functions. You have been assigned with certain daily or weekly tasks to complete but that isn’t all you should do. Upon completing them, don’t just sit and wait for your supervisors to provide you with new ones. Instead, look around, see what else can be done, step up and do it. Showing initiative and deciding to act on it will be beneficial for you, as it demonstrates your ability to work independently, and the company as well since the fashion industry is an ever-evolving one and the bosses cannot always delegate on time. This way you will become indispensable to the company and a valuable asset.
Always be available
Given how this is your first job, you still don’t have any reputation built in the fashion industry. This is why it is extremely important to be accessible and reachable whenever your team or supervisors need you. If there is a crisis in the office and they cannot reach you, then that is a huge minus and in the process of ensuring your position, every little detail matters. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be glued to your phone or spend every hour of your time at your workplace, but do check your phone and email often in case there is an emergency. Especially during your first year at a new job, you should put quite some time and effort into building a rapport with your colleagues and superiors.
Become the master of social networks
We are living in the world in which having profiles and being active on social media is a must. Just like many other industries, the fashion one is using this feature to its advantage for presenting their products and maintaining a relationship with its consumers. They have grown in importance and developed into being effective means of getting what you want.
As an employee in fashion, your social media presence is a powerful tool that you can use to build a personal brand and a strong reputation in the fashion world. Still, with such great power comes much greater responsibility. You should be really careful with publishing content as your coworkers and bosses can see it and if it is unprofessional and unethical then it can seriously backfire. Prior to posting anything, ask yourself whether the content violates any convictions that align with those of your company’s.
Eventually, remember that it took you a long time and hard work to reach where you are now. There is a long way ahead but don’t forget to enjoy the ride because you are in it for the passion and thrill it evokes in you. The trial job requires great patience and confidence but with these simple and easy to follow pieces of advice, you will surely show everyone that you are the perfect fit for the company.
Image by Ahmad Ardity from Pixabay
