Unlocking Potential: Tips for a Successful Career Transition to Fashion

Thinking about making a career switch into the fashion industry? The secret to thriving in this dynamic field boils down to having a strategic approach that focuses on effectively showcasing your transferable skills. Check out some valuable tips from our talent matchmakers that can help you demonstrate your strengths and succeed in your fashion career.

Identify Your Transferable Skills

First things first, take a moment to assess your existing skill set. Even if you haven't worked directly in the fashion industry, rest assured that you've gained numerous transferable skills throughout your professional journey. These soft skills can fall into categories like communication, problem-solving, creativity, leadership, and adaptability. The key here is to recognize your strengths and align them with the demands of the fashion industry. This way, you can construct a compelling narrative that highlights the value you bring to the table.

Customize Your Resumes and Cover Letters

When it comes to effectively communicating your capabilities to potential employers in the fashion industry, customization is the name of the game. Tailor your resumes and cover letters to emphasize relevant experiences and achievements that showcase your adaptability, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. Shine a spotlight on projects or initiatives where collaboration, deadline management, and attention to detail played a crucial role. Additionally, don't forget to showcase any fashion-related coursework, certifications, or workshops you've completed to underscore your commitment to continuous learning and acquiring industry-specific knowledge.

Leverage Networking Opportunities

Networking is a game-changer when it comes to transitioning into a new field. Seek out networking opportunities within the fashion industry to connect with professionals who can offer guidance and potential job leads. Attend industry events, become part of fashion-focused professional groups (there’s some great ones on LinkedIn), and make the most of online platforms to forge meaningful connections. Clearly articulate your passion for fashion and demonstrate how your transferable skills can contribute to the industry's growth. Actively seek out mentorship opportunities to gain valuable insights and guidance from seasoned professionals.

Pursue Internships and Volunteering

Internships and volunteering can be your golden ticket to gaining invaluable hands-on experience and bridging the gap between your existing skill set and the fashion industry. Look for fashion-related internships or volunteer positions that align with your personal interests. While these roles may be entry-level, they provide incredible opportunities to acquire practical knowledge, develop industry-specific skills, and expand your network within the fashion community. During the application process, highlight your transferable skills and express genuine enthusiasm for learning and making a meaningful contribution to the industry.

Embrace Continuous Learning and Skill Development

In the ever-evolving fashion industry, adaptability and a commitment to lifelong learning are vital for success. Stay up to date with the latest fashion trends, industry news, and technological advancements shaping the field. Make the most of online courses, workshops, and certifications to acquire specialized knowledge in areas such as fashion design, merchandising, marketing, or supply chain management. By demonstrating interest in expanding your skill set, you showcase your dedication to professional growth and ability to thrive in the fast-paced nature of the fashion industry.

By identifying and showcasing your transferable skills, customizing your application materials, leveraging networking opportunities, pursuing internships and volunteering, and embracing continuous learning, you'll lay a strong foundation for success in the fashion industry. As a leading staffing agency specializing in the fashion, home, and beauty industry, Emerging Blue is here to provide tailored solutions that connect talented individuals like yourself with exciting career opportunities. Whether you're seeking roles in design, merchandising, marketing, or other areas within the fashion, home, and beauty industry, we're here to help guide you through the recruitment process.

Referenced:

https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/how-to-demonstrate-transferable-skills-change-career-fashion-insider-advice/

Ready to Revamp your Resume?

As recruiters, we see hundreds of resumes every day and have learned what it takes to make your resume stand out from the rest. Your resume is typically the first opportunity for you to make a great impression with a potential employer. If you’re thinking of starting up a job search, here are five tips that will help you improve your resume and land your dream job:

1. Make it easy to read: Your resume should be easy to read and visually appealing. Try using bullet points and headers to break up large blocks of text and make important information stand out. Be careful with the usage of several fonts and colors, as this can make your resume look cluttered and unprofessional.

2. Quantify your achievements: Employers like to see examples of how you have contributed to your previous roles. Showcasing metrics and numbers to quantify your achievements and your impact at your previous position speaks volumes to your experience. Ex) instead of saying you "improved sales," say you "increased sales revenue by 15%."

3. Keep it concise: It’s important not to let your resume get too lengthy. A best practice is to keep it shorter than two pages, so make every word count. Avoid using filler words and focus on the most important information that showcases your skills and experience.

4. Summary statement: A strong summary or objective statement can grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager and encourage them to read on, making it a valuable addition to any resume. It should be brief but powerful, summarizing your experience, skills, and career goals in just a sentence or two.

5. Use a professional email address: Your email address may seem like a minor detail, but it can have a big impact on how potential employers perceive you. It is also helpful to include your phone number so that either the hiring manager or recruiter you’re working with can easily get in touch with you.

By following these tips, you can create a resume that stands out from other interviewees and showcases your skills and achievements most effectively. Remember, your resume is your first impression with potential employers, so make it count. If you ever need help writing your resume or would like a second opinion, we are always happy to be of help. Good luck with your job search!

Managing Employment Gaps

We hear all the time from candidates who have employment gaps in their resume about their concerns for how to speak to their gaps in their resume, as well as during job interviews. Great news though, employment gaps won’t disqualify you from a job. Forbes suggests that you should highlight the gaps, add context to the gaps in a cover letter, and always be transparent. Click here to read helpful ways to navigate the conversation.

Land a Job With These Courses!

Looking for your next job opportunity? Check out these 13 online courses that can help you land your next job. From designing and editing your LinkedIn profile to writing a cover letter, these online classes will surely set you up for success.

Register for Emerging Blue's Marketing Roundtable Virtual Event

Are you looking for your next marketing opportunity? Are you a recent or future graduate who has questions about the industry? Would you like interview support for your next marketing interview? If so, join us on December 9, 2020 at 12 p.m. pacific time as Emerging Blue talks with Marketing Leaders from the beauty and apparel industries. This is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and set yourself up for success for your next interview!

Roundtable Guests

Gail Jackson — Instructor at FIDM

Christina Wallace — Director, Growth Marketing at Mizzen+Main

Kelly Wyllie — Marketing & Advertising Executive

Cristina Martinho — Vice President, Marketing & E-Commerce at Palladio Beauty Group

Click here to register in advance for this marketing roundtable event!

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Tips for Getting Hired as an Apparel Wholesale Sales Representative

This week we are focusing on getting a career as a wholesale sales representative in the apparel industry. Our expert is Kimberley Nixon, COO of HealthHouse, with a background in sales & marketing and has also worked with brands such as Under Armour and Manduka.

Resume Highlights

When putting together your wholesale sales resume, be sure to include any recognizable brands you have worked for in the industry to help catch the hiring manager or recruiter’s attention.  

If you haven’t worked for a well-known brand, it can be helpful to call out who the brand is that you work for and how impressive they are in the industry to help the hiring manager understand your background. Nixon suggests “making sure something recognizable is showcased so the hiring manager can connect to it when scanning your resume, such as awards you’ve won or associations you are a part of .”

Another best practice is to have metrics on your resume such as territory size, revenue goals you’ve hit, how many people you’ve managed, etc. This is especially important in sales roles, as managers will look to see whether you’ve been able to hit sales goals and if your previous goals were similar to what they will expect for their role.

Interview Preparation

Most sales interviews rely on behavioral or situational questions. For more junior positions, Nixon depends on a few key screening questions for a phone interview to help her narrow down the pool of candidates. A few examples are to tell her about a time they’ve received poor customer service and what they would have done differently. She also asks them to give an example of a time they gave great customer service to show if they can think outside the box to solve issues for their clients.

When the interview is with more experienced sales candidates, Nixon likes to find out “what the candidate is looking for in a company and in their career to make sure the role is right for the candidate”.

We always recommend candidates prepare for their interview and have questions that show they have done their research on the brand, as well as the interviewer. Nixon feels it is important for the candidate to understand the trajectory of the company and how they grew so they can know who they will be working for and the story behind the products they will be selling.

LinkedIn Tips & Tricks

Nixon has several steps she takes when starting a job search to help her find a great candidate.  She first looks to her network for referrals, illustrating the importance of networking when you are searching for a new career. Join LinkedIn groups, reach out to 2nd degree connections that work for companies you admire and if you’re unemployed, consider writing a post that lets people know what kind of job you are interested in and the industry you’d like to work in.

Keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date and including pertinent info, such as times you’ve gone above and beyond for your current role or outstanding sales metrics, can show potential employers that you are ready to move up a level in your career. Nixon says she “looks down a rung on LinkedIn profiles to see if she can find anyone she feels can grow into the role”. She loves being a mentor and helping candidates who want to learn and can be trained in a role that will bring them to the next level.

Whether you are looking to continue a sales career in apparel or looking to break into the industry, these tips can help you get noticed, ace your interview and land that exciting new sales job!

How to get Hired as a Buyer

Welcome to our new series “Tips on Getting Hired As a …….” where we will share tips and tricks from the EB team, as well as our clients for being hired for specific positions within the fashion, home goods and beauty industries. We hope to help our candidates in knowing what hiring managers are looking for and to help hiring managers know how to narrow down their search and find that perfect candidate.

Resume Highlights

Hiring managers often look for skills that can be transferred from role to role so be sure to speak to these skills on your resume and in your interview. Examples for a Buyer role include strong negotiation and problem-solving skills.

Erin Hogue, who has worked in Merchandising for The Container Store and JC Penney and has handled the hiring of many Buyers and Assistant Buyers over the years, says she looks for “talent and past successes” that would complement the open role and then trains to the specifics of the role if needed. Since Buyers with experience in housewares can be hard to find, Hogue said “It’s not what the candidate bought previously that is important to me but more their skill level at negotiating, communication and problem solving”.

Interview Preparation

Give clear concise examples of times you have had successes as a Buyer that could translate well to the role you are interviewing for and expect to answer behavioral based questions. One question Hogue asks her Buyer candidates is to share an example of a time that they had a tough negotiation and looks for them to share what happened, how they problem solved and what the result was. Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Result, Method) will help you be sure to give a complete answer to these types of questions.

Also, be sure to research the company you are interviewing with! This is advice we give to all of our candidates, no matter what job they are interviewing for. It shows that you are serious about the role, excited about the company, and have respect for the time of the person you are interviewing with. As a hiring manger, Hogue appreciates that prior research by the candidate “allows for the conversation to transition to what they can bring to the company and what they will learn/gain from working for your company.”

First Impressions

Researching the company will also help you decide what to wear to the interview. Buyers need to show that they have a good sense of the company’s style, as well as a strong fashion sense, and your interview outfit should reflect that. Look at a company’s social media profiles and try to reflect the look and the feel of the brand you see there.

One Last Thing

When interviewing for a Buyer position, show your passion for the brand and how your past experiences can help take that brand to the next level by shaping their collections of the future! One of the most important traits Hogue looks for in a Buyer candidate is curiosity. She feels curiosity is needed to go to the next level in buying and naturally leads to problem-solving abilities as well. Ask questions, do your research on the company, and nab that new job!

Want to read more of our tips and tricks? Click here!