I recently went on a retail networking trip in New York City where we toured some of the biggest names in the fashion industry and mingled with numerous alumni that have made it in New York City. Growing up in a much smaller town, one might think that landing a job with a big name in fashion in New York City is almost impossible, but it’s more achievable than one might think. Here is what I learned from individuals that landed their dream job in the big city.
Network
As you apply for internships and jobs, you will hear over and over again that the number one way people land jobs is through networking. Get your name out there! Make a business card. Message people on LinkedIn that either work for someone that you would like to work for or that hold a job/position that you hope to land. Tell them who you are and that you’re interested in hearing about the company they work for, what they do and how they got to where they are now. Most people will be flattered that you asked. Take advantage of anyone who knows anyone in the industry. I recently found out that one of my coworker’s uncles is the VP of Merchandising for Hugo Boss, and that one of my mother’s friends used to be a Graphic Designer for Glamour Magazine. Use these connections to your advantage. And most importantly, never make judgements. During our trip, we had a mixer where alum living and working in New York City came for us to network with. Everyone gravitated towards those that looked stylish, those that appeared to work in the industry or those that they knew worked at a big-name company. I went to mingle with the other people at the party, where I met a couple that I not only feel I became friends with, but who know people at all of the big advertising agencies in the city that are in charge of the advertising campaigns for some of the biggest names in fashion.
Resumes are a thing of the past, and while everyone should still have a hard-copy resume, you MUST have a LinkedIn. The first thing most companies look at when considering applicants for a position are their LinkedIn profiles. Use your LinkedIn to highlight all of your skills, work experience and accomplishments. Even if you feel like something that you have done doesn’t directly help you in the field you’re looking to work in, do not leave it out. Include everything; everything you have done has taught you something. Also, don’t be afraid to “creep;” that is, in a professional manner. Find people on LinkedIn that share your interests, hold a job you dream of having or work for a company that you can see yourself working for someday, and reach out to them.
Thank Yous
Always, always, always thank whomever you meet/network with. It is the professional and proper thing to do. Let them know that it was a pleasure to meet them or chat with them if it was online, and that you hope to stay in touch. Mostly likely, you will only get their email at first, but if you happen to find out the address of their workplace, send them a personal thank you. You will most definitely stand out amongst the others that they have made connections with.
Temp Agencies
I have recently learned that many people who have landed jobs with big companies in cities like New York City started at temp agencies where they would do various small/odd jobs with various companies. Someone at a company that you would like to work for may notice your hard work and commitment, even to a small/odd job and will consider you for future positions within their company.
Alumni
Alumni love helping alumni. Most universities have an alumni networking site where you can find alumni in your area or wherever you would like to move and work. Through these networks, make connections with other alums. Don’t only network with alumni working for the company that you would like to work for or who hold a job that you would love to have. Alumni who are doing something else might still know other people in your desired industry/company. Not to mention, these alumni may be able to give advice on how to find reasonable housing in the most convenient locations when moving to a new city.
Intern
Today, most companies not only prefer you to have completed an internship, but expect you to have completed an internship. Internships in the work world are more of a must than a bonus. Make time during your college career to do an internship. It may be a summer internship in a big city with a top company, or it can be a smaller, local internship that you do along with classes. Either way, having at least one internship on your resume will definitely make you more appealing to companies. Not to mention, a lot of professionals prefer to hire within the company when a position opens and never even post these opportunities. The first people they typically turn to are other employees or interns whose work stood out to them in the past.
Personality
The most important thing when trying to land an internship or job is to be yourself. On my trip, the number one thing that companies said that they look for is someone with a great personality. They said that they might end up with two candidates that they are highly considering for a position, and even though one might be more qualified, they will choose the one with less experience if that person has a better personality. At the end of the day, professionals want to hire people that they can see themselves getting along with in the work environment. Another thing that stands out to employers is passion. If someone has passion, that really makes them stand out, regardless of how much work experience that they have.