What You Need to Know Before Applying for a Job in the Fashion Industry

Are you applying for employment in the fashion industry? You’ve made it here at last. You are standing close to your computer, getting ready to begin the process of sending out resumes and waiting around for interview callbacks. But hold on! Do not proceed with anything further until you have finished reading the remainder of this article and come to the conclusion that you have the level of commitment that is necessary to work in the fashion industry and apply for jobs there. Before submitting your application for a job in the fashion industry, there are a few essential things you need to be aware of. Before you make a final decision on what to do next, let’s have a little more of a conversation about this topic and lay out some reasonable goals for you to strive for. Sure, the movie “The Devil Wears Prada” shows us some of the insanity that exists inside the fashion business.

1. Taking Control of Your Expenses and Your Cost of Living

You could be doing an amazing job at your new job, but if you don’t do the arithmetic correctly, you might have to say goodbye to all you’ve worked so hard for. For example, if you have been living and working in Florida, which has a low cost of living, but you have your heart set on finding fashion jobs in New York City, which has a high cost of living, make sure that you include in your budget not only the cost of rent and transportation, but also the cost of food, clothing, health insurance, utilities, and any other expenses that you are likely to incur. Create a list of all the potential costs, and then evaluate whether or not this is a prudent choice. You don’t want your new employment to turn out to be a financially risky decision, do you?

2. Being turned down

It goes without saying that if you are unable or unable to accept criticism properly, you should not pursue a career in this sector. You will hear “No” quite a bit, and you have two options: either wallow in self-pity and give up, or go back to the drawing board and devise an other, hopefully more successful, strategy. Consider it from this angle: a significant number of persons who apply for employment in the fashion industry will, in the end, become weary of being turned down and they will stop trying; when this happens, do you want to be one of the people who is still standing? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, then can you identify who has more opportunities? You! Utilize the input, even if it’s unfavorable, and transform it into something useful, like constructive criticism. Learn, become better, and give it another go!

3. People WILL have opinions about you based on how you look.

Yes, we are taught to love and appreciate people for who they are, but if you are working in the fashion industry, people will look at you and make up their own reasons that explain why you got the job. Honey, if you are working in the fashion industry, people will look at you and make up their own reasons that explain why you got the job. You definitely don’t want them to look at you and think, “SHE’S a stylist?!” or, even worse, “She has no place in this field!” when you walk in the room with them. Ouch! The solution is not as straightforward as going out and purchasing some pricey designer gear. Some examples of the seemingly little elements that may have a huge impact on one’s perception of oneself and one’s place in the world are broken fingernails, wrinkled clothes, and unclean shoes. Keep in mind that employment in the fashion industry are about more than just looks, although it is a significant part of the work.

One of Many Jobs in the Fashion Industry

4. This will be the first of many jobs in the fashion industry for which you are qualified.

PLEASE do not be one of those folks who believe they have gotten the most lovely and desirable of all fashion jobs on their very first attempt. I’m not going to say that it’s not conceivable, but I will say that it’s quite unlikely to occur for someone like you. You will almost certainly have to begin at the very bottom, most likely as an intern (paid if you’re fortunate) and you will be expected to do menial tasks such as boiling clothing, fetching coffee, and other such tasks. You won’t be able to differentiate yourself from the crowd and advance in your career unless you make a name for yourself at your workplace and earn the respect of both your colleagues and your superiors. It is possible that it may take many years and a number of different jobs before you ultimately get your ideal job. And even in that case, a so-called “dream job” in the fashion sector might come with its fair share of nightmares.

Jobs in Fashion That Offer Overtime

5. Fashion jobs requiring a 40-hour week and five days off?! HA!

If this seems to be what you are looking for… oh, yeah, you may as well just quit up right now and go find something else to do. Jobs in the fashion industry don’t often provide such a reliable work schedule. It should come as no surprise that this will vary depending on what you choose to concentrate in, but the majority of individuals who are interested in working in the fashion industry are not going to be content with becoming shop managers with a predetermined schedule. Many of you who are reading this have the ambition of being HUGELY successful. Just keep in mind that if you want to be ahead of everyone else, you need to put in more effort and work longer hours than they do. This means being the first person to arrive at work and the last person to leave. I did warn you that it requires commitment.