Fashion Career Center: Tips for Entering the Fashion Industry

Let Your School's Fashion Career Center Work for You

Fashion design is a career that's exciting, cosmopolitan and highly creative... and it can seem like a long journey down the catwalk for students and graduates just starting out. Fortunately, you can get a head start on the competition simply by taking advantage of the resources available in your school's fashion career center and by investing time in research and preparation.

Getting Help

Remember that when you're looking for help in embarking on a fashion design career, you aren't alone. As a student or graduate of an accredited fashion design degree program, you have access to a plethora of resources provided by your school. The majority of schools house a career center with advisors who are knowledgeable about the job industry in a variety of fields. The fashion career center can also help with general advice on resumes, networking and preparing for interviews, and they often maintain job and internship listings for students and alumni.

Speaking of alumni, don't discount your school's alumni association as an opportunity to network and ask for help from graduates in your field. Besides the resources available at your college, professional organizations such as the American Apparel and Footwear Association or Fashion Group International can also be a fruitful source of information about career paths, fashion industry information, and job listings.

Find Fashion Design Schools

Finding Work

When it comes to actually finding a job, figuring out where to begin may seem like an overwhelming task. The resources discussed above are a good place to start. Traditional avenues for job seekers are also available, such as classified ads in newspapers, magazines and industry publications, and internet job boards. Job fairs specific to the fashion industry can also be an invaluable source of industry information as well as an opportunity to network and make personal connections.

Making Connections

Networking is one of the most effective ways to open up career opportunities in a competitive industry like fashion design. Whether you're connecting at a job fair or getting to know your co-workers at an internship, you never know when that person might be able to help you in your job search—either by tipping you off to the perfect job opening or by providing a valuable reference for your résumé. Put some effort into meeting people and interacting with sincerity—and if you have the opportunity to help in return, don't hesitate.

Preparing Yourself for a Fashion Career

You won't get far in a fashion career unless you take the time to prepare yourself and your work. Knowing your specialty within fashion design and pinpointing what types of jobs you're looking for are both essential steps. Once you've scoped out some desirable job opportunities, you'll want to take the time to tailor your cover letter, résumé and portfolio for the job at hand. Your college's fashion career center can help with that. Lastly, once you've landed an interview, be sure to do some research into the job and the company prior to the interview—you'll sound more prepared and professional.

Find Fashion Design Schools