How To Get a Job In The Fashion Industry Even During The Recession!
Author: Maria Pesin

Today a friend from who worked at a Designer Apparel
company called me somewhat depressed. His company closed
their showroom and he has been out of work for 4 months
without any prospects for work. I felt his pain and asked
him to join me for lunch so we could figure out his next
step. Over lunch I asked him how he was feeling.
Frustrated, concerned, worried, and wondering if he would
find work were some of the emotions. He did everything you
are taught to do when looking for a job. He had called
everyone he knew, went on line to see what jobs were
posted, sent resumes everywhere, but to no avail. Well, my
first step was to change his attitude. Because feeling
the way he was feeling was not going to help him one bit.
Then I asked him where the opportunity was in this
challenge? How could he turn it around so that his next
position was perfect and soon? By the time we were done he
had the beginnings of a great plan which if he follows
through (which knowing him I believe he will) could give
him his own business, that he would love, with the
potential to earn oodles of money. I also told him to get
the book "The Success Principles" by Jack Canfield to help
him bring his plan to fruition. Which brings me to the
basic concept which is: "Where is the opportunity in every
challenge that you have?" Remember the right attitude is a
big part of succeeding.

With the economy being what it is today every industry is
fighting for survival and the fashion industry is no
exception. Fashion is the only industry where styles go
"out" of fashion and then they come back "in". In a sense
it is a very volatile and fickle industry. And in to this
whirlpool of movement and the ins and the outs of fashion
came The Recession.

With this economic scenario what is a person to do? Jobs
are essential as more often than not, based on the
take-home people are paying off mortgages, credit debts and
loans. All your regular tried and tested ways of getting
another job when the job market is so tight are sometimes
in vain. You would really then need to sit back and take a
long hard look at your methods and come up with something
where you get a job and one that you enjoy that meets your
career expectations.

Finding a job during recession need not mean you have to
compromise to an extent you feel you are short changing
yourself. It just means you have to find a way to get a
foot in the almost closed door and make it open for you.
Employers are now looking to boost their revenue potential
and one way you could present yourself as a potential
candidate is to focus on companies that are still growing.
If your resume highlights your successes rather than your
oh-so long list of qualifications then you stand a better
chance at getting the second call. "Over-qualified" is a
curse during recession because the more your degrees and
diplomas the more prospective employers feel you are
looking for a large pay package. Don't forget, people are
still buying clothes, shoes, handbags whatever just not as
much. The fashion industry cannot come to a grinding halt
we just have to continue wading their way through the
recession period so cost cutting is paramount in our
thinking.

You want that job and you want that the employers should
notice your resume among the thousands they receive. Don't
fall in to the old trap of sending out a standard resume to
a large number of companies. Doing this means you have
given all companies an open invite to your resume thereby
negating its potential value and you are commoditizing
yourself. Your resume needs to stand out.

Jamie Varon 23, had her heart set on working at Twitter.
She already applied for a position on the companies
website. She had asked a friend at Google to put a good
word in for her. She even showed up at the company's web
site with a bag of cookies in an effort to charm the
recruiter into meeting with her. All to no avail. What
she did next was sheer brilliance. She created a web site
called twittershouldhireme.coom which included her resume
and recommendations plus a blog which detailed her quest.
Within 24 hours the company contacted her and she had a
meeting set up at Twitter. She also received two job
offers from other tech companies that had noticed her site.
Talk about thinking outside the box. This is the kind of
thinking you need to do in order to stand out from the
crowd.

Your first move should be to make a list of what kind of
job you really want. Design the job in your head. Than
write down what it looks like down to the details of what
you will be doing each day, how you will dress, and what
you will be paid. Don't let fear take over. By taking time
off to detail what you are looking for you are giving
yourself a vision of what your next job is. Than start
looking at companies that fit the bill. Once you have
narrowed them down to the top 15 - 20 companies, next start
your campaign to find a job in those companies. Again be
creative, look for companies that are doing well and
growing. There is always someone doing good business in
every kind of economy.

Four years ago I found myself unemployed. The division I
ran for 17 years was being closed and there wasn't another
position being offered. This was a crushing blow as I
thought of this company as my home. While I was incredibly
upset on the day it happened the next day I found myself
excited by the possibilities. Wow, I could reinvent
myself. Four years later I have an even better position as
President of a major celebrity brand with a very successful
company making more money than at my previous company.
Again having the right attitude is a major part of the
process.

The next step is your resume. Seek help from professional
resume writers. Remember if you reveal everything about you
in the resume then you are giving the reader an open invite
to make snap decisions. Matters are complicated enough
what with your resume having to clear three levels in one
go, the junior HR recruiter who is working on key words,
the next level manager who is looking for experience and
skills and finally the actual recruitment person who has to
ensure you are the right foot for the shoe. A sluggish
economy requires that your resume must fit every framework.
Be exact and not vague in detailing your eligibility. They
are looking for people who can think on their feet and
offer viable solutions not general ideas.

Your aim is to let your prospective employer know you are
flexible, your experience can only bring positive results
to your new job, you are able to read situations, take
required action and get positive results whenever the need
arises. If you feel you can start at a lower salary for a
short period on the condition that you will get an
increment when the economy settles, be open to it. This
indicates your willingness to adjust to the constraints the
company is facing. It is always more important to take the
best position than the most money as that is what will make
your career more successful. In the fashion industry there
are always people jumping from job to job with no staying
power. Those peoples career always self destructs
eventually. You need a home not just a paycheck. The
money always comes as you grow in your career.

Now you have the interview. What are the next steps? You
need to sell yourself in the interview the same way you
would sell any product. Make a presentation on how you
would benefit the company and fulfill their needs. Do
your research. Know the company, know the job and it's
requirements and than show how your experience and
strengths would solve their challenges. Show examples of
how you have done this in the past. Be open and friendly
in an interview and do not bring up any negative points.
Do not tell them how hard it is to find a job, do not trash
your old company or boss. Be very positive. Prospective
employers want to work with pleasant people. I always
wonder about negative people and have never hired one. I
look for people who really want the job but are not
desperate for the job.

Getting a job during recession is not an impossible task.
All it requires is a little effort on your part, a little
patience and some clear ideas on how you can bring
opportunity to your doorstep.


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