How to get a foothold in the fashion biz

Hey, Roadies! 

Happy Monday! If you posted something about Mother’s Day on social media yesterday, make sure you also do something nice for the woman who made you. Send flowers, vacuum the living room – you know better than we do what will brighten her day. 

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Good Company: Finding Your Fit in Fashion

Expand your roster of possible companies

Would you describe yourself as a shopper? Do you stay on top of the latest trends? If so, don’t think you need to go to design school to work in the fashion industry. 

The business side of fashion is huge and demands many different skills. Here are a few entry-level roles: 

• Buyer or Purchasing Associate: This involves monitoring research on consumer habits, analyzing trends, and reviewing internal sales data. 

• Social Media Manager: If you love a good outfit and never miss a TikTok trend, what could be more fun than building a brand’s presence online and watching your audience grow? 

• Recruitment: If you’re a people person who loves a fast-paced environment, try the HR department at a retail store. Retail hiring is seasonal, so you’ll do a lot of reviewing applications, interviewing, and generally learning how to get a sense of who will be right for a given role. 

If any of this sounds appealing, do this now: 

• Connect with folks on LinkedIn who are on the business side of fashion brands. That means HR, finance, marketing, whichever is most interesting to you. 

• Learn about the industry by checking out The Business of Fashion.

Triv, Laugh, Love 

A trivia question, to keep you sharp

Which of the following was the largest retail company in the world, as of 2021? 

1. Walmart

2. Amazon 

3. Apple 

4. Best Buy

Monday Etiquette Tip: Don’t Dish the Dirt 

We’re your workplace Emily Post

You might be surprised to learn that there tends to be a fair amount of gossip in the workplace. You’ll be among adults, but that doesn’t mean your coworkers will be above middle school-esque chitchat. It’s only natural – gossip is human. 

But when you’re starting out, don’t participate in workplace gossip, whether it’s about a colleague’s performance or a celebrity’s personal life. You don’t have to be a tattletale or be judgmental when it happens, but remember that as a newbie, you have more to lose by appearing petty or untrustworthy.

Trivia Answer 

The correct answer is A), Walmart was the world’s largest retailer, as measured by retail revenue.