As we approach a year since the start of the pandemic, what was once deemed as ‘the new normal’ now is in fact – normal. We’ve adapted to home working, some of us are working in jobs where we’ve never physically met our colleagues, what once did seem dystopian is now a reality.
But what of the retail sphere? With shops shut indefinitely, the loss of Debenhams stores and many Arcadia branches was a real blow, On the flip side, Boohoo and Marks & Spencer have also saved struggling brands, albeit as a digital presence. As the fashion industry enters a period of change, the time is more exciting now than ever to look for a new role, one which is bound to evolve. But how to make that dream a potential success? Here’s our top tips…
- Be proactive In the current state of the world, many of us have been gifted with something we’ve always struggled to make – time. Seen a role you have some questions about? Reach out to the hiring manager or one of the relevant fashion recruitment agencies for an informal chat, it’s a great way to get on their radar, especially in a competitive field.
- Tailor your CV This is something which comes up again and again, yet I still feel the need to stress the importance. There’s more candidates than ever looking for both entry level fashion jobs and more senior role, and when employers are looking at hundreds of CV’s at a time, you should try and make yours stand out.
- Keep your priorities in check If you’re unemployed or really keen to find a new opportunity in a specific field, be it in ecommerce jobs Manchester or a design role, it can feel like a marathon to get things right – and, when it comes to that all important interview, you may struggle to even remember what the job description specifies. Keep track of what jobs you’ve applied for, what the description says, any extra notes and where you are in that process in a spreadsheet, that way you can keep track of what is required without feeling too overwhelmed.
- Practice your video interview skills read our blog here https://www.angelaharper.co.uk/how-to-nail-that-all-important-video-interview/ on how to make that virtual meeting a guaranteed success.
- Be patient With a busier market out there, it may take a hiring manager longer to get back to you. This doesn’t mean they’re not interested, until you’ve heard from them, you can’t write anything off. If they’ve given you a time frame of response, wait until a couple of days after it’s passed before you chase things up, they might just be busy. If you haven’t been given a time frame, following up around a week since the last contact is normally a good amount of time. Any good hiring manager will get back to you – so don’t lose hope!
- Be yourself Fashion graduates in Manchester and beyond may often feel the pressure to be what they think they should be to achieve a job. In fact? It’s the opposite. To have got to interview stage means that the team has seen something in you that could get you the job, the next stage is getting to know you as a person, alongside your capabilities. Team fit is as important as achievements, and you’ll enjoy your job a lot more if you’ve been hired by a team who think you’ll mesh well with the others.