This week our lecture was taught by Ann Walter, the director of New York City Fashion, a study away destination from the Kent State University School of Fashion. Ann oversees the administrative, instructional, operational, and technological aspects of a study away facility and program. In this role, she has had a strong and immediate impact on students through the development and implementation of academic programming focused on building professional relationships, increasing engagement with both alumni and the industry, and facilitating career preparation. Prior to this role, she also served as an adjunct instructor at the New York City Fashion campus for the past nine years. In this post, I will discuss three takeaways from this lecture and how I plan to incorporate these tips into the future.
Building a Resume
In the fashion industry, it’s common for resumes to be only one page. This can appear unattainable if you have loads of work experience. You would obviously want to incorporate all of your success. Ann gives great insight into highlighting your most recent experiences and your most relatable work experiences. When crafting together your resume, it is best to keep your personal address off, to provide you with a better opportunity of landing your dream job. As we live in the digital age, including links to your resume is a great way to save space and create a more engaging experience for the reader.
Preparing for the Interview
If you are like me, the thought of an interview can be quite frightening. I find confidence when taking the time to prepare for the occasion. The first step I take when preparing for an interview is grabbing a piece of paper and writing facts about the company’s history and its success. After I get a good summary of the company, I then go to learn more about the position and the skill requirements they will expect me to have. If your interview is in an area you are unfamiliar with, Ann recommends arriving at the location the day before to scope out the area and having a plan to avoid any delay or stress that can occur the day of the interview. It is best to show up to the interview early to settle in and look over your notes. So when the time comes, you enter the room with peace of mind.
After the Interview
Waiting to hear from a future employer is nerve-racking. The most common way to follow up after an interview and send a thank you email. Something Professor D. lives by is sending a handwritten thank-you letter. Living in the digital age, no one writes handwritten letters anymore. Doing so gives your interviewer the impression of how serious and genuine you are about the position you are applying for. This is important as it helps you stick out from the masses.
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