Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney - 200

Buyer
EARN

This job involves
from £16-£24,000
sourcing fashion
a year, up to £60,000
for shops.
for purchasing
You'll find
managers*
suppliers, select
products and
predict sales. You'll need a keen eye for
trends, good communication and
negotiating skills, and to know the
fashion business inside out, including
the names of the buyers for the big
chains, so get researching.
Work experience will also help, so take
placements or internships wherever you
can. If you can shadow a buyer, perfect.
All experience is good, as it helps to
show your passion for fashion, and gives
you practical knowledge to shout about
on your CV and in interviews.
Many buyers have a degree in fashion
buying or retail, but you can start out
as an assistant, before moving up to
become a trainee or junior.

2 0 0 /// J O B S & C A R E E R S

Stylist

EARN

£12-£25,000 a year,
A fashion stylist
with day rates about
could be working
one-on-one with £200-£400. Freelance
a celebrity, doing rates can be higher with
top clients*
editorial shoots
for magazines,
working for TV, retailers or with
designers for catwalks. To get into this
industry you need to have the right
attitude - that is, smile constantly,
work hard, go the extra mile, and not
be stroppy, even if a lot is demanded
of you. You'll need an encyclopedic
knowledge of fashion, past and present;
research past decades as many modern
trends take inspiration from history.
Again, work experience is crucial, so
apply for internships and placements
- check the papers and online for
opportunities. And network like crazy
- contact and connect with make-up
artists, photographers and hairdressers
who you can work with. Most creatives
need a portfolio to showcase their work,
and work on 'test' shoots where everyone
works for free to get the shots to promote
themselves. Check out sites such as
www.modelmayhem.com for contacts.

Retail
Okay, working in fashion retail isn't
as glamorous as designing for Fashion
Week, but you'll still be immersed in

the world that you love. If you're a people
person, focus on front-of-house positions
on the shop floor, where you'll be meeting
customers and advising on products.
Starting as an assistant, you can work
your way up to assistant manager and
manager, where you'll also be responsible
for budgeting, staff training, and the
day-to-day running of the store. You'll
need to be a good team player, creative,
organised and able to remain calm and
friendly under pressure.
The good news is that in most junior
retail roles you won't need a degree,
although it may help, particularly if you
want to secure a managerial or executive
position. Enthusiasm for fashion, and
sales, is crucial, and work experience will
go a long way to securing you any job in
retail, particularly
if you have learnt
EARN
skills in sales,
around £15,000
customer service
as an assistant, up
and marketing.
to around £40-£70,000
Once in, you can
for a manager**
study for an NVQ
in retail sales.

Visual merchandiser
Is the inside of your wardrobe an oasis
of colour co-ordinated calm? Do you
display your scarfs and shoes on a rack
so they look good? If how things look
is important to you, this could be the
job for you. You'll be responsible for
displaying products in store, and store
windows, to make people want to grab
stuff off the shelves. Your job may also
involve sourcing props, drawing designs,
and having meetings with the buying/
sales teams. You'll need to be a team
player, creative, and be able to work
to tight deadlines under pressure.
Qualifications in art and design will be
helpful, and you can study retail/visual
merchandising design at college, or via
distance learning through The British
Display Society (www.bdsonline.co.uk).
You may also be able to transfer from
sales if you show aptitude. Junior
positions may
be available if
EARN
you show skill,
from £12-£15,000
enthusiasm and
as a junior, up to
have experience.
£55,000 for
Scour the fashion
senior role*
and retail press for
opportunities.

Words: Kia Hansen. Images: Shutterstock. * Source: National Careers Service. ** Source: Totaljobs.co.uk.

thoroughly - the most highly-reputed
ones, such as Central St Martins, are
tough to get into, but open a lot of doors
to future employment. Or you could take
the bull by the horns and go it alone,
making and selling your own clothes via
independent online retailers such as ASOS
Marketplace, Notonthehighstreet.com
or Etsy. If the uptake is good, look into
setting up your own business.

http://www.Notonthehighstreet.com http://www.modelmayhem.com http://Totaljobs.co.uk http://www.bdsonline.co.uk

Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney

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