How Can “Additional Experience” Land You a Job in Fashion
Written by Valentine Fabre
Recent years have seen the fashion industry open its doors to professionals from diverse backgrounds to help foster stronger relationships with diverse consumers, rendering professionals with “additional experience” (non-industry experience) increasingly valuable. Whether you are only just embarking on your career in fashion or are a seasoned manager, learn everything you need to know about gaining alternative experiences and why they are so important for your professional development.
What Is Additional Experience?
Starting (or restarting) your career often comes with a lack of relevant work experience and the subsequent concern that it might hinder your job search. While it is important to build a strong professional track record, it is not possible for everyone, so it is important to know how to put a spin on your non-industry vvexperience and highlight its applicability to the roles you are applying for .
Volunteering, pastime hobbies like sports and arts/culture, personal projects, shadowing and even part-time jobs equip you with a set of skills that add great value to your resume. Developing them in your spare time not only indicates that you are a highly driven person, but it also shows curiosity and determination to learn.
Why Is Additional Experience Important?
When searching for candidates, hiring managers look for people with unique traits that can add something new to a company. Unique experience will make you stand out from many candidates. For example, if you are applying for a fashion communications role, highlighting how you learnt to sew shows your understanding of garments, even if you are not looking to work in design; similarly, emphasising your work as a volunteer sports coach will be a testimony of leadership skills and strategic thinking.
How to Include It In Your Application?
Of course, not every experience is relevant each time. Before editing your CV and cover letter, thoroughly read the job description and identify key elements that seem to tie in well with your experience. For instance, if you are looking for a position in marketing, it is relevant to showcase projects you may have done on social media.
You should only include additional experience when you are sure it has equipped you with relevant transferable skills (soft or hard), or that it testifies to specific personal traits you are trying to highlight on your resume.
How Do I Gain Additional Experience?
Stay true to yourself. There is no point in trying to gain experience or develop passion projects you are not interested in. Put together a list of skills and competencies that you are looking to develop, and think about how you might be able to do that.
If you want to gain insights working in events management, try and launch a book club. If you are looking to establish yourself as a team player, it would be worth looking into joining a choir. Think creatively about your hobbies to test which will add relevant experience to your job search.
Find various tips and advice from industry experts on how to create your perfect CV at The Glowth Academy.
Written by Valentine Fabre