Usually
when someone writes in all capital letters it seems like the writer is
shouting. If you notice, the post title is in all caps. It is intentional and
should be read as though I am shouting. Over the years I have given many
presentations to students about the fashion business. In almost every
presentation a student will ask what the best piece of advice I can give for
them to be successful in the fashion industry. My answer is always the same.
KEEP IN TOUCH.
It sounds
simple, but the new generation of students graduating is not very good with
this. I specifically remember a presentation I gave about two years ago; I
shared the same advice with about fifteen students. I gave every student my
business card and encouraged them to stay in touch. Two out of fifteen followed
up one time. I responded to both
students positively and was open to keeping the connection. I never heard from
either one of them again. I cannot express enough how unwise this is for
students. Relationships are everything in this business and if you don’t have
any, your upcoming job search will be difficult. Friending someone on Facebook,
LinkedIn or Google+ just isn’t enough to build a relationship with executives
in the fashion industry. If you want a
relationship, a personal email or phone call is what would make you stand out
from the crowd.
I admit
that I have not maintained connections to everyone I have ever met or worked
with, but I will tell you that everyone who has remained a connection has been
helpful in my career and vice versa.
Who are you
happy you connected with? How can you better maintain connections with new acquaintances?
How have your connections helped in your career? How have you helped your
connections with their careers? What has held you back from staying in touch
with potential business connections?
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