Job Opportunities - Where to post them and where to find them.

When you are a hiring manager with an open position how do you get the word out?  When you are a candidate where do you look?  Times have changed since placing an ad in the classifieds and waiting for resumes to be mailed in.    Here is a list but certainly not all inclusive of options.

1)      Your professional colleague network – don’t ever underestimate word of mouth

2)      Your company’s corporate website

3)      Your personal LinkedIn profile

4)      Your company’s corporate Facebook Page

5)      Your company’s corporate LinkedIn Page

6)      Yes…the newspaper in the local area the job is located

7)       Style Careers www.stylecareers.com – specific to our industry

8)      www.styleportfolios.com – Design talent

9)      www.mayorofthemall.com – Field Retail talent

10)   Womens Wear Daily career page www.wwd.com career tab

11)   NRF SmartBrief = nrf@smartbrief.com

12)   Shop.org SmartBrief = shop@smartbrief.com

13)   There is the option of a radio ad during commute hours

14)   Monster – www.monster.com all industries

15)   Careerbuilder – www.careerbuilder.com all industries

16)   Coroflot – www.corflot.com predominately Design talent

17)   Alumni pages of Universities known for strong programs in our industry

18) Recruiting Agencies will always share the jobs they are working on with candidates who are looking for a new role.  If you have the budget for a fee as a hiring manager, they will also publish your opening to their network and make contacts specifically for your role.

The key is finding the channel that your target audience will be paying attention to.  What places have you been successful reaching talent or finding job openings?

You can see the job openings we are working on at www.apparel-resource.com .

Breaking into the fashion industry

OK, so now that you know what you are asking for, how can you break into the fashion industry? First, what do you want to do in the fashion industry? There are many options so consider where you want to be: planning, merchandising, buying, FP&A, real estate, design, production, sourcing, product development, human resources, etc. There are many more functions to consider. After you decide the function, what’s your story? How come you are looking to break into the fashion industry? What drove you to this place?

Once you have that nailed down, what relevant skills do you have? If you are a human resources director for a pharmaceutical company, it is easier to get a job in fashion as a director of human resources rather than a fashion designer. Consider how those industries may align. Marketing is a critical function at both. How could you write your resume to focus on these areas that overlap? What kind of value could you add to the fashion industry?

If you are considering both an industry and function switch, prepare yourself for a pay cut. Even if you go back to school to facilitate the change and earn an MBA or a fashion merchandising degree, you will still have to start at the bottom despite experience from a different industry. It just doesn’t count. The experience may help you advance quicker once you move into a new role as you will most likely outperform an employee with no work experience, but you will need to be patient.

So you know what you want to do, you have your resume ready to go, your expectations for pay and title are in line with reality, now what? Start networking. Who do you know who works in fashion (even a 2^nd connection on LinkedIn)? What networking groups could you join to give you exposure? Sending your resume in through an online submission tool is challenging enough when you have all the right experience in the right industries. Face time with a potential employee will get you a lot further.

If you are interested in fashion, what can you do today to begin the transition? What is one thing you can do every day to bring you closer to your goal? How will you start networking? Who can help support you in reaching your goal?

To learn more about career coach Kate Kibler, go to www.katekibler.com

Declining an Offer

You have been in interviewing for a job.  It has gone very well and they have extended you an offer.   For whatever reason you know you are not going to accept.  At Apparel Resource our candidates have changed their mind for many reasons.  They have a competing offer that is more compelling.  They have been offered a new role or counter offer to stay where they are.  They decide they are not ready to relocate…there can be many reasons.
 
It is important to be sensitive to the time and effort of the people who were involved in evaluating, preparing and extending the offer you are going to decline.  The best way to decline an offer is honestly, promptly and gratefully.   When a position is open it creates stress and work for the people on that team.  When the employer gets close to offer stage the people involved are usually excited and hopeful that the candidate will accept.   When a candidate declines there is disappointment.

We have had candidates know they are not going to accept but they want to avoid the difficult conversation.  They avoid the conversation by not returning phone calls emails or texts. This leaves the employer with a very negative impression. We have had employers tell us at this point that if the candidate will not manage the conversation around declining an offer that they would no longer consider hiring the candidate in the future.
 
If you are working through a recruiting agency like Apparel Resource it is best to let your agency know the moment you have decided not to accept.  We then get working immediately on other candidate options for the employer.  We also help prepare you to have the direct conversation with the hiring manager and the HR/recruiting professional in the organization.   This conversation should be done with thought and sensitivity so that these people understand your decision and would consider you for future options if your situation changes.  It is important to be direct, honest and thank them for their time and effort.  For example:  “This has been a difficult decision but I have decided to accept an offer with another company.  The organizational structure they have offers me greater long term career growth.  I really appreciate the time you have spent with me and the offer you extended.” 

Responding directly with a live phone call is professional and courteous.  Do not leave your answer in a voice message or send it via email.  The live direct conversation gives closure to those that were involved and should leave the door open behind you should you want to reconsider this employer in the future.

Talking with Recruiters

I wasn’t always a recruiter.  My career started in retail management and transitioned into Merchandising.  I used to get at least one phone message a week from recruiters.  I never returned their calls.  Nothing against recruiters personally, I just always loved my job and was too busy to find the time to get back to them. 

The one time I decided to speak with a recruiter it ended up leading all the way to a fabulous job offer from Target.  I had been honest with everyone all along, saying I was open to considering but not really motivated to make a change.  The offer was aggressively more than I was making where I was at.  I did decline the offer.  It just was not the right time personally and professionally to make a move.  The recruiter was really angry with me for declining and did not treat me very well.  I returned to my prior behavior of not returning their calls. 

Now on the other side of the equation after 7 years running a recruiting agency, I have a different point of view.  Independent recruiting agencies like Apparel Resource have relationships with a variety of clients.  These employers often call us asking for help with very unique opportunities.  Building teams to launch new divisions.  Confidential openings that are not posted.  New positions they have not recruited for before.

When I contact a candidate and ask to speak with them it is because that candidate has great work experience that looks like it aligns with the kinds of openings we work on.  I know it is likely the timing might not be right for the candidate.   When a candidate agrees to schedule time to speak with me I review their work history carefully.  I learn about the type of work they do, the corporate cultures and challenges they enjoy.  We talk about what they get frustrated with, their relocation preferences and what they are thinking about next in their career.  If they are qualified for any of the openings we are currently working on I share those options with them.  If they are not interested in making a change at this time that is not a problem.  I have learned about a candidate’s experience and career aspirations.  I can continue to contact them for options they tell me they would like to hear about.

I have been in touch with some candidates for 7 years and not “placed” them.  These candidates are still a valuable asset to my business and I am a valuable resource for them.  We share industry knowledge, they often provide referrals and I can be a resource to them in many different aspect of their job.  If these candidates are ever in a situation where they need to make a change due to job loss or family situations I will be an excellent advocate to assist them with their options.

When you get a call from a recruiter….do some research on who they are, what firm they are with and what employers they represent.  If they do reputable work in your career space it is very likely that you will not regret taking time to visit with them. 

Your Internet Image - What is it Rated?

We have had more than one candidate be edited from the interview process because prospective employers found photos and information on social media space that they felt were inappropriate.  There are so many places to build profiles.  LinkedIn most people recognize as a career based networking site.  Prospective employers will also search Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and any other information they can find on candidates.

Here are some guidelines to keep your social media space from costing you career opportunities.  In the most simplistic advice it should be rated PG in content. 

Things to avoid:

Excessive party pictures.

Bad language.

Inappropriate Dress.  

Extreme political views.

Extreme personal drama.

Violent content.

Sexual content.

Negative dialog about employers, co- workers and work in general.

Even if you set your Facebook photos as private they can show up in other places.  Do a Google search on yourself and see what comes up.    If I Google my husband’s name photos show up from a wedding we were at in California.   We did not post these pictures.  You can see when we attend community meetings, minutes from meetings of organizations we belong to, you can find that we are runners and have raised money for certain charities.    Much information can be found on line.  Protect your internet image carefully. 

What do you find when you Google your own name?  Does it represent who you are professionally?

Interviewing or networking?

Most people consider a job interview as a brief interlude into one’s life or career if a job is not offered and/or accepted. I challenge that notion. Every interview or touch point with anyone in the industry could be viewed as an opportunity for networking. How did you end your last interview? Think about your role as either an interviewer or interviewee. As an interviewer, did you give clear and constructive feedback to the candidate who did not get the job? If you were the interviewee, and did not get the job, did you take the rejection graciously? If you passed on a job offer, did you clearly articulate why you were passing on the opportunity and thank the company?

Take advantage of that one shot even if you are not the right candidate for that particular role. Make a great impression whether you are the interviewee or interviewer. The retail industry is small. That hiring manager or HR director likely has other friends in the industry who are looking to hire. That candidate you just met may not be right for the role, but their friend could be the right fit for another opening on your team. In my opinion, all interviews should be seen as an opportunity for networking.

To learn more about career coaching, contact Kate Kibler at kate@katekibler.com.

Never burn a bridge

The fashion industry is really small. It’s like three degrees of separation. Another well-known fact about the industry is that there are some big personalities that can conflict with each other. Passion runs rampant in fashion. This can lead to some significant conflicts. My advice: try to stay neutral and never burn a bridge. It is highly likely that you and that person will cross paths again in your career. That conflict, or better yet, the way you handle that conflict, could be the difference between you getting a job or not in the future.

Staying neutral does not necessarily mean avoiding opinions or being a wimp. It means not getting emotional or obnoxious about your opinion. It means not being a know-it-all and staying open to conflicting views. By keeping that open mind-set, you will make better decisions for yourself and the company for which you work.

What experience have you had with a difficult person? If you were to look at your most strained business relationship today, how could you turn it around? What is holding you back from being open?

To learn more about career coaching, contact Kate Kibler at kate@katekibler.com.

What to do when you lose your job

What to do when you lose your job… I would love to be able to give you a simple answer on this, but unfortunately there’s not a one size fits all solution. Almost everyone I know who has been laid off has needed a moment to reset. Even if you were expecting the layoff, volunteered to be on the chopping block or been given an option to leave, there has been a hit to the ego. Although you think you are putting on a good face, confidence (or lack thereof) always seems to present itself in an interview. Looking for a new job without confidence can be a huge obstacle to having a great interview.  The tricky balance is between taking time to ‘get over it’, rebuild confidence and not let too much time slip by. (Of course, I recommend a career coach to help you figure it out: www.katekibler.com. Please forgive the shameless self-promotion).

Once you are ready to start putting yourself out in the job market again, how can you make yourself look more desirable to a future employer? First: research, second: research, third: research. You have plenty of time as you are after all, unemployed. What companies would you want to work for? How do those companies tie into your experience? What experience do those companies value? What kind of person are those companies looking for (personality)? How does your resume reflect the position you want? Have you found a posting for the position you want at the company you want? Who do you know who works there? Who do you know who knows someone who works there? How can you network with these contacts to help you make the right connection?

Once you have all of the details & a perfectly targeted resume (see Kari’s post from 6.3.13 for more about targeted resumes), you can start working to make contact. In many cases, you only have one opportunity when you get your resume or name in front of the right person. The more you research, the more you can target your resume, and target how you present yourself. Good luck with your job search!

For more information about career coaching, go to www.katekibler.com

KEEP IN TOUCH

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?

Learn more about the fashion industry from Career Coach Kate Kibler at http://www.katekibler.com. 

Making the most of a job interview.

As a candidate there is a lot at stake when you have a job interview.  How can you determine whether the role and company are right for you within such a limited time?

A great deal can be done prior to the interview to make the most of the face to face time.  Research the company.   Review their website many offer great information about culture and benefits.  Review with profiles of employees who work at this company on LinkedIn.   When you get the schedule of people you will be meeting with review their backgrounds on LinkedIn.  Google articles on the company to see what is written about them.  Glassdoor can also be a great resource.  For public companies read the latest quarterly reports to see how their business is.  Google articles using the names of the sr. leadership team to see what is written about them and what you can find out about their point of view.   Use your professional network to see what you can find out about a company.  If you know anyone who works there visit with them about the benefits and challenges of working for the company.

If you start your interview fully educated on the company you won’t waste time asking questions that could have been answered with a little research.  You can formulate specific intelligent questions that result from your research.  For example if you read that cool weather negatively impacted sales of summer product and they lost margin in marking it down.  You can ask how they plan to recover that lost margin in second quarter.  Tailor these questions to the people on your interview schedule.  If you read something you want to know more about regarding their benefits that is a question for the person from HR on your schedule.  

This is a selection process for you as well so keep your eyes wide open.   How long have people on LinkedIn stayed with the company.  If you see a lot of turnover of employees this could be a question for the leaders.  While you are there look around you closely.  Are people smiling?  Are office doors open?  Do the people you speak with seem passionate about what they do?  Do they give a consistent message with what you found in your research?

When it comes to answering interviewer questions, whenever possible draw from your actual work experiences versus hypothetical answers.  We tell candidates to review their performance reviews and their business wins closely the past three years and make a list of their successes both financial and interpersonal.  Have this list top of mind and use specific examples to answer questions during the interview.   Have an honest point of view on the brand.  What you think they do well and where you see opportunity for them. 

We would love to hear about your interview experiences good or bad! 

Check out what roles we are sourcing candidates to interview for on our website www.apparel-resource.com

What is holding you back from networking?

I went to my first networking event less than three months after I graduated from my undergraduate university. I just moved to New York City and my alumni group was having a mixer at a local bar. I was never one for big events, but a friend had convinced me to go. There I met the COO of the corporation I worked for at the time. It was nice to meet him, but then what? What was I supposed to do to network with him? I was this low-level assistant designer. Why did this guy want a relationship with this underling in his company? I just felt awkward every time I saw him. It was difficult for me when I first started as a professional in the fashion industry. I was relatively shy and never wanted to overstep my bounds. I did not understand the value of networking. On top of not understanding, I did not feel comfortable asking people for help or input. Luckily, I got over it. There were a few things that helped me get there.

First, I figured out what networking actually meant. I originally made an incorrect assumption that networking was equivalent to using people I hardly knew to help me get ahead. There was something seemingly evil and manipulative around the word ‘networking’. I have no idea where I came up with that belief. It turns out networking can be whatever you want it to be. For me, I decided I would only ‘network’ with someone I truly wanted some type of long term relationship with. I wanted to make sure I could contribute as much as I took from the relationship. I was also very open to giving without getting anything in return. This helped to change my perception.

Second, as I matured in my career I lost whatever it was that made me shy. Maybe it was all the years in New York City, or giving countless presentations or maybe it was because I was growing comfortable in my skin, whatever the reason, I now have no problem picking up the phone or sending an email to a complete stranger. I often go with the ‘what’s the worst that can happen’ theory.

Third, I realized the value of networking. I will save details on this for another blog post, but the value of my network continues to surprise me.  I would almost refer to my network more as a support group. When my position was eliminated at a company I once worked for, I watched my network rally to support me. Eventually, what I would consider my personal team led me to several fantastic job opportunities.

Finally, I realized how much value I could add to others in my network. I can share my experiences and learning with someone else who hasn’t had that same experience just yet. With one phone call, I was able to help a friend fill an open position. If I don’t have the information someone in my network needs, I can refer them to someone else in my network who can help them. It is fulfilling for me to be able to help build connections for others.

What does networking mean to you? What can networking add to your career? How can you build a strong network that fulfills your vision? Where will you look to start building this network? What gaps do you have in your current network? How much are you contributing rather than taking? What is holding you back, if anything, from networking? Where can you start if you haven’t already?

Learn more about the fashion industry from Career Coach Kate Kibler at http://www.katekibler.com.