Fashion Job Opportunities

10 entry Level Jobs: Don't let these fashion opportunities pass you by When we think of the fashion industry we often think of models, runways and fashion designers. These jobs are often associated with glitz and glamour but they certainly are not the be all and end all of the fashion industry. While these individuals are the public figures we admire, there are a lot more people behind the scenes working hard to make it happen. Here are 10 entry level jobs to break into the fashion industry.

Store Manager Fashion designers need a place to sell their wear and stores provide that for them. As a store manager entry level salaries are at about $40000 a year according to glassdoor.com. Most people who are store managers have some sort of business degree, usually business management. If you work for a national franchise or chain you will be able to learn the ins and outs of operating a store much easier as well as keep an eye on current trends before most other people do. Some successful store managers can even move up to regional or district managers, getting even more business and of course, better pay.

Sales or Brand Representatives Being a good sales representative requires a certain level of persuasion but also requires a certain level of listening and gauging your audience. In order to be able to represent a brand and sell their products you need to be knowledgeable in current news/trends. Make sure to keep up on influential fashion blogs or magazines and other publications. As a sales representative you may even get the chance to preview samples of products before they hit the shelves in stores. You need to be very people oriented if you work as a sales representative, but if you have the knack for it; sales representatives can have a lucrative career in the fashion industry.

Junior Merchandiser If you have a sharp eye for detail and aren't exactly keen to deal with hoards of shoppers then you might enjoy being a merchandiser. Merchandisers are the people responsible for keeping visual displays in perfect condition at stores as well as making sure those glorious window displays keep customers coming back for more. The down side to being a junior merchandiser however, is the fact you either work early mornings or late nights. If this isn't a problem for you or you simply just don't like being around too many people however, than you just might enjoy this job.

Editorial Assistant Most people will tell you that in order to be in the big leagues as far as any kind of publishing you have to start small. Publishing in the fashion industry is no exception. Most likely you will need to start as an intern for a major publication or company. If you are lucky, one of the intern jobs you can land is an editorial assistant. What this means for you is that you have to basically be a grammar nazi and pour over copy, checking out for small details such as typos, punctuation errors, and missing or incorrect factual information. In the ever growing world of the internet editorial assistants get to write articles every now and then as well, so the occasional byline will be given to you, which is always a good step in your favor if you wish to further your writing career.

Personal Assistant Are you okay with doing tasks that most fashion industry business professionals just don't have time to do? Such examples of this might include mailing out correspondence, checking emails, answering phone calls, and booking appointments. Multitasking is really important, as well as paying good attention to detail and being able to be attentive to your boss all the time. The only downside to being a personal assistant however, is the lack of social life you might end up having. If you end up working for a high end executive in the fashion industry or just simply someone with a lot of work on their plate you will be too busy to really do much of anything else. Just think of all the design swag you could end up with though if you are a personal assistant.

Marketing/social Media Assistant We all know that in today's business markets social media is becoming an ever growing presence in an advertising budget however, some business professionals may not see the benefits of harnessing the power of social media. Your job, first to convince them why social media marketing is important in the first place, then once you're given the task of using social media to market a brand in the fashion industry via methods such as twitter, Facebook, blogs and Instagram. Social media assistants have to be savvy when it comes to social media however, so if you know how to get hoards of followers or likes to a fan page with no problem being a marketing/social media assistant may be for you.

PR and Advertising Account Coordinators While public relations and advertising isn't the same thing they certainly work in tandem with each other and require much of the same skills. PR and advertising coordinators help their advertisers and public relations staff with tasks such as writing memos, press releases, tracking the success of campaigns and developing lists of contacts. You need to be able to communicate with people as well as make sure everything is under control from a business standpoint.

Design Assistant You need a degree in fashion design in order to start successfully as a design assistant. Be prepared to be overworked and possibly underpaid if you decide to go this route. You may not be the one responsible for the next breakthrough product your boss produces, but you will certainly help him or her put it together. You also get to travel a lot to different events and venues however; most of that time traveling will be swamped with lots of work, from fitting models to tracking samples and making sure shows and events go as smoothly as possible. If you have a passion for design however, you just might get enough network contacts to start your own line.

Assistant Buyer Though buyers are just as much a business element in the fashion industry as the other jobs listed here they are probably the ones that also need the most street smarts as well. Buyers are knowledgeable in trend setting styles and know months in advance what will sell out and what won't. Since assistant buyers a lot of times have their own budget, they need to especially watch out and make sure they spend only on things they know will sell out at their store. A successful buyer will have an awesome sell through rate because the products they bought for the store will sell out therefore, these assistant buyers will make a ton of money if they know what they are doing.

Intern While a lot of internships are unpaid there are still some that are and more importantly internships allow you to get some much needed experience. You can see how the fashion business works by seeing all sorts of different facets of the business all while learning some things yourself. Experience is key as well, and if you're good enough for the company to remember you, you just might land your first job there.

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