Resume Writing Case Study for East Coast Fashion Industry Professional
The resume writer who will consistently produce an effective product will do more than just lay your experiences out on paper. Like any communication vehicle, one must take into consideration several mitigating factors to optimize the message.
New York City is considered the hub of fashion in the U.S. With an industry of 175,000, the NYC fashion industry makes up almost 6% of the workforce. The city stages 75+ fashion shows annually, put on by almost 14,000 fashion entities of varying sizes. But when preparing a resume and cover letter to enter the NYC fashion world, you want to start off considering how the industry works and the logistics of how the process works.
Resume Writer Strategy #1: Understand How the Fashion Network Works
As a resume writer who has prepared documents for several east coast fashion professionals at all levels I have noticed a consistent underlying theme. Most clients need the resume for a relationship that has already been established in some way through some other means. As you might assume, such an artistic profession is quite “handshake” in nature. So many of the interviews are a result of someone who has been introduced to someone else or had heard about their work and talents. As such, I find that most east coast fashion clients are looking for a resume product that leans more toward “getting to the point”. Perhaps even at the expense of strategies that help with database searches or optimizing a reader’s navigation who would normally go through hundreds of documents.
Resume Writer Strategy #2: Focus more on creativity, less on management
Even for the director level executive, the tendency has been for the clients to want a lower percentage of the “functional” competencies normally associated with senior level management and stick to the fashion particulars. So, less strategic management and more textiles sourcing. Less team development and more fashion event planning. Less process improvement and more sketching. As such, it is apparent that the top decision tree to bring someone in leans more on the fashion-centric talents than the mastery of organizational oversight. Although, I am sure that eventually must be addressed in the interview. After all, those are also necessary skill sets for long-term success.
Resume Writer Strategy #3: Use a touch of flair (but not too much)
This is normally where I have to step in for clients and keep things from going over the top. The purpose of a good resume is to be accepted by the widest number its eventual reviewers. You do not want a document that alienates have of those who see it. As a creative professional, it is very tempting to want your resume writer to create a high flair resume. But one must be careful to ensure its design does not overshadow the message. The more polarizing the look and feel of the document, then more of a chance some will not like it and your message doesn’t get across. Yes, your resume writer should not give you something too bland. But a good resume writer is going to keep your creative juices in check just a bit to ensure your audience focuses on your ability to do the job.
New York City attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, many of those pulled in by the fashion industry. It houses unmatched high-traffic retail space and production companies, along with world-class design schools. While the industry is expected negative growth through 2022 (-3%) by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, NYC is still home to more fashion designer headquarters and retailers than anywhere else in the country. Stay up on the latest in the industry through organizations such as The Fashion Industry Association.
