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Have you ever looked at how much fun fashion brands like Revolve and Everlane have on the job and wonder what it would take for you to score a dreamy gig like that? In addition to requiring hardwork, dedication, and — most importantly — skill, stylish tech-savvy jobs like those also require an elevated understanding of social media and it's influence on the fashion world.
One company that understands what today's millenial-driven businesses are looking for in new hires is The Workshop LA, a fashion and lifestyle creative agency based in beautiful Venice. Founded by Audrey Okulick, the full-service recruiting firm specializes in creative and corporate staffing in the fashion industry. Many of their job openings are posted on their Instagram, and the company is known for dropping career knowledge and inspiration using the #recruitingrevolution hashtag.
Given that Okulick is a tech genius and a true fashion vet (she worked in the industry for more than 10 years in both New York and LA before launching her own company), we asked her to roundup seven crucial tips for using the power of social media and the internet to score a job everyone will be jealous of.
1. Promote yourself (and what you're wearing). Believe it or not, but fashion companies actually look at the pics they are tagged it. Whether you are showing off something you wore on your last trip to Cannes or brunch on Sunday, always tag the designer or store you bought it from. This will show a company you understand their brand identity and may even get you a DM to be a brand ambassador.
2. Start following the brands and people you want to work for. Let's say there's a brand you want to work for and you keep sending in your resume but never hear back. This is when you need to get sneaky and do some digging. Start with Linkedin and search the company you like. Next, go deeper into the title of the hiring manager, and get their name. Chances are, you can search Instagram for their name and they will pop up. Follow them and start liking a few photos — but don't go overboard. This will get their attention and get you noticed. Sometimes they may even advertise for their open jobs on their personal social media feed, so following them is a win-win.
3.
Study the latest designer brands by virtual window shopping. A great way to stay in the know of new and buzzworthy brands is to virtual window shop. E-commerce mavens like
Revolve and
Shopbop are constantly updating their stockists with the latest and greatest. Make sure to remember the brand names you like in case an interviewer asks, "Who is your favorite brand in the contemporary market right now?"
4.
Keep your Pinterest boards (and other social media sites) up to date. Oftentimes during the interview process, I ask to see a candidate's Pinterest board to make sure their taste level is up to par with whatever client I'm recruiting for. Any creative mind has one, and if you don't, you better get pinning. Many employers can also ask you to list your handles on job applications so its important to make sure they are updated and looking good. Some companies like
Everlane even take their social focus a step further and have candidates submit an application via
Snapchat.
5. Search job hashtags. Although fashion companies are becoming more savvy by advertising their postings on social media, sometimes it's hard to find them in a sea of fashion profiles. Some of our favorite hashtag searches include: #hiring #nowhiring #jobsearch #jobalert #career #designjobs #prjobs and #creativejobs.
6.
Visit wholesale sample sales for local networking opportunities. Sample sales are a great way to make industry connections in a casual and natural social setting. Since most of these events are not publicized, a great way to find out about them is on Instagram — or
Racked, of course!
7.
Send virtual thank-you notes. We hate to admit it, but snail mail thank-you notes are a thing of the past.
Paperless Post now has some great virtual thank-you notes
here that you can email out the same day after you have an interview. You only get one shot at interviewing, so make that first impression a lasting one.
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