Whether you’re a postgraduate ready to make waves within the creative industry or still studying and unsure of what creative career path you want to take, we’ve got fitting advice for you to take the industry by storm! From interning to landing your first entry level role, we share our top tips from some of our female department directors and managers from our London HQ!
Zoe Price Smith - Brand & Product Director
Top 5 tips on how to ‘boss’ an interview:
Having confidence is absolutely key
Have passion for the product and sector that you’re interviewing for
Show that you’ve done your research (and when I say research, I mean more than just a quick Google search and scroll on Instagram!)
Show a clear, strategic vision on business progression, and how you tie into this through what you can bring to the role and deliver
Do you think a degree is necessary to succeed in fashion design? In the fashion industry?
It’s a good platform to understand the creative design process and most entry-level design roles currently state that a degree-level education is required to be considered. However, I do think experience is most valuable. If a candidate has built up a wealth of experience from say, retail work and a solid period of time interning in Design, I wouldn’t immediately dismiss them for an entry-level designer role.
Interview Dressing
When interviewing for creative roles, you’re on the right track to getting a foot in the door of one of the most competitive industries. Interviews for creative positions are less restrictive with regard to interview dressing however, our advice: go for “business casual”. You’ll need to stand out and showcase your personality, but also be on the safe side if office dressing culture is more on one end of the spectrum than another. Think power dressing with a cool twist or laid back luxe. Accessorize with a small sized bag for a smoother greeting and goodbye to your potential employer!
Recruitment Manager - Emma Wood
What do you look for when hiring an entry level candidate?
Keep your CV clear and concise. List any relevant work experience you’ve had and carry out your research! Two of the most important traits we look for at this level are passion and drive, so even if you only have a couple of weeks work experience shadowing, we can see you have the initiative to get where you want to be.
Advice/tips for post graduate interviews?
Prepare – if you have a portfolio, bring this to your interview, or any projects you have completed. We love seeing your work and it gives us a great insight into your creativity and style. Visit a store and look at our online platforms – if you’re applying for a role with us, we want to hear about your views on what we currently do and what you would add or even do differently.
Any tips for getting into the industry?
Work experience – this is a great way to gain on-the-job experience and also to see if the role is what you thought it would be. If you can shadow someone already in the position you want to be in, you will see exactly what a day or week would look like for you. Network – connect with people in the industry on LinkedIn and look out for networking events, these are great opportunities to get in front of the relevant people and build relationships. This will help you stand out if you already have a connection within the business.
Networking
Networking is a key step in getting into the creative industry and in some cases, free of charge! The thought of networking can be daunting, but attending workshops and events is an excellent way of getting to know other like-minded creatives and build up your portfolio of contacts. It’s important to make a good impression as the people you meet could be the contact that gets you a step closer to that dream job!
Junior Head of Marketing - Rebecca Green
What do you look for when hiring an entry level candidate?
Enthusiasm is key - if someone is passionate and eager to learn new skills then they always stand out as a great candidate.
Advice/ tips for post graduate interviews?
Be yourself! It might sound cliche but your personality and ability to fit in with the rest of the team are so important... so relax and be yourself.
Any tips for getting into the industry?
For a role in marketing & PR, internships and are a great way to forge industry connections and gain invaluable skills, which will help set you up in your first post-graduate role. Keeping up with the Kardashians (literally!) is also important as a knowledge of celebs and influencers is useful for an ever-evolving digital landscape, as most customers are looking to these daily for their outfit and style inspirations.
If you’re ready to take the first steps of your career in the industry, and love the idea of working for Boux Avenue whether it’s in one of our stores or head office, visit our current vacancies page and follow us on Linkedin to be the first to hear about recruitment opportunities. Keep your eyes peeled for Christmas temp roles on our careers page below and our social channels @BouxAvenue!
