A lot of people think that working in the fashion industry means that they HAVE to be able to design, and that’s totally untrue! In fact the industry isn’t just limited to stylists, buyers, merchandisers and writers either. Just yesterday I got this letter from Nathan, who is a programmer and who wants to work in the industry. After putting our heads together we came up with a few ideas for his business. Check out our conversation:
Hey Kim,
I just stumbled on your blog (dailyfashionjobs.com) via a link from SeeJackShop.com. Instantly, I became very excited. I have an intense love of male fashion (much to the chagrin of my wallet) and have dreamed about wokring in the industry for years – but I have a small problem:
I’m a programmer.
Software Engineer, consultant, DBA, code-jockey – whatever name pleases you – I can’t see to find any jobs that fit my skill set in the industry. This has always seemed odd to me since virtually every other industry solicits my talent regularly; banking, film, casinos, retail, automotive and so on.
Would you be able to shed some light on the dearth of programming jobs in the Fashion industry, or perhaps point me in the right direction?
Thanks!
Hi Nathan! I know a tiny bit about what you do, but not much so feel free to correct me if I have any misconceptions. I think for the most part business owners hire programmers freelance when they need something done. I think for the most part fashion houses and retail shops just want a pretty basic e commerce site and are probably more focused on aesthetics than anything else.
Have tried looking on the job search engines that some department stores and chain stores have? I think I’ve seen categories for what you do there, although I’m not sure how many jobs are available. Definitely check the big ones first: Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Nieman Marcus, Saks, Dillards, Barney’s, Bergdorf Goodman, etc.
And touching back on what I mentioned before about basic ecommerce sites, here’s something to think about….what could you offer the fashion industry? What kind of creative and innovative scripts could you offer that will make fashion websites more interactive, more customer friendly, more social, more fashionable? This can apply not only to ecommerce sites but fashion related social networks and shopping search engines as well. If you can answer those questions you can always do freelance on the side and once you get a customer or two, your name will spread via word of mouth.
That’s what this industry really is about; breaking in whatever way you can and networking.
Kim
The fashion industry is pretty much the same as any other business or corporation, just more stylish. There’s room for accountants, sales people (not retail), advertising, lawyers, interior designers, etc. who SPECIALIZE in fashion. And if you’re good you’ll make more money as a specialist.
Anyways, as I mentioned before I’m opening a boutique next year and made a great networking contact when Nathan emailed me. So it never hurts to ask!
