Landing a Great Fashion Internship
The days of lackadaisically backpacking through Europe for the summer are over. In America, the days of a student’s summer being carefree have come to be replaced by 9 to 5’s with summer dresses swapped for button-down shirts and pencil skirts. Many students now opt to spend their “vacations” working, as interns.
Ideally, internships prepare you for the “real world” and your daily tasks would reflect that. While going on coffee runs, making photocopy after photocopy, and faxing are common tasks assigned to interns, so are helping to coordinate a fashion show and organizing fashion closets.
The frightening task of obtaining an internship can be overwhelming for the first-timers out there and there are a few different ways that you might go about securing an internship:
- Your school will probably be able to help you locate opportunities in your desired field and set you up with interviews with possible prospects.
- Another avenue you can take is looking online in industry publications like Women’s Wear Daily that will advertise summer internships.
- And then there’s always nepotism. If you have a family member or friend currently working in fashion or a fashion-related industry, you can ask if they have a summer internship program that you can apply for.
- Fan of Giorgio Armani? Then write the human resources department at their corporate headquarters inquiring about internships. If you don’t put yourself out there, you will never know what might have been.
- Find a smaller designer or consider interning in the design department of retailer. Not all internships have to be for an Armani or Dior. Choosing a designer who might not be as well-known can work out well for you. It shows you have a grasp on up-and-comers and you might get more hands-on experience with a smaller company. Likewise, working with the design department of a popular retailer might give you the experience you need to land a bigger internship next year.
- Or you can always consider an outside internship company to set up an internship for you.
Applying for an internship is similar to applying for a job. They want to see a resume, portfolio, and speak with you about what you have done in the past and how qualified you are to perform tasks for them. They want to see that you are well spoken, put together, and willing to work hard. Internships are not for the light of heart. You can expect to be working long hours, on your feet, running around the entire time.
However, the immense networking benefit that comes from an internship will outweigh any blisters your bunions might get. Some internships will offer you the opportunity to work with them over a semester or for you to come back and work with them the following year. And if you are close to graduation, in rare cases, they may offer you a position with the company.
Internships are jobs. You should expect to work hard to reap the benefits that follow. Respect your employer by dressing in accordance with office standards. In other words don’t wear a strapless mini dress while everyone else is in slacks.
Remember to keep your end goal in mind and ask for a letter of recommendation when the internship completes. It will help you land an even better internship next time. Global Experien
