Tag: job

5 Skills Every College Student Should Master Before Graduating

Before you know it, your four years in college will pass by and you’ll be wondering where the time went. I’m currently a junior in college, which means I’m halfway done—but it also means I’ll be in the real world soon! Graduating from college is both exciting and full of uncertainty. Luckily, there are five skills every college student can master that will help you in life and your future career.

PHOTO: Ali Bell

1—Time management

College is filled with endless distractions, and it’s easy to waste time on social media. Procrastination is every college student’s worst enemy when it comes to completing that long to-do list. If you’re easily distracted, turn off your phone and use a temporary website blocker to eliminate the temptation to procrastinate. Be sure to use a planner to help you stay on top of your assignments as staying organized will help you manage your time effectively.

2—Teamwork 

A lot of college students hate doing group projects in class, but it’s important to learn about collaboration before you enter the workforce. Teamwork teaches you to listen to other people’s ideas, respect the opinions of others, and use persuasion to develop ideas. A company is stronger when individuals work together as a team.

PHOTO: Julia Michael

3—Empathy

College is the best time to connect with people of different backgrounds and learn about different perspectives. Getting involved in the community helps you become a more empathetic person. Being empathetic decreases the risk of conflict in the workplace and helps employees work together; bosses who are empathetic are proven to be more successful.

4—Public speaking 

Public speaking is a lot of people’s greatest fear, but it’s a valuable skill to learn if you want to advance in your career. Whether you pitch an idea to your boss or lead a company presentation, public speaking will get you where you want to go. Most jobs require lots of interactions with people, so learning how to effectively communicate is important both in your personal and professional life. Don’t forget that your outfit also communicates who you are as a person and a professional, so don’t forget to dress appropriately and make a good impression.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

5—Networking

College is the best time to start networking. Go to career fairs, maintain good relationships with your professors, and be sure to create a LinkedIn account to show your accomplishments and keep in touch with your connections. Don’t forget to connect with your peers as well, especially if they are in the same industry as you. College fashionista has given me the opportunity to connect with Style Gurus around the world who have a passion for fashion; we all inspire each other, and this community gives me a taste of what the fashion industry will be like in the future.

What skills have you utilized in an internship or job? Let us know in the comments below. 

Why Interning in a New City Alone Is So Important

Every college student knows the stressful feeling of searching for a summer internship. From revamping your resume to perfecting your cover letter, to finding a listing for a potential employer that you like, the entire process requires hard work, determination, and a ton of faith in yourself.

 PHOTO: Jordyn Wissert

Then, you finally get an interview which leads to the wonderful moment when you open the email that has a job offer in it.  However, now you have to figure out housing and roommates if your internship is somewhere other than your hometown.

Working in the journalism industry, especially in the fashion or beauty side, it is more likely than not that your internship won’t be right next door to your university or hometown.

This exact process is what happened to me this summer and, fortunately, I was able to spend my summer interning about 500 miles away in New York City. However, I moved there and started working at my internship, despite only knowing two other people in the entire city.

Besides moving to college two years ago, I had never really left home without a family member or friend by my side, so starting over in the biggest city in America for a summer was something that terrified and excited me since I confirmed my trip February of last year.

I can’t say it wasn’t hard or that I didn’t get lonely at times, but I can say the creativity, the fast paced work life, the scenery, and the incredible amount of opportunity in New York overshadowed a lot of the little bad moments with a ton of experiences that have shaped who I am today.

 PHOTO: Kelly Rogowski

One of my favorite aspects was seeing the incredible fashion, obviously. The trendy summer slides, statement earrings, off-the-shoulder tops, and everything in between made it hard for me to think about returning to normal suburban life.

Going into this internship, I wanted to reassure myself that living in New York City was the path I wanted to go down post-graduation. So I made a conscious effort to push my own social boundaries and talk to other interns and experience the city itself, whether it was with one of the two people I knew or alone.

This mindset allowed me to really dive into my internship and focus on being the best public relations intern I could be. It was really interesting how much work excited me and how little distractions I had when all that was required of me was going to work and experiencing New York.

Overall, I left New York knowing that the work culture there was exactly what I wanted, that the city was what made me feel so inspired, and that public relations fascinated me. Having the opportunity to experience New York in this way made me understand how important it is for a young professional to push themselves outside of their comfort zone, and take the opportunities that force them to grow and gain confidence.

Have you had a life-changing experience like this? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Additional photo by Jordyn Wissert.

6 Tips to Help You Nail a Phone Interview

Phone interviewers may seem easier, but there are actually hidden tricks that will make you stand out. From start to finish, these are the six moves you can make to nail your phone interview!

1—The company. Researching the company shows you actually care about the position. Go to the company’s website and write down their mission, vision, and anything you think is noteworthy. Since you will be on the phone, you can take notes for any questions and give the answers to them throughout the Interview.

2—The interviewer. Find out information about the interviewer. The easiest starting place is LinkedIn. I would search the name and the company to see who shows up. If the position title does not match, try a general Google search to find the proper spelling of your interviewer’s name. Once you find him or her, write down the degree they earned and anything interesting about their work history. I discovered that one of my former interviewers switched from theater to sales, while another former interviewer was in fashion with a brief stint in the oil and gas industry. If you find any current accolades, commend them for their success!

3—Your outfit. Go over your notes and fix anything that could trip you up during the interview, then find a business professional outfit that makes you feel confident. Although the interviewer will never see you, dressing up will place your brain into a professional mentality.

4—Stand up. As soon as your phone rings, stand up and smile. Standing will help you sound better over the phone. The smiling will help you sound more cheerful when you say “Hello [Name], how are you today?” Keep standing throughout the interview in order to keep a proper and confident posture. 

5—Your questions. Make sure you ask the questions you wrote down earlier. Did you want to congratulate the company on a new move, acquisition, or award? At the end of your interview, ask the interviewer if he/she thinks you are a good fit for the team, company, or position. This will give your interviewer the chance to mention any concerns or say you would be a great fit!

6—Thank you. After your interview has ended, send a thank you through email or mail. Mention that you enjoyed learning more about the position and that you look forward to hearing from him/her. If you didn’t ask in the interview, ask now about when you should hear back regarding the position. End it with a simple thank you or sincerely along with your professional email signature.

Do you have any interview tips? Show us on social media by tagging @CFashionista on Instagram!

How to Slay Your Job Interview

College kids are constantly in a financial jam. We are always seeing new clothes we feel we simply can’t live without. We are constantly facing an inner battle within ourselves to decide whether we should spend our money on what we need or give into our temptation and purchase that cute shirt that’s calling our name. If you’re like me, you’ve decided to seek employment. With that said, I am here to give you guys a few tips that will help you slay your interview so that you can start rolling in the dough.

1—Dress for success. Appearance plays a major role. When you step into your interview, you want to make sure that you are looking the part. Your prospective employer should be able to take one look at you and think to themselves that you are a perfect fit. You can never go wrong with a classic all-black look, especially if it includes a blazer. Blazers scream professionalism, and you will turn heads. Also, be sure to add a pop of gold or silver jewelry, some super cute shoes, and you will be good to go.

2—Wear minimal makeup. Now I understand that we live in this era of wearing super heavy makeup with a lot of cheekbone glow, but that is not always best. You want to have on enough makeup to where it will be noticed, but you don’t want your shiny cheeks and dark eye makeup to distract the person interviewing you. Less is more, my friends. Neutral colors with a red lip are perfect. You can still have that wow factor without it being an overkill.

3—Smile, smile, and smile. Now that you’ve mastered the appearance aspect of an interview, your next focus should be your presentation. A friendly smile will carry you a long way. You can win over your employer in the first couple of seconds with your great personality. Just remember to have fun, be yourself, and smile, and you are setting yourself up for perfection.

How do you slay your interview? Show us on social media, and be sure to tag @Cfashionista.

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4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Retail Job

This summer I took on the challenge of working in retail, as most of us lovers of fashion and style chose to do at one point or another. Not far into the season, I came to the realization that this was my first college summer and I should be making the most of it. To get more than a paycheck out of my summer gig, I found a few small ways to broaden my horizons and add some sparkles to my resume.

Disclaimer: I worked at a small boutique. Some of these tips may be less applicable if you are working for a large chain retailer.

Build a social media presence. The job I worked was at a locally-owned specialty store in a beach town. I noticed that the owners had created an online sales presence and a popular Facebook page, but were not utilizing any other social media channels. I asked permission to take over a forgotten store Instagram account for the summer. Using my coworkers as models, and the scenery around the store as a set, I photographed new merchandise and advertised sale items to a growing number of followers. This experience not only made my job more exciting, ut also allowed me to add several new skills to my resume.

Design a display. Visual merchandising is an important part of marketing. Displays draw customers in and show off new products in their best light. I had the opportunity to use my creativity and design knowledge to put together complete looks for mannequins and arrange products on tabletop displays.

Become an expert. Many brands offer online training videos that teach sales associates how to pitch their product to a customer. The more you learn about a product, the more you will be able to talk to customers about it, and the more likely they will be to buy it. Some brands even offer a rewards program and if you sell a certain number of their products, you might get something free. This is a terrific way to strengthen your marketing skills and possibly score some freebies.

Share your ideas. If you think those cute new skirts should be up front where customers can admire them more easily, tell someone! If you think there is a more efficient way to put price tags on a new shipment, let yourself be heard! Keep a stylish notebook on hand to jot down your thoughts. If you think every business has it all figured out, you’re wrong. Your idea could create positive changes that are needed for a business to grow. Tell your boss about a new brand you found that you believe would do well in your store. Brief your coworkers on the best questions to ask customers in order to figure out what they’re looking for. The possibilities are endless.

These ideas helped me get through some rather dull days on the sales floor. If you have any other tips please share them in the comments below!