Los Angeles. Most companies here are mass production suppliers, or fast junior fashion.
2 Likes
Ok thank you. Since you mentioned retail work I know of a small store in Scarsdale NY looking for a store manager. It is a 1 person show and just really selling with light computer work. A background in textiles, garments and patterns is what the owners typically like to hire. But since your in LA this would not be applicable. I would assume the rest of this group wouldnât be interested in Retail work but this brand hires and caters to a mature women.
Thanks
Thank you so much anyway!
Of course you do not sound overly negative: you are telling about your experience. My friends in sales over their early 50âs in age have only managed to get new jobs lately because they have close ties to retail buyers. If you lack those ties, for whatever reason, then I would take your sales skills to another industry altogether. Real estate is hard to break into but pays off, with incredibly hard work and long hours, after a couple of years. Retail sales can be quite lucrative and great if you love new people. Good luck!
2 Likes
I totally understand. I have been on a consulting contract since June, luckily, but really wanted a permanent placement with this company or another. The company just signed me on FT starting next month.
But just before the winter holidays, this was the post I shared on my Facebook page:
Since the middle of February 2021, I have:
⢠applied to 62 jobs at 42 companies â 7 of those jobs recruited me
⢠interviewed for 15 different roles for a total of 29 interviews (this includes recruiter screenings)
⢠rejected 33 times (11 with a personal note/22 automated response)
⢠ghosted on 26 applications (including ones I interviewed for)
⢠multiple interviews for 6 different roles - 3 were companies that sought me out
⢠lost out on 2 jobs because of visa complications (2 different countries)
⢠received 2 official job offers â 1 the contract gig I am currently working, and another offered at exactly the same time that gave off allllll the crazy vibes
If I did not have the contract gig, there would have been at least double the number of applications and most likely just as many rejections at this point.
At no time did I apply for a role outside of my field. I also did not apply for anything that advertised a salary below 5k more than my last paycheck (unless it was the bottom of a large range). Some people tell me I should be more flexible - but I am NOT switching industries again for the third time. Apparel is where I want to be. (also want to add my husband works in theatre â which historically and most recently isnât the most secure field to be in.)
What is so hard about not getting the jobs that I really wanted, especially after multiple interviews and the time invested in the process, was losing out because of logistics (visa) or it went to someone else with âmore brand experienceâ (like, did you even read my resume?). They were perfect for me in every way â title, company, teammates, salary, benefits, even the location for the 2 out of country⌠And they were where I wanted my career to go. The visa ones are more painful because they wanted me, and I wanted to work for them. Itâs like a getting all the yarn and fabric and not being able to make anything with it â it has to stay behind a wall that you can never break down.
On a positive holiday note:
I do have an interview in the works to be scheduled for after New Yearâs for the 62nd role I applied for last month with a nearby brand (there are three, pick one).
And I did just submit a job description/proposal for a permanent job last week at the consulting gig. I reviewed it with my manager who will edit, make notes, run it by me, then socialize it after the holiday break. We will hopefully come to an agreement before the latest contract extension ends at the end of February. (NOTE finally aligned in MARCH)
2 Likes
should also add that my former company briefly laid me off for just under 90 days in May of 2020 - and i applied to 3- 5 jobs a week until I got that job back end of July - and had several interviews at the time but i didnt track it like i did this time
This to me, is mind blowing because between your experiences and mine I can only think that there is something deeply wrong with people who are so unprofessional. In all my years I interviewed, hired, and trained 100âs of people and I have never, nor will I ever, treat people the way you and I, and I know numerous others, have been treated.
2 Likes
Im still stuck on the fact that she had a zoom interview with a blank screen. Thats unbelievable 
. I can imagine how awkward that must have been
1 Like
Not only 1 blank screen but I had 3 people on there and none of them would turn their cameras on! And the same thing happened during the second zoom interview. And when I went into LinkedIn to see the Sales Managers profile pic she had a hat on, looking down, with her hair covering her face. Needless to say, it was weird!!
2 Likes
This is where the whole âdiversity â movement hits THE WALL. Itâs a non negotiable. Even if you keep yourself looking and living a young life and stay relevant with forecasting, cultural shifts in design, society, social issues, art, restaurants, events,etc etc, , you are still dismissed by younger people for design jobs- anything in a creative capacity.
2 Likes
I agree with you on networking, in my experience (as an introvert) most office jobs are more about social politics rather than high skill (unless what youâre doing is highly technical) and often itâs who you know that can help you get hired, along with updating your portfolio.
3 Likes
The reason it seems more, who you know than anything else is because headhunters serve their own needs and HR is little help. Itâs very hard to get any true communication going.
The whole system needs an overhaul.
2 Likes
Being an introvert makes this industry so frustrating. As someone who is quiet and doesnât like to be involved in office politics, Iâve found that it makes others extremely uncomfortable. There is so much competition for attention and gossip. So if you donât care for that, people do assume you âdonât fit the culture.â Ridiculous.
5 Likes
This is soooo daunting. I havenât really been looking because I have been able to do a little freelance here & there & my main job is trying to keep me on. I actually ended up leaving the fashion industry & going into live performances & costumes because i was sick of the low ball offers & high expectations. I have 10+ years experience (including management & director experience), in the industry but everyone only wants to offer 50k. How??? I worked in costumes/live performance & they offered me the equivalent to 60k (hourly so it goes up when I do overtime) with only requiring 3-5yrs of experience or equivalent.
Iâm trying to stick with theater because the pay seems better so far. But also if i donât get this job I applied for at a theater I may have to go back to fashion by being overworked & underpaid. Iâm just at the point where I need a regular paycheck again and my current theater job turned into a freelance one post pandemic. I look at job descriptions and just cringe at the requirements while thinking⌠so they have no assistants that can do little things like send invoices, check in samples, mail out samples? A senior level person with 10+ years experience needs to do that on top of all the other work they need to do? But then only wants to pay 50k? But work extended hours, holidays & some weekends? I donât see the point. Itâs really daunting. I honestly donât know what I can do.
Anyway, I totally get where youâre coming from. So many of us are sharing the same sentiments so we all get comfort that is not just one us, we are all having the same issue. Good luck to everyone!
4 Likes
Hi everyone,
I have been trying to get into the fashion/apparel/textile industry, but I have had no success. I do not have work experience in those industries, but I have skills that I have learned (not paid) It has led to frustrations, doubt, and wondering if it is worth the effort. Trying to get feedback or any help is challenging. I think I have a disconnect or something is not strong enough, e.g., resume or LinkedIn profile.
2 Likes
This industry really values experience, and I know itâs the whole chicken-or-the-egg thought of how do I get experience when they are only hiring people who have experience already?
In this case- what youâll probably have to do to âbreak inâ is twofold- partially education, and then partially entry level experience. Education is key to get familiar with the industry, whether itâs in design, product development, etc. Youâll need to develop a basic skill set, and then also niche expertise as you grow and learn, which includes various software, fabric knowledge, etc.
The best place, for part 2, is internships. Yes, they might be unpaid, or paid very little, or in college credits. Whatever the case is, DO them. Internships will open your eyes to different aspects of the industry, what people do, and what you like and what and want to focus on. Every entry level person Iâve hired has had some kind of internship experience- it shows ambition and the desire to grow and learn, and will add value to the team.
Good luck!
1 Like
Thank you for the information. I have been learning that the industry can be competitive, and it can depend on your network. I have some experience, just not paid experience.
A question for you. How do you deal with this issue? Let me give you some background to the question. I grew up around a seamstress. I learned how to sew by machine and hand, including what a whip stitch is. So many needles were busted by denim, and some materials are challenging to use with a sewing machine.
Thank you.
Is your goal to be a seamstress or sample sewer? If so, then it sounds like you may have the hands on experience to get into that. Iâm not actually that familiar with those positions and their hiring practices.
If your goal is to do something else-- design, product development, tech design, etc- then while your sewing skills are helpful, youâll still need to get some education and hands on internship experience 
I am floored by your comment that you are making more in theatre than apparel. Maybe it is your location - NYC? I have found that apparel in NYC pays a lot less than in the PNW. I was in theatre for close to 20 years and I am making 2-3 times in apparel as a Sr PD than what I made in theatre as a patternmaker and costume shop manager. Plus better benefits and better hours. I have been in apparel for 7 years going on 8 now.
3 Likes
Yes, I agree! I went to school for theater but needed to make actual money so I switched to become a patternmaker. I would love to do theater again if it actually paid a living wage!
I actually had an interview with a well-known, very wealthy company who ran mini-production for their shows & characters. They wanted an all day pattern test and someone who could use Accumark, do grading, CLO & drape insane, complicated characters out of nothing. And then they told me pay was $19/hr. I was like⌠who are you getting who has all of these skills and youâre paying below the poverty level. I would LOVE to do that job though⌠so much more fun than what I typically get to do!
3 Likes