7 Things to Do this Summer to Boost your Career in Fashion (even if you don’t have experience yet!)

Summer is officially here. If you are among the lucky ones who have secured a summer fashion internship, then your summer is already packed with this great and precious opportunity to boost your career in fashion. BUT if you don’t have any internships planned for the summer (actually you are still in time to secure a summer internship) there are still some very useful things you can do for your career in fashion to make sure that you find a new job/internship soon.

Summer may seem like a “quiet” period for your career in which you relax and might think of postponing everything to September. However, in reality, these next months are very important. If you put your career on hold now, it will be harder to start with a fresh new job in September. Imagine instead if you could secure your fall internship or a new job within the next weeks and then enjoy the rest of your summer knowing a work opportunity is waiting for you at the end of it. 

This is a time of the year when you have more time to finally do things that you never have time to do because you’re studying, taking exams, working. If you do not take advantage of the summer, you will delay your entry into the fashion industry by missing job opportunities that are open when you are not ready.

Here are the 7 things to do during the summer to prepare for entering the fashion industry. These things can also help boost your career even if you don’t have any fashion degree or experience.

7 Things to do this Summer to Boost your Career in Fashion

1. Identify the right fashion career for you

If you still do not have a clear idea of ​​what career might be for you, use this summer to understand it. So that you will be ready to look directly for job offers that reflect your passions and skills.

A great tip to understand what fashion job is right for you is to go through the job boards online. Also, read as many job descriptions as possible. You might not be fascinated by a job title. However, when you read the tasks involved in that job, you might discover that it’s actually made for you! Reading all the jobs posted online is very useful to understand more about the different roles in fashion.

If you are looking for a resource that guides you through all the careers in fashion, helps you determine which one is made for you, and explains HOW to land a job or internship in this field, I invite you to join our Summer Fashion Camp 2024 where you will explore various career paths, build essential skills, and create a roadmap to achieve your fashion industry goals. Whether you dream of becoming a top designer, a savvy merchandiser or buyer, a stylist, a marketing and PR expert, or a brand manager, our Summer Fashion Camp will guide you every step of the way.

2. Work on new skills

Take advantage of the summer to learn something new to boost your skills, knowledge, and resume. If you believe you are lacking some skills or programs that are required in your dream fashion job, don’t just give up and look for another job. Instead, be proactive and acquire the skills you are missing. If you have no idea what the skills required in fashion are, Excel is the most requested skill in any fashion job. You might even learn or practice a second or third language as it’s always useful in fashion. For example, you could practice French if you want to find a fashion job in Paris. Also, you can practice Italian if you want to grow your fashion career in Milan.

3. Learn more about the fashion industry

One of the first rules of having a successful career is being very knowledgeable about your industry. Learning new things should be a fundamental part of your daily routine. It doesn’t end when you get a degree or diploma. The more you know, the more you’ll feel confident in conversations with recruiters, colleagues, and peers.

Take advantage of the summer to learn more about the fashion industry through books. Alternate your summer playlist with some fashion and career podcasts. Also, read industry websites, watch some fashion documentaries. I also recommend to take online courses to boost your resume as well with a certification.

Online courses are perfect as you can take them from everywhere. So, even if you are on vacation, you could spend 30 minutes of your mornings taking an online course. For example, our Summer Fashion Camp. This dynamic 6-week online course is designed to fit seamlessly into your summer plans. Starting on June 17th until July 31st, each week, you’ll dive into a specific topic. It will be supplemented with our video lessons, PDFs, and downloadable templates released on a weekly basis. Your necessary time commitment is only 3 hours per week. This format allows you to learn at your own pace. Also, it ensures that you can still enjoy those beach walks and trips with friends while advancing your career.

4. Refresh your CV, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn

Do your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn Profile need a refresh? What a better time than summer to finally update them?

A professional resume is the basis of any job application. So, stop using the same resume to apply for different jobs and internships in fashion. Make sure to tailor your CV to every position. If you are interested in several roles in fashion, you should have a resume for each of these careers. When you find a job or internship offer that interests you, you can just personalize your CV to the specific company and position with the right keywords.

In addition, I always suggest sending a cover letter – even when it’s not explicitly requested. A cover letter is where you can reiterate your interest in that specific role. Through your cover letter, you can reinforce and develop the skills and experiences you mentioned in your resume. Also, talk about your motivation to join that fashion brand.

Update your LinkedIn Profile

If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet or you haven’t updated it for a while, it’s time to create one or refresh yours. Take advantage of the summer to learn how to use it to the fullest.

Do you know that fashion recruiters use LinkedIn not only to post job offers but also to search for candidates directly? LinkedIn works as a search engine. Therefore, the more a profile is set correctly, the first it appears in the search results (AKA the more chances you have to get discovered by recruiters and land a new job). Plus it’s your best career ally: it’s in fact the place to network, do your research about a company and the people working there, build your personal branding, receive work proposals, and find jobs at the same time. 

If you need help with your application documents, our Summer Fashion Camp will teach you how to build a polished resume and cover letter tailored to the fashion industry (even if you have no experience yet!).You will also understand how to network in the industry and use LinkedIn for your career.

5. Build your fashion portfolio

Even if you don’t want to become a designer, you still need a portfolio. It’s a must for all creative careers but also a plus for business-oriented ones like Fashion buying, Marketing, PR, etc.

Take advantage of the summer to update your portfolio with your latest works, or create new projects just for the sake of building your portfolio so you can showcase your skills to potential employers even if you have never worked in fashion before.

When you enroll in The Summer Fashion Camp, at the end of each module, you’ll receive practical and engaging exercises to directly apply the knowledge you learned by building real-world fashion projects. The main lessons are pre-recorded to allow you to study at the time you prefer, but we will review your work each week, providing personalized feedback.

6. Look for fashion jobs and internships

Just because you see on Instagram that your favorite editors, stylists, and designers are enjoying their holidays, it doesn’t mean that fashion companies and offices are closed. They are still hiring, posting jobs, and conducting job interviews, so keep an eye out online to find new jobs and internships you can apply for. If you don’t find opportunities, email directly your favorite brands to secure an internship this summer, in the fall, or in 2025.

7. Learn how to apply correctly for fashion jobs and internships

When you are looking for fashion job opportunities online and you start preparing your applications, you might be wondering: Am I doing this right? How can I actually stand out from other candidates?

There isn’t anything worse than missing out on your dream job just because you didn’t apply correctly. And for the record, you cannot apply twice for the same job once your application has been submitted, so it’s better that you do it the right way from the beginning.)

The fashion industry has its own hiring codes so the standard application strategies don’t work. I teach the correct strategies to apply for jobs and internships in my Summer Fashion Camp. Unlike traditional courses that focus on fashion theory, our camp provides hands-on, real-world training. Each lesson is designed to teach you the essential job application practices that employers are looking for, ensuring you stand out in a competitive market. Whether you’re a student (fashion or non-fashion), a recent graduate looking to enter the industry, or a career changer seeking to transition into fashion, our camp is designed for you.

Click here to join us at the Summer Fashion Camp and take a bold step towards a vibrant, fulfilling career in the fashion industry. Your dream job awaits—let us help you get there!

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