Getting Started in a Career in Fashion

Several years ago when my daughter was 12 years of age, she was invited to the then Company Magazine blogger awards. She was nominated for her blog in the under 18 years category. That in itself is a story for another time.

The reason for mentioning it is that whilst there I spoke with another parent who said that her daughter wanted to enter into fashion but she didn't know how to support her in this ambition. She didn't know where to start.

And where to start is important because there is so much a young person can do to prepare themselves before they even get to Uni or fashion school.

It Starts With Your Vision

I encourage anyone with this dream or ambition to ask themselves what's their vision for their future. What do they want to be, do, feel, think, own, associate with, and impact?  I ask them to consider how they see their lives unfolding and how fashion plays a part in the scene they see.

Because without a vision they'll be led by the vision the media and brands themselves have built of what fashion careers consist of. Encouraging young people to think about their futures is often very difficult because most are only thinking about the next few days or weeks, let alone the next few years.

Having a compelling vision can help you succeed, be more satisfied with your life, and get the most out of your relationships and the opportunities that life will present you with.

Many experts on leadership and personal development stress how indispensable it is for you to craft your own personal vision for your life.

What A Vision Statement Includes

So if you truly do want to work in fashion then your vision statement will describe how that fashion role fits into your life, what you want to achieve, how your life will be because you work in fashion.

A vision statement describes what you want to achieve in the future. It basically answers the question that we all have at some point in our lives “Where do I want to be?"

When you prepare it you'll be describing the future state you'd like to have created in your life. It's like a mental picture of what you want to achieve over time, whether that's in five, ten or more years.

It will inspire you to give your life your best shot. Fundamentally a vision statement shapes your understanding of why you are doing what you do.

I want to be a fashion designer.

So you tell me you want to be a fashion designer or work in fashion but your life is more than just work. What you can achieve as a human being largely depends on how you picture your life being.

The most difficult step in a creating your vision of your future is in discovering what you truly want. So here are some guidelines that can help you discover what matters most to you.

1. Focus on what really matters to you. Ask yourself, “What do I want to do?” — not “What should I do?”
2. Ask yourself what it is that you really want not what you want to move away from or escape from.
3. Use the 5 Why's to drill into why it is that you want what you say you want. For example, you want to be a fashion designer, but why? Then whatever the answer is, ask why again and so on. When you have done this a few times you'll get to the root reason why you want it.
4. Be creative and dream about your future. Use your imagination and picture how you want it to be.
5. What will the results look like? What will you accomplish? How will you feel about yourself? How will you feel about others and the type of family and career or business you for?
6. Don't focus on how you're going to get there, just focus on what it will be like when you do. The 'how to get there' is considered when you complete your personal development plan.

Using Our Vision Statement Tool

We've included two tools that you can use to help create your vision statement, in our FREE course called "Choosing a Career as a Fashion Designer".

These tools are:

1. A Vision Statement Research tool which asks you several questions which together with the tips above will help you understand more about yourself.
2. The Vision Statement Template which is for you to then create your statement based on your answers to the research and the tips and questions from the associated lesson in the course.
   
   

Share Your Vision Statement

Once you've completed your Vision Statement I recommend you share it with someone you trust. Talk it through with them and if necessary, make a second, better draft.

If you do change it don't compromise on your passion. Continue to think big, and hold onto your excitement for a career in fashion!

By the way, if you take the course you'll be using your Vision Statement in the course when you create your personal development plan for helping you progress and prepare yourself for a career in fashion.

To enroll in this free course or to find out more about "Choosing a Career in Fashion" and its contents click here.

And good luck with your career.