Getting in to Fashion Retail - a guest blog post from Boohoo.com

We are very lucky at Derby Creatives to feature a guest blog post from Kathy Allison,  HR manager for the online fashion store, boohoo.com

Read on for Kathy's advice on entering the exciting but competitive world of fashion retail and thank you for your words of wisdom Kathy.

Does it matter what degree classification I achieve?

I would say yes if you are a graduate looking for a HR management job. An upper second or first class degree is usually the regulation when applying for HR positions. It does however; depend on the industry and company. Employers also look at candidate’s experience, the individual themselves and their potential. I didn’t do a degree in Human Resource Management; I actually studied Sociology and Social Policy at University level and then achieved chartered CIPD status later. I think it is important, if you are just starting your career, to have that educational background to show that you have an understanding of the industry.

Tell us about your past experience and how you ended up at boohoo?

I started my career at Radisson Blue as a people development manager looking after Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester. Working at Radisson Blue gave me a very thorough and varied insight into the world of HR and was an excellent starting point for my career. My friend actually saw an advertisement for the position at boohoo and after a lengthy interview process I was lucky enough to be offered the job. When I joined boohoo.com they were going through changing times as the company was expanding rapidly. There was no Human Resource department in the company at the time, I really needed to look into recruiting new staff to keep up with the expansion of the company and think about other HR gaps that the company had at the time. There were also the informal things like building our canteen, planning staff socials and looking at the environment our staff work in, my aim was to create as much employee engagement as possible. 

What skills do you require for the different aspects of your job?

You need a range of skills as not one day is the same. I could be doing anything from going to an operating board meeting with the board of the directors, to looking at leaning and developments gaps and training needs. It’s a very varied position but you do learn a lot of your skills on the job. Organisational and time management skills are a must for anyone interested in pursuing a career in HR. When I interview people, I like to see if a candidate can understand why they have been asked to do something on work experience or in past positions, rather than just hearing about what they have done. HR often gets criticised for not being commercial so you have to be able to explain why these changes have been made. Also having knowledge of the business you apply for is very important. The decisions Human Resource departments make need to benefit the company so you really need to have the business sense behind it.     

What do HR look for in a candidate?

I think most employers would look for someone who is persistent and chases the job, not just leaving it to luck. There is a lot of competition out there so you really have to make yourself stand out from the crowd; of course it’s also about having the right experience as well. I like people who have started as an assistant because I feel like they have a true understanding of what it is like to work at different levels in Human Resources.

How should I put together my portfolio? What do you look for?

Creating a blog or a website is a great way to present your portfolio. This really can show the time and effort you put into starting your career, as well as enabling us to see if your personality would fit with us as a business. Boohoo is an online only retailer, so it’s essential for candidates to showcase an understanding of the online market.

What other qualifications do you look for beyond the degree?

As I mentioned previously creating a blog is great, but this does not mean you are now a fashion guru. Be prepared to get some hands on experience such as a summer internship to really get a feel of how a fashion house works. I don’t think fashion is really how anybody expects it and it’s a career you will love or hate, so make sure early on it is what you want!

What are the growth areas in terms of occupations and the declining areas?

I would have to say online and social are major growth areas. More than ever people are choosing their purchases from peers and communities across the internet, whether it’s from forums, Facebook pages or online blogs. Fashion houses have needed to react to this trend by ensuring they are online savvy. Social Media managers and blogger outreach managers are a big must in the fashion industry at the moment. I would say there aren’t really any areas in decline for employment as we still need customer service, buying, PR and content. The only difference is they need to adapt to how people buy their clothes today.