Ups, downs and keeping your options open

So this post really is going to live up to being like a diary. Here are my thoughts and experiences of trying to explore my future career, and an exciting new idea I would like to share with you all!

 

Many of you may know that fashion buying is something that I’ve been trying to get into since finishing university in June. In the fashion world, getting a job in any sector is never easy, unless you are very lucky or extremely unique and talented. For nearly a year I have focused on this single career option, working my CV, work experience and portfolio around buying. Now I have realised this isn’t the best idea.

 

So I have applied for countless vacancies for Buyer’s Admin Assistants, filled in a number of applications, racked my brain when writing cover letters and sent a great number of emails, with no luck. Recently I had started my applications for the Graduate Buying Schemes at M&S and Tesco. For those of you thinking of going for them, good luck to you, but keep in mind that they are so hard to even pass the initial stages. I encountered the numerical and verbal tests for the first time, and boy are they hard. I mean, I felt like I needed a degree to actually answer some of those questions. After hours of practise questions and the final test, I finished feeling disappointed and a bit down, and that’s something to do with my issues with failure. It’s a terrible feeling when you don’t do as well as you wanted, or you’re not good enough, but in a couple of days you learn to pick yourself up and carry on.

 

 

 The next opportunity for me came with a telephone interview for the Tesco grad scheme (telephone interviews are horrible by the way). This was another disappointment for me as it really could have gone better. I blame my terrible nervousness and my tendencies to go blank due to the previous. Another let down, but with that came an open mind and a box that I began to think outside of.

 

The realisation of how ridiculous settling for one job was appeared like the sun through the clouds. It was time to keep my options open and think of the many other opportunities that are available, not just in fashion, but in life. I am the kind of person that wants to do so many things in life; I need excitement and new prospects quite regularly. This was the point where I spent about two hours (when I should have been asleep) thinking of crazy new things that I could do and try.

 

In terms of fashion, taking my interest of blogging and writing forward would be something I would love to do, but I always dismissed it thinking that without an English or Journalism degree it would be impossible. In all honesty, I am probably just as likely to get into fashion writing as I am into buying. So what the hell, I’m applying for lots more jobs, thinking about internships and finding new things to learn to improve my skills. A month or so ago I also started writing articles for the website www.writeonstyle.com, so take a look as it’s full of talented writers and bloggers with some great style info. The experience from this could help me in future opportunities, and generally it’s something that I enjoy doing.

 

With the light bulb moment of realisation came a new exciting idea for my blog, which I am glad to tell you all about now!

 

 

 Within my blog, I’m starting up a little question zone where all my blog fans can send in questions about anything fashion related. The Secret Diary is opening its covers to find answers for your fashion history questions, trend queries and your fashion problems needing advice. I call it my ‘No more secrets’ fashion clinic. Every week I will try my hardest to answer all of your questions and put them in a blog post for all to see.

 

So for any questions you may have, you can send me an email at secretdiaryofafashionstudent@gmail.com or tweet me.

 

Trying something new is great, and it gives you a confidence boost when you need it. Don’t let job issues get you down; keep your options open and try something different. Don’t give up on what you want to do, just think of the million and one other things that might be perfect for you and go get it!