How Shaunie became the Style Director at Thread

How Shaunie became the Style Director at Thread by Michael Cheary The best way to break into a tough-to-crack industry like fashion? Get advice from someone on the inside… Shaunie Brett has worked in fashion for six years, with stints at Love Magazine and Burberry eventually helping her land her current jobâ€"leading a team of 8 stylists at Thread, a free, online personal styling service for men who want to look good without the hassle.We interviewed Shaunie about how to get your start as a stylist, why heels aren’t always the best option for an interview, and the three things to remember when applying for a job in fashion:Q: Hi Shaunie. How did you get started in the fashion industry?When I was studying in Edinburgh, I got a job at Reiss to cover my expenses. I’d always enjoyed dressing well, but never considered working in fashion … until I realised how much I enjoyed working with people in the store to help them feel confident in their clothes.I went out and bought a tonne of magazines, found editors’ email an d mailing addresses and sent out dozens of CVs. I got three or four replies, and I did three internships my first year out of university: at the Times, British Vogue and finally Love Magazine, where I was promoted to fashion assistant. My interning experience set me up to get that first job, and prepared me to work on shoots with Love’s fashion editors.I really recommend committing a year to interning and learning the ropes. When I interviewed at Burberry after interning and assisting at Love, I think part of what interested them was that they could see I had perseverance, and that I had put in my time learning how the industry worked.Q: What’s the best piece of interview advice you got at the start of your career? Someone told me that the most important thing isn’t how passionate you are about fashion, but how useful you can be.You want to prove that you’re highly efficient and enthusiastic, no matter whether you’re doing photocopying or pitching in on a shoot. That advic e served me well.Q. What’s the best thing about being Style Director at Thread? I love the challenge. I’m constantly doing things I’ve never done before, I work with incredibly smart people, and I get to use an analytical, problem-solving part of my brain while still working in fashion.I also love Thread’s culture: I’m trusted to work autonomously and to make big decisions, and I love the camaraderie we have as a team.Q. How would you recommend someone dress for an interview in the fashion industry? The tough thing about dressing for a fashion interview is that your interviewer probably knows as much as you do about your clothes so I’d go for something basic, crisp and clean.I like the idea of wearing black cigarette pants or jeans, a crisp white shirt, a subtle accessory or twoâ€"like a watch or delicate jewelleryâ€"and a pair of great flat shoes. (Wear heels only if you’re completely used to them; tottering heels are a real turn off.)Avoid anything distracting like statement jewellery, too much makeup and trendy clothes and accessories. Most people in the industry keep their work clothes clean, neutral and basic, so that’ll appeal to them … and if youre not at all that kind of person, wear whatever makes you most comfortable.It’s always better to show yourself honestly.Q. Say you’re hiring a stylist. What key skills would you look for? We look for stylists who are creative, with great taste, but also smart logical streaks.And because it’s a tech company, it’s important that each stylist can communicate with different types of people and understand complex and technical ideas like how our algorithm works.In addition to a few years’ experience in fashion, we look for high emotional intelligence: each stylist needs to feel a strong desire to help every client find what they need.Q. What have you learned from being rejected from a job? Honesty is the best policy.I was once rejected from a job because when my interviewer asked what I did on weekends, I told her I spent time with friends and family. I know she was looking for someone who went to art shows and vintage fairs, and that’s not me.In the end that simple question proved that it wasn’t the right job for me: it would have taken my prized weekends away.Q. Finally, what three things should you remember when applying for a job in the fashion industry?1. Don’t say you have a passion for fashion. Say you’re passionate, say you love fashion, but don’t make this rhyme. I’ve read 100s of CVs that include this rhymeâ€" and that’s not even an exaggeration.2. Prove how useful and efficient you can be. Ultimately that’s the most important thing.3. Be honest. It’s not the right job if you have to lie to get it.For more style advice from Shaunie, and to look great without the hassle,  sign up to Thread today.  Still searching for your big break? View all available fashion jobs now.Find a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Features What job suits me?

A Big Video Announcement From Anna About Her New Book

A Big Video Announcement From Anna About Her New Book I put together a video for you with an announcement about my book launch next week! **Remember to come back here on our official launch day, MONDAY, to see how you can receive over $250 of bonus materials that go along with the book!  Some of the bonus materials that I think you are going to love are the book club kit so that you can go through the book with your co-workers and friends, productivity and time management guides, a live Classy Career Girl Book Club Virtual Party with me AND the 6th chapter of my book that includes everything that didn’t fit in the final, published version.*** See you Monday! -Anna

When Writing a Resume Do You Need to Put in Lots of Effort Or Save It For Your Interview?

When Writing a Resume Do You Need to Put in Lots of Effort Or Save It For Your Interview?When writing a resume, what's the best way to do it? Do you need to put a lot of effort into it? Or should you save that effort for your interview?In this article I'm going to talk about how I write my resumes and see whether it is better to put a lot of effort into them or simply put in 100 words. And if you're not a good writer do you still want to try?The only way to find out is to actually be a good writer yourself. Writing resumes is not easy and requires a lot of skill and also lots of practice. However, a lot of people still write poor resumes, and this might be because they lack the skills. It may also be because they don't know where to start and are therefore discouraged.If you think you're a good writer, then you can continue on with the skill. If you think you need some help, you can always take classes or ask someone else to help you. However, it is still highly recommended that you put in as much effort as you can and learn how to use templates.If you get discouraged and give up, there's always the alternative of hiring a professional to proofread your resume and make sure you're putting the right information in. This is also a good way to find out if you can't write your own resume. If you have a professional proofreader proofreading your resume it will show a clear difference in your resume.If you have the ability to hire a professional, then make sure you choose a company that is affordable but still offers the best possible price. And don't forget that you can also find the best deals on websites that offer online editing services.And finally, if you're looking for a really good resume writer I highly recommend that you find someone that will help you design your own resume and see if you're a good writer. You can even hire a freelance writer who will be willing to design your resume for a reasonable price. And remember that hiring a professional to edit y our resume is highly recommended as well.So, when writing a resume do you need to put in lots of effort or do you simply want to save it for your interview? You can choose to do it yourself or hire a professional.

Interview in Slovakian - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Interview in Slovakian - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog I spoke at a conference in Bratislava last year and now theres an interview with me about happiness at work in a Slovakian magazine. You can read the whole interview here. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Summary Sunday Do It Differently

Summary Sunday Do It Differently It is so easy to get stuck in a rut.  The rut of job search, the rut of work or career. The rut of life. If you are tired of feeling trapped or stuck, the only way out isdo it differently! This Sundays collection of posts is about doing it differently! I read and share blog posts and articles across social media quite frequently. Skim this and see what you find! But keep readingthis post has a great rant! The Shift I was talking to a 20-something student this week who wanted to make a change but didnt know what he wanted to do long-term. He said he wanted security, you know, the kind of job that will be there forever and provide a secure income. I was aghast. This was a 20 year old. His father had a stable job and that was his point of reference. So, I tried to explain that long-term stability isnt really possible the same way it used to be.  I explained that security comes from navigating your own career. Staying current on trends in your industry, knowing what companies are poised for growth and what technical skills are up and coming.  I also tried to explain that even seemingly stable jobs are subject to a company buy-out or merger. This fell on reluctant ears. The damage had already been done. There was little I could do during our brief conversation to persuade him to consider my advice. Have We Brainwashed Kids? Teachers and parents, you are doing our kids a huge disservice by hosting career days that focus on fire fighters and nurses or sharing your own story of career progression. This wont help todays upcoming workforce. Teach them how to adapt, adjust, flex, re-invent and take ownership of their skills. Focus career days on how people have used their interests, talents and skills to continually reinvent- providing them the ability to switch from career to career and company to company. Image credit: NewDealNetwork College Prepares Students for What? The problem with colleges (in general) is that they continue to produce graduates who are ill-prepared for jobs, just look at the unemployment rate of recent graduates. The majority of college students dont know what they want to do upon graduating. They have no work experience or little exposure to the myriad of career options out there. They have been sheltered within the walls of the school and dont have enough interaction with businesses and alumni to help understand what possibilities are next. Navigating The Workforce Today Means We are setting the wrong expectations. There career ladder is dying. The career lattice is what people need to expect. What can we do to shed more light on this? How can we help prepare our children and todays workforce to navigate the lattice? Lets first do more to help children and adults develop soft skills so they can communicate and function better within a work setting. I wrote a summary of the four skills Thomas L. Friedman says are critical to employers! Lets show them the connection between what they are learning and how people use those concepts/skills in various careers. Lets do more to give them exposure to work through internships and job shadowing, starting as early as possible. Lets help students of all ages understand that in this new world they can and will hold multiple jobs, maybe even at the same time. Get Un-Stuck Stop what-ever it is you are doing. Now, do it differently. Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely. Will it take you longer? Probably. Will you get different results? Most likely.