If you have a passion for fashion, and a
good sense of style, then a career as a personal shopper could be right up your
street. You don’t need any formal qualifications, but there are courses
available. If you have a degree in a relevant subject like fashion design or
marketing, that will give you a good background and added authority. There are
opportunities to work for designers and retail outlets as an in-house personal
shopper, or you might prefer to work for yourself and set up your own business.
Either way, there are things you can do to gain the necessary experience and
learn the skills you need to be successful.
Experience
Whilst you might consider yourself knowledgeable enough to start advising
customers straight away, the more experience you have of the industry the better you will be equipped to help
prospective clients. One of the best ways to gain experience is to spend time
working in a fashion store, where you will learn the craft of excellent
customer service and build your expertise in finding the right outfits for
a wide variety of clients. Wherever you live, you should have a range of stores
near you, so check out who is hiring, or make enquiries
with the business directly. Many firms have their own job websites, and there are employment agencies and employment
websites that list current vacancies, for example
the Dillards
careers page on the Job Application Center website.
Networking
Like many careers, it’s very important to get
to know people in the industry, and get yourself known to the people who
matter. Some of the best jobs will be headhunted,
that is personal shoppers will be targeted and approached by an agency on
behalf of an employer. If you want to be in line for these premium positions,
you need to raise your profile and bring yourself to the attention of the
movers and shakers. Having your own
website and/or social media accounts
where you regularly post interesting content is a good way to show off your
talents. You should also attend as many fashion
related events as you can, so you become a familiar face on the scene.
Learning
Fashion is a constantly shifting phenomena,
and you need to keep abreast of all the latest trends and designs. Sign up for
emails and newsletters from leading authorities in the trade, and follow the
prominent members of the community on Twitter to make sure you know what’s
happening and what’s new. You need to be living and breathing the industry to
ensure you stay on top of what’s going on, and to demonstrate your grasp of and
commitment to the essentials of your profession.
If you can add experience and expertise to
your skills as a fashion fan, you have a good chance of building a very
successful and rewarding career. It’s very satisfying helping people to look
their best, and if you do a good job you will soon have clients queuing up for
your services.
