Hi everyone!
Now that you’ve settled into school some, you might be considering getting a part time job! I’m a big advocate for working , whether it be a side hustle or folding clothes at the local retail shops. Not only can you learn a few skills, but seemingly small jobs can lead to big things!
Freshman year when I started at FIT I applied to work for Madewell as a sales associate. I ended up working there for a little over a year, and met some really cool people, some of whom I still keep in touch with today! The hours worked around my class schedule, and it was walking distance from my dorm. Earning money was a big help in NYC, where everything costs so much compared to living at home in the suburbs. But more than that, it helped serve as another educational experience and resume builder- all while getting paid.
Understanding retail has really helped in my schoolwork and internships- I am wary of feathers (they always seem to fall off in the stock room) and I got to see which styles got consistently passed up due to fit issues. Little things like these have helped a lot when working on development of garments.
More than that, I had the pleasure of interning at Madewell corporate offices this summer. My year spent at the store definitely gave me a leg up in the applications process, and was incredibly useful working on the production and development as I already had some product knowledge.
As one of my internship class professors at FIT told me, the opposite of networking is not working! If you have the time, I would really recommend a part-time job. FIT has services for students to find internships and jobs – out Career and Internship Services office is available to current students and alumni!
Where do you want to work? Let me know!
Sam