“Personal projects are a good way to build something and keep doing it”

Creative Career Conundrums is a weekly advice column from If You Could Jobs. Each week their selected panel of professionals from the creative industry answers your burning career questions to help you navigate the creative journey.

This week’s question:

I studied interior and spatial design from bachelor’s to master’s, however I’ve decided to change my path now. It is a difficult start, while I do not have anything regarding work other than traditional architecture projects. I want to do something regarding the fashion space so I can take advantage of my academic background and pursue my passion in fashion. What should I blend into my portfolio to show this strength? Can you give me some advice?

I want to apply for a different field (fashion) other than what I studied (architecture). How much of my former work should I blend into my new application portfolio?

Shanice Mears, co-founder and head of talent at The Elephant Room:

Change in any circumstance is not easy, and it’s hard to make that decision after you’ve already done your studies. So I think you shouldn’t be hard on yourself if you haven’t got the answer right away. Sometimes finding your next step takes some time, so a little bit of trial and error is okay and very normal.

You should think about what it is that you want to do in fashion.

Even if you don’t fully know the job role, you know the skills you want to exercise and what you would like to spend your time doing. Volunteer for magazines, events, etc. This will help you build your network in that space and your confidence. Personal projects are a good way to build something and keep doing it. I would also recommend doing some reading in Vogue, Conde Nast, Elle, and Grazia. These publications are very good just so you’re up to date in the world of fashion.

Fashion Workie is a good website too! Try to be persistent, go to events, meet people, get their email and follow up. Apply for programmes that might just broaden your thinking and get you to meet more people across the industry more broadly.

Think about the stuff you’ve already done and how it aligns back to fashion, or if there’s anything externally you’ve seen that you like, look who did it, try and see if they will be doing a talk or read up on their interviews.

Switching industries is often about having transferable skills. What are the skills you want to utilise and continue to build on? The ones you feel as though would serve you well once you’ve changed industries? Ask yourself all these questions because these are the types of things you will not only have to talk through but demonstrate once you land a job.

In answering your creative career conundrums we realise that some issues need expert support, so we’ve collated a list of additional resources that can support you across things that might arise at work.

If You Could is the jobs board from It’s Nice That, the place to find jobs in the creative industries.

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