Whether you’re looking for a summer internship or a full-time career, we can all agree that preparing yourself for any job interview is a difficult process. When it comes to the fashion industry, there may be a few more things to note before heading into that office building and selling yourself to, hopefully, your future employer. Curious to find out what those things may be? You’re in luck!
I got to chat with one of uber talented Style Gurus, Melissa Epifano, about her experience traveling to New York to interview with some of the top names in the fashion world (NYLON, Vogue, and more!).
Read on to discover tips on how to dress, what to research, and more things you probably didn’t even think of!
CollegeFashionista: Tell us a little about yourself!
Melissa Epifano: I am a junior in college but I’ll be graduating this year, which I’m incredibly excited about. I’m majoring in magazine journalism at the University of Oregon, and I’m interested in everything from fashion and lifestyle to biomimicry and linguistics!
CF: What made you decide to apply for internships in New York?
ME: I was born in Connecticut so my day trips to the city when I was little started forming my love for NYC. I’ve always had a craving to go back to the East Coast and, luckily, my dream career options are all over there.
CF: Which companies did you interview for?
ME: I mostly did informational interviews, but I was very fortunate that so many amazing writers and editors were willing to speak with me. I had the ability to meet with inspiring women from Nylon, CollegeFashionista, Teen Vogue, Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and Allure.
CF: How did you dress for these interviews?
ME: Dressing for these interviews was incredibly hard if I’m honest. West Coast style is so different so trying to shop for New York was frustrating. I ended up sticking with all-black and neutral outfits with minimal jewelry.
CF: How did you prepare for your interviews?
ME: I tried to do as much background research as possible whether it’s reading all of their writing, devouring the newest couple editions of the magazine, or delving into the new directions the magazine world is headed. It’s hard to prepare fully for a conversation since you can’t really tell what direction it’s headed, but being confident in your knowledge can help.
CF: What was the most difficult part of this experience?
ME: Confidence. I have a pretty low self-esteem so giving myself a pep talk to do my best and feel good about how things went was very challenging.
CF: What was one thing you found surprising about the experience?
ME: I was surprised with how supportive each person I spoke with was. Not that I thought they wouldn’t be, but they were so willing to give me resources and connections and offer a lot of advice.
CF: What’s one word of advice you’d give to other people who are interested in pursuing the same thing as you?
ME: Ambition. It will get you through anything and everything. Don’t give up no matter how many “no’s” you get. You can make it happen.
(All images by @melissaepifano)
Have you interviewed in the fashion industry? Do you have any tips? Let us know in the comments below!
