Style Nine to Five’s Office Hours are a chance for fashion job seekers to meet with Founder, Christie Lohr, ask targeted questions about finding a job in the fashion industry, and get insider recruiter advice. In this article, we’re going behind the scenes of the latest Office Hours to get Christie’s insights on the most common red flags that she sees as a fashion recruiter and why they can cost you your dream opportunity.
Small missteps in the application process can make or break your chances of getting a call back when you’re competing against dozens—or even hundreds—of qualified candidates. The good news? Most job-seeker red flags are easy to avoid. Here are some of the most common mistakes Christie sees in fashion job applications, along with actionable ways to stand out and make the best impression on the hiring manager.
Red Flag 1 – Not Being Able to Explain Why You Want the Role
“I love fashion” isn’t enough. While expressing your passion for the industry is important (no hiring manager will look twice at someone who isn’t clearly excited about fashion), hiring managers are looking for specific reasons why you want the job at their company. This requires some extra work on your part, but hiring managers can spot candidates who don’t put the effort in a mile away and will instantly discard them.
Explain what specifically attracts you to the company, customer, product category, or type of work—and connect that interest to your experience. Make sure you connect everything back to their company specifically rather than your enthusiasm for working in the fashion industry in general.
Creating a personal connection to their brand also helps you stand out. Did their spring collection from 2010 first spark your desire to work in the industry? Is one of their products your holy grail that you can’t live without? This is your time to share those details in your cover letter, showing the hiring manager how you’re both personally and professionally invested in the brand. “Tell a personal story about why you’re connected to the brand. Name a specific style and explain why you love it or why it stands out to you. What is it about their product that makes you admire and want to work for their brand? Make that obvious,” Christie says.
Red Flag 2 – Showing a Lack of Fashion-Industry Knowledge
You don’t necessarily need to have worked in fashion before to get a fashion job, but you should demonstrate that you understand the industry inside and out. If you don’t already, start following relevant brands, retailers, publications, designers, and industry news. Understand major trends affecting the area you’re hoping to enter. Pay attention to how brands are responding to changing consumer behavior, technology, sustainability expectations, and social media. Then connect that knowledge to your own experience.
“If you show zero evidence that you know about fashion, it stands out as a red flag to hiring managers,” Christie says. “Any kind of fashion knowledge, whether that’s having a certificate, taking the Inside LVMH courses, having a personal fashion tie-in, or even having worked a retail job years ago, shows your relevance in the industry.”
Red Flag 3 – Not Demonstrating an Understanding of the Customer
One of the biggest red flags is a candidate who can talk extensively about their own experience but can’t explain who the brand’s customer is. Fashion is ultimately about the consumer. Whether you’re applying to a luxury label, an accessible retailer, a streetwear brand, or a fashion-tech company, you should understand who you’re communicating with and what motivates them.
Before applying, research these key points:
• Who is the brand’s target customer?
• What is its price point?
• What is its aesthetic and brand positioning?
• Who are its competitors?
• What makes its customer choose this brand over another?
• How does the brand communicate with its audience?
Then reflect your knowledge of the customer in your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. “Fashion hiring managers want to see that you understand the brand, and beyond that, the customer. This is extremely important. Show the hiring manager what you know about the customer, and this can go beyond your resume and cover letter, too. Depending on the job, you could include a sample tech pack or design a new capsule collection of a few pieces that speak to their customer.”
Red Flag 4 – Overlooking Your Online Presence
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that hiring managers are looking you up online. At the bare minimum, this includes your LinkedIn profile, so it needs to be in top shape before you apply for jobs. “Your online presence gives hiring managers a 360-degree view of who you are and how you present yourself,” Christie says. “It’s about the whole vibe that you’re putting out there, not just your resume and cover letter, but your LinkedIn banner image or color scheme, headline, headshot—everything should match that vibe. This gives them a crystal clear picture of who you are. It all has to be cohesive and tell the same story.”
That doesn’t mean your personal accounts need to look corporate. It does mean you should be thoughtful about what is publicly visible. Make sure your professional profiles are current and consistent with your application. If you have a portfolio website or professional social account, use it as another opportunity to showcase your work.
Red Flag 5 – Making the Bare Minimum Effort
Think twice before you hit “Easy Apply” on LinkedIn. While this is a quick way to get your application in, it also requires the least amount of effort and gives you the lowest chance of standing out. “Easy Apply doesn’t show hiring managers why you’re interested in the role. Even if you apply that way, it’s key to send the hiring manager a quick message, like, “I just applied and here’s why I really want to connect,” or “Here’s why I connect with your brand or customer.” Hiring managers appreciate messages from candidates who stand out because it helps make their jobs easier. Follow up ASAP to make that positive impression,” Christie says.
Other bare-minimum red flags are applying to every job with a generic resume (this is glaringly obvious to hiring managers), or failing to double-check the little details on your application. Check that your LinkedIn and portfolio links work, make sure your application is saved as a PDF, and tweak your LinkedIn headline to align with the role. All of those little details add up, and a five- or 10-minute scan to double-check everything makes sure you’re not discarded because of small missteps that make you look bad.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, a strong fashion job application should tell a clear story: I understand your brand and customer. I understand what this role requires. I’ve developed the skills you need. Here’s evidence that I’m the best person for the job.
Before submitting your next application, put yourself in the recruiter’s position. If someone only looked at your resume and portfolio for 30 seconds, would they immediately understand what you can do, who you can do it for, and why you’re a strong fit? If the answer isn’t yes, revise it. The goal is to make your personality, skills, and relevance impossible to miss.
Want to get in on the next Style Nine to Five Office Hours? Sign up and get Christie’s insider advice on how to get noticed by recruiters and the steps to landing your dream fashion job.
Frequently Asked Questions
You asked, and we’re answering! Here’s what you need to know about creating the best application possible to maximize your chances of landing your dream fashion-industry job.
Do I need a portfolio to get a fashion job?
Not every fashion job requires a portfolio, but including one can be extremely valuable for creative and content-focused positions. Roles in design, styling, photography, copywriting, editorial, social media, marketing, and other creative areas can benefit from work samples that demonstrate your abilities and understanding of the brand, industry, and customer.
What should I include in a fashion portfolio?
A strong portfolio should showcase your best and most relevant work rather than everything you’ve ever created. Include work that demonstrates the skills required for the specific position. Choose your strongest projects, show some range where appropriate, and prioritize examples that reflect the brand’s aesthetic, customer, or type of work. If you don’t have professional fashion projects, consider creating relevant sample or sample projects to demonstrate your skills.
How can I show that I understand a fashion brand’s customer?
Research the brand before applying. Look at its website, social media, products, price point, sales channels, messaging, and competitors. Then connect what you’ve learned to your own experience in your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. Showing that you understand the customer demonstrates that you’re thinking beyond simply getting the job.
Jeanine Gordon is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist with a passion for creating stellar content for global brands and small businesses alike, specializing in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.