Into The Wild

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

- Christopher McCandless

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society where none intrudes,

By the deep sea and the music in its roar;

I love not man the less, but Nature more."

- Lord Byron

Lonely London days

It's funny how even in a busy city, you can feel so alone.

The idea of going home to be in the comforts of my family is appealing but I know that once I got there I'd want to be back here. Struggling to get somewhere is better than not trying at all and accepting defeat. I don't want to just be a number within a population, living a tedious, average life. I want to be happy - waking up every day to serve a deeper purpose. Not just for money but for job satisfaction, personal growth, for love, for laughter, for progress, to help make a better world.

You can't just jump off the ladder because you're bored on the first step. Leap over to another ladder if you have to but the next step will be better, and then from there upwards better and better.

Once I'm at the top of the ladder I'd like to help the ones hovering near the bottom, climb on up.

Retail is making me feel so unfulfilled. Things will get better, just got to keep plodding on and working hard.

My friends dreams are coming true...

Ya Know?

Knowing, understanding, accepting, you either do or you don't. Knowing is love, knowing is compassion, knowing is not being a dick. It's so simple, ya know?

If you don't know come to learn, if you know come to teach.

... but do ya?

Crisis @ Christmas

I decided to do something meaningful for Christmas this time round. Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. They are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change. Crisis at Christmas has provided vital services for homeless people for 40 years.

It goes on for two weeks; guests can come and go as they please, they are offered 3 meals a day, opportunities to take part in art and crafts, IT, massage, live music, games and other activities. Guests are also offered shower services, hair cuts, dentist and optician check-ups.

I got to meet so many good people - volunteers and guests, everyone was on the same level, the sense of community their is unimaginable. Your social status doesn't matter at all, what matters is feeling like you belong - communicating and connecting emotionally with people, loving strangers, seeing yourself in them and doing your best to make that person happy with a hope things will get better, that they can be ultimately be happy and not feel alone or unfit for this world.

What's even better is that it doesn't end there, Crisis have Skylight centre's where homeless people can go all through the year and are offered services to help them get back on the feet and ultimately be happy. I think it's great that these people are given a second chance. Life is short, it should be enjoyed.

Follow this link to a blog that one of the guests showed me, he'd been blogging at the Skylight centre, about life on the street and his interests from growing up.

www.eastendlives.wordpress.com

Group Interview

The store manager and I held a group interview last week to find a couple of new sales assistants.

In my experience in retail - it is very rare to find applicants who match up to how they describe themselves on their CV, e.g. "I am an honest, hardworking, self-motivated individual. I would feel completely unfulfilled if I didn't complete any given task with my full capability. I am reliable and responsible and feel I can become an asset to your company if given the opportunity". Applicants for a part time sales assistant role tend to be young, has alternative focuses outside of the role applied for i.e. studying, aspiring dancer or photographer, they may have just completed their studies an need a part time job until their desired role becomes available else where. In general the applicant does not see a future within this role, therefore tend not to be fully dedicated, focused or reliable.

It is very important that the successful applicant has the right attitude and work ethics at least, so that with the right training, responsibility and motivation - they may just find themselves more satisfied with the job than perceived. Someone with the right attitude will know that even though this may not be their ideal job, it is still a role that carries responsibilities; working in retail puts you at the forefront of the business, ultimately you are the among the faces of the brand and therefore represent the brand, so your attitude goes along way in building brand identity at store level. Experience is always useful at any level, whether it helps shape your personality, boosts your confidence, defines you as a leader or at least builds your knowledge of consumer behaviour - it can all be put to use with the right attitude and a willingness to learn. A common error for young part-timers seeking quick cash with minimum workload is narrow minded dismissal, focusing on the negatives rather than the positives - no denying that I once had this attitude, until I realised that working hard and getting more out of the given tasks will lead to job satisfaction and will diminish the sheer devastation when your alarm goes off in the morning signalling your remaining hour of freedom before a day at work. 

A group interview is a great way to see real personalities. The relaxed atmosphere provides a platform for people to express themselves on a real level, rather than a scary high-pressured one-on-one interview. I think this technique is highly appropriate when looking for sales assistants as applicants are usually young and may not have much interview experience, therefore may crumble under the pressure of a one-on-one interview. While other people speak it gives other applicants an opportunity to plan their answers and they are able to bounce off each other.

We had 12 applicants so we started off by getting everyone talking to each other, finding out the basics of one another, we then asked them to introduce each other - this was a great way to see what they felt was important to tell us and the way they portrayed each other said a lot about themselves.

We then asked a question about the brand in order to get an overview of what they knew and what they were interested in. It was clear who had been on the brand website the night before and tried memorizing the history, likewise it was clear who genuinely knew about the brand before dropping their CV into the store - signalling that they may specifically want to work for us as apposed to just wanting any job.

The interview took place in a conference room which was lined with the collection samples for the following season - we asked each applicant to pick a shoe and one by one explain the customer they imagine this to appeal to and why. This was a good opportunity to see who had a basic understanding of sales, and customer behaviour, likewise we were able to see who really didn't have any product knowledge or understanding of our customer.

We then explained the expectations and requirements of the successful applicant(s).

Fightclub

A cynical outlook on life but Tyler Durden does make a fair point on some occasions:

"I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may."

"You are not your bank account, you are not the clothes you wear, you are not the contents of your wallet, you are not your bowel cancer, you are not your grande latte, you are not the car you drive."

Education Vs Experience

I learnt a lot through University - in terms of education and about myself. I am currently in a position with my career that I'm sure I would be even if I hadn't gone to University - I see people around me becoming more successful, I can't help but feel unfulfilled. The trials and tribulations of a fresh graduate. Channeling my energy towards a positive outcome - I will be in a better position before long. I am glad that I went to University, for many reasons. It helped me grow as a person, I made the best friends ever and I learned a lot about the industry and of management in general. Southampton Solent may not be classed as the greatest Uni in the UK but considering my year was the first to run the course I was on - I think we all came out well, the only negative was the inconsistency with tutors. 

Admittedly, I didn't work very hard in 1st year, or even 2nd year for that matter, but a Summer at home with my Mum kicking my ass gave me a sudden realisation that I needed to change my attitude fast in order to turn my failing degree around. As soon as my attitude towards study changed, I harnessed a motivation toward a good outcome, meanwhile a panel of much better tutors came onto our course, suddenly I found myself actually enjoying my seminars and lectures and was able to get stuck into each project from start to finish. Having a part-time job was a distraction in 2nd year as I was more concerned with that over my degree, but once I hit 3rd year with my new focus in hand, I was able to combine my studies with my job and could see the relevance of what I was learning with what was experiencing at work. 

I think having a degree looks good on your CV but it must be backed up by experience in order to be taken seriously when applying for an important role. Something I didn't do and deeply regret not doing is fulfilling work placements during the Summer periods while in University. When you are young and studying far from home it is appealing to go home for Summer, spend time with your family and getting a part time job to save for the next semester. What others do and what I wish I could have done is arrange an internship in London, even for just a month - it gives students exposure to real industry knowledge, gives you a chance to experience the real world, excites you and opens your eyes to working business, network, really it sets the foundations of your potential career. It's not the end of the world if you don't commit to these internships during your studies, it just gives you an upper hand on other graduates if you do.

To sum up, experience should be backed up with experience. Make the most out of your studies. If you don't enjoy University, talk to your tutors, find ways to enhance your studies for example by blogging, attending trade shows, talking to professionals, talking to peers, travel, be inspired. 

My advice to students: learn to cook meals in bulk and freeze, make friends and have fun but go out 1 less night a week and save your loans to be an intern.

Lord Byron

 

"We are the fools of Time and Terror: Days Steal on us, and steal from us; yet we live, Loathing our life, and dreading still to die."

Tips for students

Following on from my recent contact with an old University lecturer, a student from the Fashion Management with Marketing course has emailed me asking for my top 5 tips for future careers, as part of her research for her project.

Here is what I said:

Top 5 tips: 

1. Be nice - appreciate people, be polite, have respect. You want to be recognised as a good person - go back to basics and treat others like you want to be treated. Even when people are rude, unappreciative, negative etc. just bite your tongue, smile, be nice and crack on. No one likes negative people who complain and moan. It's all about positive people who smile even when it's raining. 

2. Network - It's good to make as many contacts in the industry as possible. One thing i've learnt is that it really isn't just about what you know, it's also very much about who you know. You want these people to remember you if they ever hear of job opportunities, or need assistance in any way. Guest lecturers, class mates, work colleagues, any other people you meet along the way - get talking, leave them with a good, memorable impression of you, swap email addresses.

3. Read - Read books - don't waste time reading romance novels - get your head into fashion marketing/branding/management books - there are some really good reads out there, ask your tutors for recommendations. Read drapers, retail week, business week. Follow brands and companies on Twitter to keep up-to-date with whats going on in the industry.

4. Take opportunities - To continuously improve, you must allow yourself to always be a student. Trips with Uni, free courses, exhibitions, guest lecturers, fashion events - these are all opportunities for you to absorb more information relevant to helping you improve your knowledge of the industry, and also find your feet, pushing you in the right direction towards your ideal career. 

5. Be online - All of the work you do at Uni can be used to show potential employers your skills and capabilities, not just with writing, but also your use of programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator. I know that quite a lot of your work is report based which could be boring for an employer to read through, but why not create a blog/website, positing chapters/paragraphs that you feel are best i.e. your conclusion of Luxury Branding and Social Media, you could also post some of your creative outcomes. It's all very well stating your abilities on your CV but if it is there infront of an employer then they're much more likely to take you seriously. 

(One more...)

6. Keep your head - When you finish Uni, life changes drastically - Your next focus is to get a job and find your ideal career. You need to always focus on the positives - even if things don't go to plan i.e. you get rejected, ignored, you're skint, you have to move home for a while, you are bored of your job - you must maintain a positive attitude in order to be successful, admitidly it is a lot easier to be positive if you're successful but at the same time it is much easier to be successful if you're positive. If you're bored of your job and you start slacking then you're going to get a bad reference. If you have to move home to save for a while, that's fine - keep reading, keep building your online portfolio. If you don't get a single response to the 50 emails you sent - ask someone (i.e. a tutor/ work colleague) to read over it and ask for criticism and help to improve your message. Be persistant with out being a pest. People like dedicated, enthusiastic, eager beavers but if they haven't got a position for you then you'll have to accept it and try agin in future. 

Advice to students

I've been asked to go back into uni, to give some advice to third years on the Fashion Management with Marketing course just getting into their Final Major Projects. I am quite flattered to have been asked, and am excited to meet the students and hopefully give some useful advice.

In preparation I have been thinking about what I learnt, pros and cons of the project, problems that occurred, recommendations and any other information that may be relevant and help with their project.

SWOT analysis of the FMP

Strengths:

• Using an idea that is entirely your own means you can tailor it around your preferences and capitalize on your abilities. 
• Design you own brief means you can go as deep into the subject as you like.
• There are so many resources available if you make the most of them. Make the most of these within the University and elsewhere.
• Expert help - your tutors, Israr and Lisa are great and always willing to help - their advice is very effective and can go a long way.
• You can tailor this project to what you actually want to end up doing as a business venture/linked with your career.
• The FMP is suitable for people with a range of skills and abilities; you choose your own output so it can be as visual/written as you like. This enables the project to be easy to understand by a wide range of viewers.

Weaknesses:

• 12 weeks isnt that long so you must be quick in deciding your topic.
• You may not have learnt the necessary skills for your preference so you'll have to use time wisely learning these things.
• Less lectures and seminars, a lot of freedom compared to previous study, so its easy to get distracted.
• If you feel like you haven't achieved a lot since previous tutorial it is easy to feel demotivated and want to not attend the next, but you must go - even if its for a chat.
• As there is so much to learn - programs, research, new ideas etc you can feel bombarded, you need clarity.
• Other peoples ideas seem better - you can take inspiration from others but focus on your own.
• Keeping up with other projects at the same time can be hard - you must use your time wisely - keep a time schedule and stick to it.
• Living with other students can sometimes mean not having very good atmosphere at home to do work - Go to the library!

Opportunities:

• Quite a lot of people in industry willing to help - send emails, talk to people - great to get feedback from industry professionals.
• You can be as creative as you like if you work hard - the resources available mean you can learn new programs to make your work better than average.
• You can use this project to bring to job interviews to show off your skills and your creative thought process and professional output.
• This project will encourage you to think commercially all the time, thinking as a consumer - what is missing in the market, is there something your friends/family talk about that they wish they had or could have etc - maybe a brand that exists that you don't think is headed in the right direction, and you have an idea you believe to be sustainable - research into it if you can pove it then perfect.
• Helpful if you know someone who works in the company, or you work there yourself, try communicating with the head office before you start your project - it will make your project so much easier if you have access to business information and can develop a good relationship where they want to help you do well.
• Try to arrange a week of work experience/store visits/visit to head office.
• Social media and digital branding now makes information and customer feedback so accessible and instant, great for research - can even communicate via facebook directly to customers - why not send emails to some of the fans on the Facebook page of your chosen company.

Threats:

• You must take note of all activity revolving around this project. Not keeping a journal will lead to you struggling with evaluation.
• Not keeping reference throughout - Harvard reference will help add on marks - it is still necessary even if you aren't producing a report.
• Just picking an idea that pops into your head with no justification, working backwards and then finding out there's no market for your idea.
• Using a range of mediums may lead to mistakes - grammatical, or not having enough ability on the program you chose to use.
• Time management - dont let it slip. Make sure you do something ever day even if its reading a few relevant articles, or speaking to customers of the brand.
• Being demotivated when you get criticism to your idea, or negative feedback - must focus on the positives and keep trying to improve. Criticism is necessary as long as it is constructive, don't let it get you down.