Chapter 26 Is a Fashion career in your future? Fashion Merchandising II

The Field of fashion Fascinating, exciting, challenging careers Few position offer typical 9 to 5 workdays Seasonally hectic times followed by slow, dull times Problems to solve, deadlines to meet, pressures to make a profit Some travel, telecommuting (work from home computer)

Steps along a career path Job Specific work assignment or position within an industry, with certain duties, roles, or functions Job Description Written statement of what the employee holding a specific job is expected to do Specific tasks, responsibilities, guidelines Career Lifelong field of employment, or vocation, through which people progress Various jobs that usually lead to higher levels of employment (career path)

Steps along a career path Employees tend to change companies frequently because of changeability and seasonal nature of industry. May move up ladder of success May move up within same company, by proving themselves at each job level Career Planning Process of outlining the steps involved in reaching a career goal May involve working for several different companies to reach a certain level goal

Job levels along the way Entry-level jobs Beginning jobs in a career Require little or no specific training or experience Provide opportunity to learn about the business from the inside Management positions Positions concerned with running the business Planning, organizing, controlling, implementing, and monitoring the program of the organization Involved with administration, or tasks and employees concerned with the overall running of the company

Job levels along the way Lower management – generally held by people newly hired after receiving college degree Middle management – may move up to this position after acquiring experience and training (higher levels of responsibility) Upper management – achieved by devoted employees who prove themselves as strategic thinkers and hard workers, after acquiring knowledge of all aspects of the business Top management – Only reached by a few President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Education and training enables people to have faster job advancement and higher pay

Selecting a career path Levels of success can be achieved with training, ambition, and energy Use the Outline of Career Planning Process on the next slide to better help you plan for your career.

Outline of career planning process 1.) Evaluate Yourself by assessing your aptitudes (what you are naturally good at doing) and interests, as well as your career and personal expectations 2.) Investigate Careers to select what realistically suits you and sounds the best to you. 3.) Get the Needed Education and Training to increase necessary skills and have the proper credentials. 4.) Expand Your Competencies through work experience during school years, or meaningful involvement extracurricular activities, volunteer work professional associations, and training seminars. 5.) Build a Network of Contacts to spread the word about your availability and credentials. 6.) Package Yourself with a strong resume, professional-looking cover letters, sharp interviewing skills, and a terrific portfolio (if needed) to sell yourself to potential employers. 7.) Maintain Ongoing Awareness of the direction of the industry and opportunities for you within it.

Strive toward the needed training and experience Educational Requirements More creative, challenging career positions that offer advancement are competitive and require higher education Associate degree – earned with most community college programs, typically taking two years (Programs may include: fashion merchandising, window and floor display, fashion illustration) Bachelor’s degree – four-year programs that usually offer more career choices and faster promotions (Programs may include: textiles and clothing, fashion merchandising, fashion design) Typically offered by colleges of art and family and consumer sciences

Strive Toward the needed training and experience Master’s degree - – more complicated careers may require advanced degrees (Programs may include: master’s degree in textile chemistry, business administration) Doctorate degree – may be required to head a research lab or to be a professor of fashion- related studies at a university Reciprocal Agreements or exchange programs – some universities offer students these opportunities to study near fashion areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London

Strive toward the needed training and experience Gaining Experience Work-Study Programs Employers allow students to receive on-the-job training for their future careers Students attend classes part-time, studying related career courses, and work at the job part-time High schools levels are known as cooperative (co-op) programs College levels are known as internships

Strive toward the needed training and experience Gaining Experience Apprenticeship Training for an occupation by working under the direction and guidance of a skilled worker Often occurs after trade school or other formal training Training is paid entry-level wages while working and learning from the expert Executive trainee programs (Management Training Programs) General orientations offered by large companies for new employees with college degrees Includes both classroom and on-the-job training Rotate job assignments through all operational areas

Compensation Compensation Seniority Payment for work done Compensation package: refers to hourly wage or salary, paid vacation time, and other benefits Seniority Length of time an employee has been in a job compared to others who do the same job Sometimes impacts pay

compensation Hourly Wage Minimum Wage Commission Salary Predetermined pay rate per hour spent doing the job Minimum Wage The lowest hourly rate established by law Commission Retail sales jobs may include this percentage of money based on sales Salary Fixed amount of pay that is required for a particular job

compensation Deductions Gross Pay Net Pay Certain amounts subtracted by employers such as federal and state taxes Gross Pay Total amount earned Net Pay Gross pay minus deductions “Take-home pay”

Additional Compensation Fringe Benefits Employment rewards in addition to wages or salary Include extras such as sick leave, medical programs, pension plans, group life insurance, discount privileges for merchandise purchased Bonus Extra payment in addition to regular pay Incentive bonus to reward high sales or productivity

Ethical and legal issues of employment Business Ethics Using good moral values in business dealings Concerns how a company does its business Code of Ethics Written statement that sets forth the legal principles that should guide the decisions of the organization

Ethical and legal issues of employment Workplace Diversity The blending of different races, cultures, genders, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, personality types, and intelligence levels into a productive employment team It involves encouraging and accepting people’s differences, and using those differences to advantage U.S, work force is encouraging workplace diversity Employment Discrimination The treating of people differently, related to prejudice rather than work performance. Illegal Companies try hard to eliminate

Maintaining high ethical standards Companies concerned with business ethics won’t do business with apparel contractors who… Violate basic human rights (“sweat shops”) Are involved with environmental concerns Have issues with product safety Employees must maintain high ethical standards.