It's My Job
By Victoria Bozek
"Searching for jobs and updating my resume
was like a second full-time job for me
at the time. Once I finally got that call, I
felt like all my hard work really paid off,”
Maria Borriello, a 2009 Lasell College
fashion retail and merchandising graduate
explains as she recalls getting her job as a
merchandising clerical, a great entry-level
position in the buying area at Chadwicks,
of the Boston Apparel Group.
Lasell College fashion and retail merchandising alumnae like
Maria Borriello know firsthand how difficult that perfect dream job
may be to find straight out of college. Some students set their
dreams on New York City, Los Angeles, or maybe even Paris, but
others like Maria, Bekah Levine, and Danielle Ditommaso have
found true happiness and success just a short drive outside the
city of Boston. Today, more than ever, it is important to have not
only an education but also plenty of experience on your resume.
All three of these successful Lasell alumnae have arrived at the
conclusion that getting their ideal job is an ultimate goal with
steps to take, and they offer a few helpful tips while preparing for
that first real-world job. The first post in your field out of college
may not be the position that a million girls would die for, but it’s
the perfect first step toward finding a career in the fast-paced
fashion industry.
Bekah Levine graduated from Lasell in 2004 and soon after
found a job in retail as an assistant manager at Brown Shoe.
For over a year, she stuck with Brown Shoe, learning about the
retail industry and management. Once the company moved to
New York, Bekah decided that moving to the city wasn’t her
cup of tea. She was back to square one again, with no full-time
job. After much anticipation and searching, Bekah found a
position at Jjill’s headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts, as an
assistant sourcing manager.
Jill is a multichannel retailer selling women’s clothing,
accessories, and footwear. The Jjill customer loves to wear
comfortable but stylish clothing. The brand includes soft
fabrics and exclusive designs while still following the leading
fashion trends.
How did you apply for this job?
Bekah: After leaving Brown Shoe, I revamped my resume and
put it online. I sent my resume directly to Jjill and at first didn’t
hear anything for over three months but finally got a call back.
During my interview with Jjill, they offered me a position as
an assistant sourcing manager. I had never thought of holding
a position in sourcing, but I knew that it would be great
experience, plus I really needed a full-time job.
What are the skills and qualifications needed to hold
this position?
Bekah: I can’t tell you how often I use Excel. I also can’t tell you
how thankful I am to have had Professor Bath and many other
faculty members teach me how important Excel is in a job. I
literally use the application every single day at work. Problem
solving, thinking quickly on my feet,
and great communication skills are
also three key players in sourcing.
Negotiating with vendors is something
I was taught in my job. Because it was
an entry-level position, there was no
requirement to have this knowledge.
What is your favorite part of
your job?
Bekah: The times the vendors
come into the headquarters. It’s so
interesting to meet them and listen
to the problems that we encounter.
For example, the cost of cotton is the
highest it’s ever been. This is a major
factor for the retail industry.
What’s your next career move?
Bekah: During my time at Lasell,
I completed my internship at a
photography studio. Even if this
internship may not have helped my fashion career, it helped me
realize other options if fashion does not work out in the long run.
I have taken my interest in photography to the next step and am
currently trying to balance between working a full-time job and
going to photography school.
A more recent graduate from the program is Maria Borriello.
She was a 2009 graduate of Lasell who struggled like other
alumnae to find her first full-time job in the fashion industry.
In February 2010, Maria got a call that changed her life. Since
then, she has been working at Chadwicks as a merchandising
clerical, an entry-level position in the buying office.
Chadwicks is geared to women between twenty-five and fiftyfive.
It is for a woman who likes classic looks and is not fashion
forward. The company is all catalog and online distributing with
no retail stores in operation. Boston Apparel Group is the parent
group that includes Chadwicks, as well as Metro Style and
Casual Living.
While Maria was in college, she worked at City Sports as an
intern/sales associate. She primarily worked on the floor, helping
with merchandising, visual merchandising, and management.
Keeping a close relationship with her district manager gave
her an opportunity to move from sales associate, to clothing
manager, up to visual merchandiser for the store. Maria was
asked to stay longer with the company, but she wanted to find a
company whose style she could relate to.
How did you apply for this job?
Maria: I applied in February of 2010 and ended up getting
a phone call shortly afterwards. I originally applied to be a
merchandising assistant for shoes. During my interview, though,
I was told by the person who was interviewing me that Katie,
director of catalog development at
Chadwicks, was looking for a position
to be filled for a merchandising clerical.
The merchandising assistant position
ended up getting filled but I got the
clerical position instead. I could not
have been happier!
What does your job as a
merchandising clerical entail?
Maria: I help build the catalog books
with my manager Katie, who hired me.
Every season there are various books,
usually three or four per series/season,
so we are constantly working on a
book. As a team, we make sure that the
catalog follows a certain merchandising
grid, which is created through Excel.
The grid will include the color, size, and
description of the model.
Throughout this process there are
various meetings that I must attend with
the merchandising team. At the meetings, sometimes the buyers
will be there, the creative team, and the big boss, Adrianne, who
has the final say on the books. I’ll help merchandise the outfits,
creating looks that would appeal to the Chadwicks customer. I
also am in charge of being sure that the garments are packaged
and shipped out in time after the photo shoots.
What are the skills and qualifications needed to hold this
position?
Maria: Organization is so important in this industry. Without
being organized, I would never know what book I would be
working on that day or what meeting I should be attending. This
job has also taught me how to be assertive. If I have a question
I’m never afraid to ask someone. It’s good to ask questions and
it shows people you are really interested in what you do.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Maria: I love the responsibility I have in my job, and it always
keeps me on my toes. Some weeks Katie, my manager, isn’t
there, and I have to be sure I take as many notes and am as
assertive as I usually am, even when she is present.
What is your next career move?
Maria: At this time I am happy with my position at Chadwicks.
I have no career plans in mind anytime soon, but if a big
opportunity does come my way I’ll take
it, but only if it’s in Boston. I love the
area; it’s my home!
A 2010 Lasell graduate, Danielle
Ditommaso has learned about the
many struggles that come with finding
a job at the corporate level. In order to
get her foot in the door in the fashion
industry, Danielle started in August
2008 working as a sales associate for
Janie & Jack at the South Shore Plaza,
Danielle fell in love with the children’s
retailer and decided to do an internship
with the company, where she worked
in the store level. Making her way up
the ladder, Danielle went from intern
to part-time manager and all the way
to full-time manager, in just a matter
of months. Before she knew it, she was
being promoted to store manager for
Janie & Jack at South Shore.
Janie & Jack shops offer clothing and
accessories for babies, toddlers, and children, sizes newborn
up to size 12. Janie & Jack and Crazy 8 are owned by the
Gymboree Corporation. All three retailers are available online
and in store, selling children’s wear at a range of prices.
What does your job as a store manager entail?
Danielle: A lot of what I do must go through my district
manwager. But as a store manager, I have a lot of responsibility.
Recruiting and interviewing employees, as well as training, take
up a big portion of my time. Dealing with operational audits,
doing visual audits, and helping with the corrective process are
three other important areas. I also help with store openings at
other retail locations throughout the Boston area, which is great
to get a chance to do some traveling. Throughout my time as a
manager, though, I’ve learned it’s important to follow through
with all managers and be sure to delegate tasks so I do not take
on too much at once
What are the skills and qualifications needed to hold this
position?
Danielle: Ideally, someone who wants to be a retail store manager
should have two to three years of management experience
but internally only a year as a full-time employee. Ability to
communicate effectively with people and make decisions quickly
is vital. In retail, the hours can be brutal and exhausting, but
having a flexible schedule and remaining open to whenever is
ideal. Being organized and being detail oriented are also two
traits that have brought me a long way. Having great teaching
and coaching methods is also important,
in order to train my employees so they can
sell and give great customer service.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Danielle: I would definitely have to say
the customers and the people I work
with. Besides the people, it would include
training and developing the staff. I love
seeing my accomplishments I have made
throughout my time here.
What is your next career move?
Danielle: Ideally, I would love to move
into corporate somewhere in the Boston
area, whether it’s in store operations or
visual merchandising. Working in a store
setting has made me realize how much I
love working for a retail store, and I think I
have the skills to follow through with both
these areas. At the moment, I am taking
graduate courses at Lasell in order to
complete my master’s degree. I’m hoping with a master’s degree
and bachelor’s degree under my belt as well as my working
experience, I’ll be on the right track to getting into the
corporate world.
Although these career paths may not have been exactly what
these fashion and retail merchandising students were looking for
after college, Maria, Bekah and Danielle have a great start on
successful careers, with the endless opportunities in the fashion
industry. Besides getting a degree in fashion, it’s also really
important to get experience and never to give up even when the
going gets tough. If persistence means skipping out on a night
with friends and staying in to search websites for a job, it will
pay off in the end. By keeping an open mind and by watching
for opportunities, your dream job with a big-time designer like
Donna Karan or Michael Kors may be just around the corner.
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