Workplace Major career advice needed

Blue_Butterfly

Blue_Butterfly

ProtectMeFrMyWants
Aug 15, 2006
825
0
#1
I am totally losing sleep over this...well here we go. It all started with me looking into sewing classes in Los Angeles. Then I found myself looking into a degree for a fashion marketer/merchandiser. I found a couple schools that peaked my interest...that's until I saw the tuition for one of those schools - almost $80K for a bachelors degree:wtf:! I also saw that CSU offered a certificate in fashion merchandising for around $20K. I'm 26 years old and already have a Bachelors degree in Corporate Communications. I'm working in the Insurance industry and for the most part I enjoy what I do and know that long-term Insurance will prove to be very lucrative.

I've never really been passionate about anything in life and I feel that I am passionate about pursuing a career in fashion (a little late, I Know). But this thought totally and utterly scares me. It's such a new dimension to the life I've envisioned for myself. It would turn everything upside down and inside out. For one thing, it would be a major career commitment. I can't imagine investing that much money into a degree unless you were totally serious about it.

So there in lies my dilemma. Do I really need to get a bachelors degree or will a certificate suffice? Are that any fellow PFer's who can help shed some light on this particular career field? At this point, I guess I'm just trying to figure our what my options are and what direction I need to go.

Ok, hopefully since I got that off my chest I can get some shut eye...night ladies and hope to hear from you all when I wake up!
 
#2
I think with your degree in Corporate communications you should have no problem applying for a job in fashion. Way back 20+ years ago when I was in college for my 2 year degree-I went for fashion and merchandising friends of mine who graduated before me that were in accounting all got job as buyers with big compainies in NY. I think with your business background you should check around and test the job market. I know large high end department stores would probalby want someone like you for their offices and possibly you can train with them on the job to do other things. You already have the business background, perhaps just taking a few night classes at a community college will be all you need. I don't feel you need to spend the money for school.
Good luck...
 
#3
Gillianna thanks so much for your reply! It has helped to put my racing mind at ease. With that said I may decide to go for that Certificate as opposed to another Bachelors degree. I will test the market out but it'll definitely be challenging with a full-time job. But challenge is what keeps life fun and exciting right!?
 
#5
What is your dream job in fashion? Is it more on the office/marketing end? Your business background should get you in. I really think you should test the job market. I think you might be surprised how your background would be a big asset for any company. With retail displays some stores have a certain way of doing displays and there is not really much creativity on behalf of the persons hired to do the displays, so for some stores in display you would just be a worker putting together a master plan. That does not really seem like a creative thing to do.
My friends friend has a job being a sales rep. for lingerie lines. She has switched to a few different lines. She travels to the high end stores and makes sure their line is being displayed, is there for the instore events for that line and it seems like a fun job. Of course with a higher end line in lingerie like LaPerla one may like the perks of free merchandise and discounts. Maybe something like this might be fun to do and would give you some insight to what is available instore in the way of jobs. If you are close to any Merchandise Marts, to me that might be a fun place to start. I am sure there are jobs out there but perhaps you might have better luck going online and researching companies or even lables of a certain brand that may catch your eye and see about employment opportunities.
It will work out. I think this should be a exciting thing for you to do.
 
#6
^I'm looking into a fasihon marketer/merchandiser. The only thing I don't have right now is retail experience which I'm noticing a lot of companies prefer.

Thanks for all your support! I'm definitely excited to see where this takes me.
 
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