I suppose knowing someone on the inside in the fashion/retail/design industry is like a golden ticket for graduates. People sorting through job applications have to be cut throat so having someone vouch for you instantly puts you ahead of other competitors. Of course you could stand out and be chosen on your own merits but knowing you have an way of getting in will take away from the stress of waiting in limbo for an email from the company you've applied to. Cue me looking up the nearest fashion networking events. My previous experience of networking events isn't great, I once went to a design event held at a university in Dundee but felt so intimidated I stayed seated until the last minute only to finally muster up the courage to speak to one person and realise it wasn't so bad. Fail.
So my research into fashion networking events taught me a few things; first, there's very few in Liverpool, second, Liverpool has a fashion week of its own and lastly, London is one constant networking party..or so it would seem. There are a few really good websites to search for these events, I have UK Fashion Intern saved to my bookmarks because they constantly advertise events and opportunities for students. I also discovered The Fashion Network which is based in Manchester (so close!) and London which regularly hosts events.
Upon realising there is very little I can do, other than move to London mid-term, I had to change my approach. Then it dawned on me, a way to instantly contact people within the industry, social networking. Even the simple task of following someone on twitter or instagram can mean you get their updates instantly and put you just that tiny bit ahead of the competition. Of course many others will have realised this too, and I suppose this is when you have to stand out from the crowd using those merits I mentioned earlier.
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