A Recruiter Shares Tips for Getting Hired in the Fashion Industry
With Kristy Hurt, interviewed by Stella Hertantyo
Conscious Career Chats Series
Job searching can often leave you wondering: What exactly are employers looking for in an ideal candidate? Or where did I go wrong? While the answer to this question may vary from company to company — and person to person — there are some standard tips that can help you stand out while you’re navigating a career pivot or searching for a job that matches your skillset.
So we asked independent Executive Recruiter and Human Resources Consultant, Kristy Hurt, for her industry insights.
Kristy has 20 years of experience in the fashion, beauty, retail, and consumer luxury business, working with a broad range of clients such as Aesop, Goop, Jason Wu, Prada, The Row, and Tom Ford. Before launching Kristy Hurt Consulting in 2009, Kristy spent more than 5 years managing human resources activities for luxury group leader LVMH Group.
In 2020, during the job loss era of the pandemic, Kristy launched an accessible, inclusive subscription-based networking community platform called the co-lab to connect industry professionals all over the world.
I interviewed Kristy in the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership to ask about job search and recruitment advice, unpack the most common resume mistakes, understand how to network authentically, and discuss what it takes to pivot into a career in fashion.
Below are some of the highlights from the conversation. Inside our membership, you'll find the full recording with more insights from Kristy, plus get instant access to other expert Q&A recordings + workshops, and attend our upcoming live events for free. You'll also find a Sustainable Fashion Resource Hub, forums, and opportunities to connect with like-minded conscious fashion changemakers.
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What are the most in-demand skills, linked to fashion and sustainability right now?
Jobs in sustainability didn’t come across my radar until around 2020. And I'm still finding today that most of the jobs I recruit for have nothing to do with sustainability. I point that out, because I think what is still happening is that companies are hiring functional experts.
If those functional experts understand sustainability and can do that job — whether it's supply chain sourcing design or product development — with a sustainable mindset, that's what I believe needs to happen.
To give you some specific examples, I’m currently working for a client where I'm recruiting for a raw materials research and development role. I just filled a brand president role. I recruited a sales director. I recruited a product developer for accessories. None of those people studied sustainability. But if they happen to, my client is very interested in people who know about sustainability.
If they happen to know about factories that are operating more transparently and paying fair wages and sustainable material sourcing, and they're applying that to their role as a product developer, designer, or salesperson — that's what we need.
If you're early on in your career, what I’d say is: work for sustainable companies that care about sustainability, but that also needs salespeople, designers, product developers, and supply chain professionals.
Few jobs are purely sustainability-related. Few companies have sustainability departments — it should be integrated into all of the other job functions.
In terms of what skill gaps there are, we do need a lot of people who understand sustainability. But we still need all of the functional experts. We need people with experience who've also studied and understand sustainability and are working for all kinds of companies where they can transform departments and contribute to making business decisions that consider people and the planet.
Do you find that getting a specific degree is necessary for roles in fashion sustainability?
Work experience is the most important thing in fashion. This means doing internships when you're in school, getting part-time jobs, and working in retail. Start with what you have and start anywhere, because the experience that you have is ultimately what will lead to your next role.
What is your advice for people wanting to pivot into a career in sustainable fashion from adjacent — or even completely different — industries?
There's a lot of opportunity for people in adjacent roles. In the sustainable searches that I have done, there have been a few candidates who have shifted from an environmental type of role in a governmental organization and into the fashion industry. There are a lot of opportunities to shift across industries as all kinds of companies are starting to think about being more sustainable.
What are your top tips for authentic networking — balancing pitching yourself, while still forming meaningful connections?
As a recruiter, I have talked to so many candidates. For example, in this most recent search for the raw materials role, we have reached out to many raw materials experts. We spoke to hundreds of people who have experience in this area.
The process of recruiting means that we reach out to anyone who seems like they might have the right experience. Then, if they're interested, I have a conversation with them, get their resume, and see if my clients are interested. Then, I interview them, the client interviews them, and eventually, we make a decision and hire someone.
There are hundreds of people that I reach out to every single time I'm doing a search who end up either not being interested in the job right now or my client is not interested. Either way, I have made that connection and I will stay in touch with them in the future.
So one piece of networking advice I’d give is that anytime you have the opportunity to interview for a job or talk to a recruiter, always look at it as an opportunity to make a new connection.
Don't ever assume that you're going to get a job through that connection. If you put too much importance on that conversation, then you will be too disappointed if it doesn't happen.
I think the most important thing you do in every single interaction is to show up as your best self. That's all you can do. Approach every conversation as an opportunity to make a new networking connection, and always be polite and professional.
You’ve said you can usually tell within 30 seconds to 3 minutes of a job interview if a person would be the right fit for the job. What are you looking out for in those first few minutes?
I’m looking for energy level and enthusiasm. But it's not just that. It’s about finding someone that matches the client’s expectations. So I am looking for someone who is poised, professional, articulate, intelligent, and has a little bit of a sparkle in their eye.
People have this sparkle in their eyes when they're applying for the right jobs. This is why it's important when you're job seeking to narrow down where you are passionate about working and not just applying to any job that will hire you.
If you're more selective about where you apply and where you want to work, you make a target list of your three dream companies to work for, list the specific jobs you want, you've done your research, you know why you're there, and you have a true reason for interviewing for that job — I can tell.
What are the top things that you are looking for when looking at resumes? What are the biggest mistakes that candidates make?
I like a one-page resume that gives you a highlighted overview of the jobs you've held, top career achievements, skills, some personal interests, and your contact information.
Citing specific achievements and showing with numbers that you are a standout candidate is important. For example, if they're interviewing 200 people for a sales role, they are going to want to know whether you are a good salesperson and what numbers reflect this.
You should make sure that you mention quantitative and qualitative elements in your resume. Keep it high level to show that you know how to edit and share a little bit about yourself and your interests.
Let them know anything related to sustainability that you’ve been involved with; travels, languages you speak, if you've lived in other countries; any particular passions, if you're an athlete, or if you've achieved something beyond what the average person has done. Those are points that you should mention in your resume, because often those are the icebreakers. Those are the things that allow people to connect with you beyond knowing you have the skill set to work as a salesperson.
I saw a job listing yesterday and it was for a retail position. One of the things that I was interested in that they said was that they’re searching for unique individuals who have a variety of interests outside of retail, but who happen to have a knowledge and passion for their brand. So to make yourself stand out, you want to be a person with a lot of different interests.
Are cover letters still important?
I don't read cover letters often. I will sometimes glance at them, but that's because of my role as a recruiter. I'm usually looking at resumes to find people that are qualified and fit the job specifications. But if you're applying for a job and they ask for a cover letter, then you should do a cover letter.
If you are writing a cover letter, keep it short and sweet. I think that a cover letter should never be more than a quarter of a page. The truth is, they're looking at your resume to decide whether or not you're qualified for the job. Once they've seen your experience, and decided that you are qualified for the job based on your experience, then they might look at your cover letter to learn a little bit more about you.
I don't think anyone is necessarily choosing to interview you based on your cover letter. So don't think of it as a make or break. Your experience is the make or break, every time, and the cover letter is for adding additional points that you want to share. For example, explain why you feel connected to the role and why it fits your skillset and career at this point.
You should tie in some reason why you're interested in the position based on your research of the company. If you’ve listened to a podcast with one of the founders or attended an event where you met one of the employees, or engaged with their work, you should mention that. Make sure to find as much information about the company as you can online and tie that in too. Most candidates won’t have done this, so it helps you stand out.
Can you work in fashion if you are not based in a fashion hub? How can you pivot into fashion if you have the skillset, but don’t know who to reach out to? How can you cultivate connections with hiring managers?
To hear from Kristy on these topics and much more, watch the full recording in the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership! You'll also get instant access to recordings of previous workshops and Q&As and our Resource Hub. Plus you'll get to attend our upcoming member events (4+ per month) and connect with a community of like-minded conscious fashion change makers.
