10 Things I Learned From My First Styling Job
Does anyone listen to the Girl Boss podcast? She always asks her guests what their first job was and I find it so fascinating! I’ve learned, having listened to many episodes, that there are two kinds of people: the ones who sold ice cream at the neighborhood swimming pool or had their own lawn mowing business in high school, and the ones who didn’t work a day in their lives until they graduated from their choice ivy league business school program. I fall into the former category. I remember that I couldn’t wait until I could work. I start earning money in middle school babysitting for family friends or people that lived in our neighborhood. When I turned 16 my first job was at Quizno’s Subs. I can still recall the smell of that slightly burnt, crusty bread doused with oregano going through the conveyor oven! There were a string of other jobs between sandwich maker and where I am today, but styling was the first job that I ever did and knew it could be my forever job. Literally, after my first day on the job I remember thinking, “That was totally insane… and I think I want to keep doing it!” I was chatting with a friend at lunch yesterday about how neither of us have spent a lot of time in really corporate work environments, which I think have the potential to actually teach you a lot, even if it’s just one stop along the path of where you are headed. Styling may not be the most conventional of jobs or happen in the most traditional of workspaces, but it taught me more than I ever could have imagined. Here are 10 things I learned from my first styling job that I’ve taken with me ever since:
(Images via Jacquelyn Clark)
1. To be early is to be on time. To be early and arrive with your boss’s choice coffee in hand will cover a multitude of sins. If your call time is 7am, it doesn’t mean that you’re pulling in the parking lot at 7am. It means that at 7am, you’ve already parked, gathered your belongings, run to the bathroom, possibly eaten breakfast on set already and are ready to work.
2. Be resourceful. Everybody has a lot on their plates. It’s not their job to figure out how to get your job done, it’s your job. Find a way to figure it out.
3. Own your mistakes. Don’t throw other people under the bus. People do this so often and everyone knows who the people are that are doing it! You’re not fooling anyone. Total respect for people who can say, “That’s actually completely my fault.”
4. There’s a lot more to style than the brand or price of your clothes. Real style always seems to come from inner confidence, from owning your own personal style and what makes you feel good. It often has little to do with the latest designer name or trend.
5. Write everything down. I have three journals full of scribbled notes that I took during my first year as a styling assistant. They were always with me so that I could refer back to them. Everything from a client’s sizing information in different designers to gate codes, addresses, and helpful hints that my boss would drop during our time together. I would also write myself little notes of encouragement that I could refer back to on tough days.
6. Checklists are not overrated. Not only are they not overrated, they’re essential! Whether it was packing my kit for set or packing a suitcase for a work trip in another city, I had a printed list of everything I might need. It’s so easy to forget really simple things. By going over my list the day before a job I saved myself so much stress had I forgotten something essential.
7. Dress for the job you want. It shouldn’t matter, but especially if you’re working with clothes and want people to think you know what you’re doing, you should look like you know what you’re doing. It’s the first impression people get of you.
8. Always look for ways to take on more responsibility. I have watched so many people come into a job and then balk at the things their bosses were asking of them. “That’s not my job, ” they would say. If you want to keep moving up, take on the additional roles when they’re given to. You’ll be prepared when higher positions become available.
9. Be kind. It’s so easy to get stressed and short and snappy, but just be kind. Especially if you’re in an industry where it’s not the standard, it really makes you stand out and people will generally be more likely to go out of their way for you.
10. Always leave on a positive note. The time comes when we all outgrow our current positions and are ready to move on to the next challenge. Giving your notice isn’t the time to tell your boss how unappreciated you have been or how hard her job is going to be without you. It’s the time to be so grateful for what everyone has poured into you and for the tremendous experience it has given you. It’s a really small world. You never know when you’ll meet again or need a reference. Plus, there are truly so many positives to take away from nearly every job experience.
What have you learned from past jobs?
Images via Jacquelyn Clark
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