Do you wish to become Rolex’s next marketing director or to head retail operations of Tiffany & Co? Jobs such as these in the international luxury industry often come with high salaries and excellent travel opportunities. While breaking into this industry is not easy, there’s no reason why you can’t achieve your goal if armed with the right training and networks.
You don’t need to go through pages of contents to stay on top of the luxury industry trends. Visit a local high-end store or hotel and have a look around. Speak to vendors and shoppers and try to get a sense of what is happening in the industry, where it is headed and what customers expect. Make up your mind on what you think is working and what isn’t.
Informational interviews can be very intimidating, but they’re a great way to make connections. Look for professionals in top jobs on LinkedIn with whom you have some connection and try to arrange a meeting. Alumni of the same school can be a good place to start.
Send them a message and remember: no matter how awkward it might make you feel to email a complete stranger for career advice, people love to talk about themselves and are usually quite happy to help out.
Some luxury brands’ efforts to partner with social media influencers have been hugely successful.
Of course, you don’t have to monetize your social media channels or luxury blog to get a job in the industry. However, creating your own content and growing a healthy base of followers can be a good way to build a network of contacts and show your future employers that you’ve got the social media skills to work in luxury.
You probably have a dream job in mind, but don’t let that dream hold you back. If a luxury industry role isn’t quite what you’re looking for - think of it as a learning opportunity or a stepping stone.
Despite the glam, the luxury industry is just like any other sector. To manage a global luxury brand, you would need a sense of how a company operates so you’re able to work with any business or marketing expert.
This is where business schools come in. Our MSc in Luxury Management & Marketing, for example, will take you to Paris, London or New York and Shanghai to learn the basics of management, with an option to specialize in the fashion and lifestyle industry or luxury design.
Run with Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York City and the London College of Fashion, this Master’s program also features a mandatory four to six month internship to help you maximize your chances of employment.
Source: this article was originally featured on TopUniversities.com