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If you are a young person in the fashion and beauty industry dreading your upcoming job search, you’re definitely not alone — but the good news is that you’ve come to the right place. The job market can seem rough to navigate, but there are more tools than ever to help you succeed. Whether you’re a recent graduate just starting out or looking to take your career to new heights, social platforms can be the launchpad you need to connect and thrive in this ever-changing industry.
Traditional social accounts might be great for showcasing your style, voice, and vision and getting more eyes on yourself, but when it comes to professional networking, there is one platform that reigns supreme: LinkedIn, with its new 2023 Guide to Kickstarting Your Career making it easier than ever to maximize your professional social presence.
You might immediately equate LinkedIn to a digital résumé, which, fair, is true, but it’s also much more than that! The platform is also a dynamic medium that allows you to build meaningful connections with industry professionals, mentors, and peers. Through active engagement, participating in discussions, and reaching out to individuals who inspire you, you can expand your network and tap into a wealth of knowledge and opportunities
According to a recent study led by the company, 79% of workers surveyed said connecting with someone in their field on LinkedIn led to a successful professional outcome. To help you make the most of social platforms, Teen Vogue caught up with five professionals in the fashion and beauty space to get the inside scoop on how you can stand out during your job search and learn how tools like LinkedIn can become your secret weapon in a difficult and nerve-wracking job market.
Below, these industry experts, each with their own unique perspectives and experiences, share valuable tips and tricks for utilizing social platforms effectively. From crafting a compelling profile that showcases your personal brand to leveraging the power of networking and engagement, their insights will equip you with tools to make a lasting impression on potential employers.
Max Hemphill, fashion photographer & CEO of plant-based skin care brand Ascension
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a photographer from New Jersey, born and raised. Alongside my photography, I’m also the founder and CEO of Ascension, a skin care company. While my formal education is limited to a high school diploma and a brief stint in college, I found my true passion in photography after trying my hand at modeling. I knew I wanted to be in the industry, so I knew one of those would work. With no formal training, I taught myself photography through experimentation and self-study.
What key skills or experiences do you believe are essential for success in the fashion and beauty industry based on your own experiences?
I believe a strong sense of creativity and aesthetic appreciation is crucial for staying ahead in this industry. It allows you to bring a fresh perspective to your work and stand out from the crowd. Also, adaptability and a willingness to embrace change are vital in an industry that is constantly evolving. Connecting and building meaningful relationships with other people in the same industry is another essential skill. I can’t tell you how many times I just happened to talk to someone just because I genuinely wanted to connect with them, and in return, they blessed me with an opportunity after the conversation.
What strategies have you found effective for building a strong professional network within the fashion and beauty community?
Attending industry events and not being afraid to speak. Even genuinely complimenting someone’s outfit can lead to an amazing opportunity. Also, engaging on social media has proven to be helpful, and looking to collaborate with other artists has helped.
Can you share any success stories on how you’ve leveraged sites like LinkedIn as a resource?
I initially began using LinkedIn by posting images, but it was when I embraced vulnerability, authenticity and shared my personal journey that I started gaining traction. One of my most notable posts received over 160,000 impressions. In that post, I shared my story of persistently reaching out for four years until I finally got the opportunity to shoot for Nike. It resonated with many people and touched their hearts.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a Brooklyn-based freelance fashion writer and digital entrepreneur with a passion for storytelling and community-building. By day, I manage my multimedia fashion and lifestyle platform NYCXCLOTHES and consult with clients through my influencer and DE&I boutique agency NYCXSTUDIO.
What key skills do you believe are essential for success in your industry?
Strong communication skills are key to having a successful career in fashion and beauty. Learning how to write clearly and concisely, as well as how to pitch yourself effectively, plus manage client relations, will help you advance and establish strong connections. These skills are also applicable to a wide range of positions within the ecosystem, so honing them will help you make successful pivots as needed.
What strategies have you found effective for building a strong professional network?
Nurturing your relationships is key, as the old adage, “Your network is your net worth,” applies here. This can take many forms, whether that’s sending informative articles to a mentor or peer, amplifying the work that they’re doing, regularly catching up over lunch or coffee, and keeping them up-to-date with your career moves.
How can aspiring fashion and beauty professionals differentiate themselves and stand out in a competitive job market and how can sites like LinkedIn be a tool to help with that?
I think of LinkedIn as a kind of professional blog, the place where you share your thoughts on industry happenings, showcase your work and form new connections. The platform gives you exposure to not only employers but potential clients, mentors, and peers. As such, to differentiate themselves, professionals today should keep an active profile that is constantly updated with new projects and insights but also participate in groups and contribute to conversations.
Manessa Lormejuste, beauty scientist & product developer
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Manessa Lormejuste, and I work as a beauty product developer, but I’m also a cosmetic chemist by training. I actually studied chemical biology as an undergrad [so] I started my career working on the formulation bench at L’Oréal, working on multiple projects. Then last year, I started posting a lot more on LinkedIn, which allowed me to become a LinkedIn top voice in beauty. Now I continue to build a really strong community on a not-so-typical platform for a scientist, I would say.
What are some common challenges that you believe professionals in your industry face?
To be very honest, I’ve always been one of the only Black women on a team, and I think since I started working, that was something I had to get used to. A lot of mentors I had since I started don’t look like me because there’s not that many women that look like me [in the industry]. So I think [my advice is] to be comfortable seeking guidance from someone who might not have the same background, who might not look like you, but understanding that there’s a value to add in building partnerships and relationships no matter where you go.
What strategies have you found effective for building a strong professional network?
Being present. So whether that’s present in physical at a physical event, a virtual webinar, I think what I do really well is I’ll go to conferences, I’ll go to trade shows, I go to meetups, I go to happy hours, all in the lens of beauty or branding or beauty professional connections. And that’s helped me build a network in beauty.
Jaleesa Jaikaran, makeup artist & content creator
Could you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a pro makeup artist and content creator based in New York City with Trinidadian roots. I work behind the camera on beauty and fashion campaigns with celebrity talent. In front of the camera, I create content driven by beauty education. On my off days, I host my podcast called The Life of a Makeup Artist, which centers rising voices in beauty about breaking into the industry and why it’s critical to create a future that’s inclusive.
What key skills do you believe are essential for success in your industry?
Adaptability and resilience are key. The fashion and beauty industry is fast-paced, unpredictable, and constantly evolving. Adaptability is imperative as technology changes, products advance, and you have to continuously educate yourself. This is especially true when it comes to social media and utilizing it as a tool to market yourself. The ability to handle setbacks, learn from failures, and bounce back is key to long-term success.
What strategies have you found effective for building a strong professional network?
Creating a compelling LinkedIn profile makes a world of difference and is an indication that you show up yourself. Craft a professional profile that highlights your skills, experience, and achievements. Of course, as a lover of photography, use a high-quality profile picture and optimize your headline and summary to showcase your expertise. I know too many people that ignore their profiles, and it simply does not match the quality of content on their sites or social media platforms.
Can you share any success stories on how you’ve leveraged LinkedIn as a resource?
I actually use LinkedIn all the time as a means to create and maintain connections I’ve made in my decade in New York. I used it to reconnect with an existing contact to have as a guest on my podcast. It was a great reunion via DM’s, and when she was visiting New York, we had such a great episode that was so well received. It’s a wonderful resource for creative entrepreneurs creating a new path and creators wanting to level up in the industry.
Please give yourself a quick introduction.
I’m Kendra Bracken-Ferguson. I am a three-time founder and currently the founder and CEO of BrainTrust, which comprises BrainTrust global marketing firm, our social media influencer marketing, and an events production company, as well as BrainTrust Founders Studio, the largest membership-based platform for Black founders of beauty and wellness companies, and our debut BrainTrust Fund, which invests in Black founders of beauty and wellness companies.
How can aspiring fashion and beauty professionals differentiate themselves and stand out in a competitive job market?
Ask yourself where you see yourself in terms of the beauty industry. Do you want to be an operator? Or someone who’s running a brand? Do you want to be a chemist? Do you want to be on the manufacturing side? Do you want to be on the distribution side? Do you want to be on the retail side? The key is figuring out where you see yourself. And if you’re not sure, identifying different people at companies where they have those jobs and then seeing what kind of things they are posting, what are they doing? Following them. And then, once you’ve identified what part of the industry you want to be in, follow every single person who is in that industry who has the job that you want.
How do you think young professionals can use tools like LinkedIn to their advantage when starting out in the industry? Do you have any success stories of how you’ve used them to your own advantage?
I think that LinkedIn has great tools. They have different accelerator programs. They have a really great learning center. So, if you’re trying to figure out what to do, they have a great podcast network that’s really focused on business. And they’ve been really helpful, even with my own podcast, in terms of growth. They also have the ability to do some live streaming. So, really take a second, and go into the LinkedIn Learning Library. You can search for different tools. I also have a newsletter called Diary of a Founder that’s exclusively through LinkedIn and literally uses their newsletter module. Having that weekly newsletter has also helped me gain more audience, find new customers, and really build community.
Please tell us a bit about yourself.
I am Jamé Jackson. I am 30 years old, so I’m a millennial, although Gen Z does have my heart. I am based in Brooklyn, New York. By day, I am the Community Segments Lead of North America for LinkedIn Editorial. I am also a full-time content creator and founder of TheBlondeMisfit, which is one of the top 100 fashion and beauty sites in the world. I have a really soft spot in my heart for fashion and beauty enthusiasts who want to find their footing, and I’m really excited that in the about two years that I’ve been at LinkedIn, we’ve really seen an influx of fashion and beauty thought leaders on this In space.
What key skills do you believe are essential for success in your industry?
I often think, “What would I tell myself if I could go back in time?” And one of the things that I would just continue to reiterate is the need and ability to put yourself out there. Nowadays, it’s so easy to feel scared to put yourself out there and ask for what you want, but you have to be bold. Especially in an industry like fashion or beauty, where you’re moving at 20 million miles a second, you have to be able to get out there. You have to be able to articulate what you want and really put yourself in that position where you advocate for yourself. I always tell people, “Treat yourself like you are your own CEO.”
Do you have any advice for overcoming obstacles that young professionals in the industry may face?
I love this question because these are things that I used to wonder about. Even at a young age, I said I did not want to live my life in accordance with what everyone else said it had to be. I wanted to live it on my own terms. I think one of the powers of Gen Z is that they are very values-driven in that they really want to focus on collaborating and tying themselves to companies that are aligned with their values, which historically you might not have been able to do when you were a millennial or Gen X or whatever. In fact, there’s actually been a recent study through LinkedIn where we found that 84% of Gen Z says that it’s really important for them to be culturally compatible with their companies. So I really think that the biggest message I have is that you have to own your destiny.
Building a strong professional network is a huge part of growing your career and just finding opportunities in general. Do you have any tips or tricks, or general advice on building a strong professional network in this industry?
Connecting with your community is really important. I also think that nowadays, as we’ve seen in the creator economy, it’s really important for you to build your audience by having a dialogue. It’s no longer just looking into a camera and talking to yourself. You want to focus on engagement, and you want to focus on the comments. I’ll tell you a secret. A lot of people think that the success of LinkedIn is posting. And yes, we want people to post and to have a cadence of posting, but the real riches are in the comments. From an algorithmic perspective, the algorithm sees that, okay, cool, you’re working, and you commented on this person, so now I know that you’re interested in this piece of content. So not only am I going to continue to show you pieces of content like this, but also other people in your network who might also find this useful; I’m now going to share it with them.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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