Being prepared for a job interview is key to being confident and presenting your best self. In any interview, there are some general topics you may be asked about, and when applying for fashion roles, there are more nuanced questions you can expect. Here we’ve tried to provide some common questions you’re likely to hear, so prepare well and you’ll feel more at ease during the interview.
“Tell me about yourself?”
This is a classic interview question that allows you to provide a brief overview of your background, education, and work experience. Use this opportunity to highlight any relevant skills or achievements that make you a strong candidate for the job.
“Why did you want to work in fashion?”
This question is an opportunity for you to express your passion for the industry and explain what you like about working in fashion. Be sure to mention any personal or professional experiences that have influenced your decision to pursue your particular career path.
“What attracted you to this role?”
In this question, the interviewer is looking to see what specific aspects of the job appeal to you. They want to know that you’re serious about and want the job and that it fits into your long-term career plans. Be specific and provide examples of how your skills and experience align with the responsibilities of the role. Think about the requirements in the job description that attracted you the most and mention them.
“What do you know about the company?”
It’s essential to do your research before an interview, and this question is a chance to show that you have taken the time to learn about the company. Mention any notable aspects of the company that you admire; this could be recent achievements or sustainability goals.
“Why do you want to work for this company?”
Similar to the previous question, this is an opportunity for you to explain why you are interested in this particular company. Focus on the company culture, brand style, values, and mission and how they align with your own personal and professional goals.
“What do you think your role will involve here?”
It’s important to have a clear understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the job you are applying for. Use this question as an opportunity to explain how you see yourself fitting into the role and contributing to the company. Ensure you have thoroughly read and understood the job description and highlight requirements from it that align with your experience.
“What are your strengths and how can you apply them to this role?”
This is your chance to highlight your unique skills and abilities, and explain how they can be applied to the job at hand. Be specific and provide examples of how you have used these strengths in the past. From your research of the company, consider mentioning opportunities you’ve identified that you are looking forward to applying your skills to.
“What are your weaknesses and how do you overcome them?”
It’s important to be honest about your weaknesses, but also to show that you are proactive in working to improve them. Explain how you have overcome or are working to improve upon any areas of weakness and give actual examples of where you have done this in the past.
“What are your long-term career goals?”
This question is an opportunity for you to discuss your aspirations and where you see yourself in the future. Be sure to align your goals with the company’s mission and values. Often the interviewer asks this to know what kind of progression you’re looking for; researching the company can help with this answer, for example, if your team is going to be small, perhaps suggesting a fast and steep promotion plan may come across as unrealistic.
“Who are some of your favourite brands and designers?”
Here you have a chance to demonstrate your knowledge and interest in the fashion industry. Be authentic and make sure you know the work well enough to answer questions about. Be sure to mention a variety of brands and designers and explain why you admire their work. Consider the company you’re applying to and perhaps how these designers’ aesthetics influence your work.
“How do you keep up to date with the latest fashion trends?”
You may be asked this if the role is going to be involved or working closely with creative and production teams. The interviewer wants to know that you’re passionate about the industry and the latest happenings that can relate to your work. Mention any fashion blogs, magazines, or social media accounts that you follow and make notes of why you follow them, especially anything that has helped your perspective in your work.
“Do you follow any celebrities or influencers for their style?”
Influencers and celebrities have become a huge way to direct the course of fashion and brands. If you follow any particular style icons, feel free to mention them and explain why you admire their sense of fashion and perhaps even give examples of how they have influenced fashion.
“Have you ever experienced a situation where you’ve had a decision you’ve felt strongly about overruled and how did you handle it?”
It’s important to show that you can handle conflict and difficult situations in a professional manner. In this question, the interviewer is looking to see how you handle disagreement and how you can overcome it with a positive outcome. Be sure to provide a specific example and explain what you did to find a resolution.
“How do you handle conflict?”
This is a more general question about how you handle disagreement or tension in the workplace. A workplace in the fashion industry has some strong egos, disagreements and conflicts of ideas can happen regularly. Explain any strategies or techniques that you have found to be effective in resolving conflicts calmly and professionally.
“What do you do when you find something challenging in your role and don’t know how to handle it?”
It’s important to show that you are proactive and resourceful when faced with challenges in your work. Mention any strategies you have for seeking out help or finding solutions when you are unsure of how to proceed. Consider giving an example where you have had to do this.
“What do you know about sustainable fashion and how do you apply that in your role?”
Sustainable fashion is an increasingly important topic in the industry, and it’s essential to show that you are aware of this issue and are committed to making a positive impact. Mention any courses you’ve done in the areas of sustainable fashion and any books or articles that you read to keep up to date on the subject. If your role involves sustainable processes, talk about how you implement sustainability in your work and highlight achievements you may have made in previous companies to help lower their environmental impact.
Overall, it’s important to be prepared and to show your passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm for the fashion industry, the company, and the role in the job interview. By being able to answer questions like these clearly and confidently you will stand out as professional and signal to the hiring manager that you’re a serious candidate for the role. And remember, you’re not the only one being interviewed; preparing your own questions to ask during the interview is also important.
