1. Chapter 26 Is a Fashion career in your future?
Fashion Merchandising II

2. The Field of fashion Fascinating, exciting, challenging careers
Few position offer typical 9 to 5 workdays
Seasonally hectic times followed by slow, dull times
Problems to solve, deadlines to meet, pressures to make a profit
Some travel, telecommuting (work from home computer)

3. Steps along a career path
Job
Specific work assignment or position within an industry, with certain duties, roles, or functions
Job Description
Written statement of what the employee holding a specific job is expected to do
Specific tasks, responsibilities, guidelines
Career
Lifelong field of employment, or vocation, through which people progress
Various jobs that usually lead to higher levels of employment (career path)

4. Steps along a career path
Employees tend to change companies frequently because of changeability and seasonal nature of industry.
May move up ladder of success
May move up within same company, by proving themselves at each job level
Career Planning
Process of outlining the steps involved in reaching a career goal
May involve working for several different companies to reach a certain level goal

5. Job levels along the way
Entry-level jobs
Beginning jobs in a career
Require little or no specific training or experience
Provide opportunity to learn about the business from the inside
Management positions
Positions concerned with running the business
Planning, organizing, controlling, implementing, and monitoring the program of the organization
Involved with administration, or tasks and employees concerned with the overall running of the company

6. Job levels along the way
Lower management – generally held by people newly hired after receiving college degree
Middle management – may move up to this position after acquiring experience and training
(higher levels of responsibility)
Upper management – achieved by devoted employees who prove themselves as strategic thinkers and hard workers, after acquiring knowledge of all aspects of the business
Top management – Only reached by a few
President, Vice President, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Education and training enables people to have faster job advancement and higher pay

7. Selecting a career path
Levels of success can be achieved with training, ambition, and energy
Use the Outline of Career Planning Process on the next slide to better help you plan for your career.

8. Outline of career planning process
1.) Evaluate Yourself by assessing your aptitudes (what you are naturally good at doing) and interests, as well as your career and personal expectations
2.) Investigate Careers to select what realistically suits you and sounds the best to you.
3.) Get the Needed Education and Training to increase necessary skills and have the proper credentials.
4.) Expand Your Competencies through work experience during school years, or meaningful involvement extracurricular activities, volunteer work professional associations, and training seminars.
5.) Build a Network of Contacts to spread the word about your availability and credentials.
6.) Package Yourself with a strong resume, professional-looking cover letters, sharp interviewing skills, and a terrific portfolio (if needed) to sell yourself to potential employers.
7.) Maintain Ongoing Awareness of the direction of the industry and opportunities for you within it.

9. Strive toward the needed training and experience
Educational Requirements
More creative, challenging career positions that offer advancement are competitive and require higher education
Associate degree – earned with most community college programs, typically taking two years
(Programs may include: fashion merchandising, window and floor display, fashion illustration)
Bachelor’s degree – four-year programs that usually offer more career choices and faster promotions
(Programs may include: textiles and clothing, fashion merchandising, fashion design)
Typically offered by colleges of art and family and consumer sciences

10. Strive Toward the needed training and experience
Master’s degree - – more complicated careers may require advanced degrees
(Programs may include: master’s degree in textile chemistry, business administration)
Doctorate degree – may be required to head a research lab or to be a professor of fashion- related studies at a university
Reciprocal Agreements or exchange programs – some universities offer students these opportunities to study near fashion areas such as New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London

11. Strive toward the needed training and experience
Gaining Experience
Work-Study Programs
Employers allow students to receive on-the-job training for their future careers
Students attend classes part-time, studying related career courses, and work at the job part-time
High schools levels are known as cooperative (co-op) programs
College levels are known as internships

12. Strive toward the needed training and experience
Gaining Experience
Apprenticeship
Training for an occupation by working under the direction and guidance of a skilled worker
Often occurs after trade school or other formal training
Training is paid entry-level wages while working and learning from the expert
Executive trainee programs (Management Training Programs)
General orientations offered by large companies for new employees with college degrees
Includes both classroom and on-the-job training
Rotate job assignments through all operational areas

13. Compensation Compensation Seniority Payment for work done
Compensation package: refers to hourly wage or salary, paid vacation time, and other benefits
Seniority
Length of time an employee has been in a job compared to others who do the same job
Sometimes impacts pay

14. compensation Hourly Wage Minimum Wage Commission Salary
Predetermined pay rate per hour spent doing the job
Minimum Wage
The lowest hourly rate established by law
Commission
Retail sales jobs may include this percentage of money based on sales
Salary
Fixed amount of pay that is required for a particular job

15. compensation Deductions Gross Pay Net Pay
Certain amounts subtracted by employers such as federal and state taxes
Gross Pay
Total amount earned
Net Pay
Gross pay minus deductions
“Take-home pay”

16. Additional Compensation
Fringe Benefits
Employment rewards in addition to wages or salary
Include extras such as sick leave, medical programs, pension plans, group life insurance, discount privileges for merchandise purchased
Bonus
Extra payment in addition to regular pay
Incentive bonus to reward high sales or productivity

17. Ethical and legal issues of employment
Business Ethics
Using good moral values in business dealings
Concerns how a company does its business
Code of Ethics
Written statement that sets forth the legal principles that should guide the decisions of the organization

18. Ethical and legal issues of employment
Workplace Diversity
The blending of different races, cultures, genders, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds, personality types, and intelligence levels into a productive employment team
It involves encouraging and accepting people’s differences, and using those differences to advantage
U.S, work force is encouraging workplace diversity
Employment Discrimination
The treating of people differently, related to prejudice rather than work performance.
Illegal
Companies try hard to eliminate

19. Maintaining high ethical standards
Companies concerned with business ethics won’t do business with apparel contractors who…
Violate basic human rights (“sweat shops”)
Are involved with environmental concerns
Have issues with product safety
Employees must maintain high ethical standards.