Caroline Beckman
H&M
Lingerie Designer
How did you find out about opportunities in H&M
There was no information about any special opportunity when I applied. I just sent a personal letter explaining my interest in working for H&M and CV to the recruitment team which you can find on H&M’s website.
How did you get into your current position?
I applied by sending CV and personal letter to the recruitment team stated on H&M website. I started as design assistant for ladies fancy lingerie then continued as product designer for the same dept.
Was the application process fairly straightforward?
I went for 2 interviews and on the 3rd I found out I got the job. Although it was a fairly simple process there were some pretty tough questions.
What does it take to be successful in your job?
You need to be flexible, a team player, enjoy fast paced environments, and being able to make quick decisions. You also need to have a good feeling of coming trends and colours etc. You need to have no prestige in what you do but have an open mind at all times!
Would you recommend a career at H&M for LCF students?
It’s a really great company to work for I would say, for many reasons. There’s a sense of security here, the employees are well taken care of however not spoilt. There’s not a hierarchy in the sense that many fashion companies has, for example many Parisian houses. You are encouraged to give your opinion and speak out no matter your position. H&M is a successful fashion company from which you can learn a lot given the opportunity and taking it of course. You definitely have to be a team player and be open minded at all times because things change quickly here.
Was there any support from LCF you found particularly useful when finding your career?
My placement year involved studying, working, and living in a foreign country, with lots of independent work and responsibilities which gave me a lot of confidence in finding my own way after graduating. It was hard at times but it’s an experience for life and you cannot get it somewhere else. London is a great place to be and study fashion – it’s such an inspiring city where culture, music, fashion and art meet – as well as people from all over the world.
LCF helped me build a great portfolio of work, which I found was essential in getting a good start in my career. I was encouraged to make creative presentations as well as detailed “production-friendly” ones that employers find particularly interesting since this is the kind of work you send to production offices and factories.
I was also very helped by the computer and printer facilities near Oxford Street, as well as the sewing rooms at Curtain road and staff were always around to ask for help when you got stuck with something.
I found that cultural studies encouraged me to think freely around fashion and related subjects. It can definitely broaden your mind if you find the subjects that interest you and you research them well. My favourite place that I still miss 
in all LCF facilities is the library at John Princes street. I could spend hours in there researching and getting inspired by all the wonderful books.
You interned in New York when you first graduated, do you have any advice for people considering work in the US?
My recommendations to students and professionals who want to go to the US and work is to start the application process from home. Find out how the company you want to apply for work when it comes to give out visas. Some big companies have a certain amount of visa’s they will grant every year and it will be at a certain time of every year. The time between getting the job and that you can start working and the visa is granted can be quite long. Another reason for why I think it is good to start the application process from home is because once you are in NY (for example) many companies will ask you to start almost immediately. This is of course not possible when you don’t have a visa.
I personally did not know all this when I went to NY but I finally found a company who was willing to wait for me a few months, then they became my “sponsor” and I applied for a J1 Trainee Visa from home. You decide how many months you want to work then pay an amount in regards to how long the stay will be. The whole application process took about 2 months, but then I could go the NY and work legally for a maximum of the months I applied for in my visa application.