David Smith
Diesel
Key Account Handler
What are you up to now?
Currently I am working at Diesel in Kings Cross, I am a Key Account Handler within customer services which means I look after several of our key accounts making sure that stock is shipped into them on time & without any issues, and if there are issues I am their point of contact. I have been there since I graduated which was last June (roughly).
You can find out more about David via his LinkedIn profile
What was your search ‘strategy’ for securing a great job?
My main search strategy was using friends, recruitment websites & information provided by FBRS. From university I had a number of friends who were working within the fashion industry and I made them aware that I had graduated & what sort of job I was looking for (this is actually how I got the job at Diesel). But I would also check individual company websites & recruitment websites to be aware of what was available in the job market.
What are your top tips for keeping moral up during your job search?
I think you just need to stay positive as something will eventually come along. If you have interviews which weren’t successful then find out why & get feedback then you have something to work on for your next interview. And if you don’t get the job you really wanted with a specific brand then maybe in the long term you wouldn’t have been suited to their business which isn’t a bad thing at all, you want to be somewhere that you suit.
How far into your final year were you when you began looking for work?
I started looking around Christmas time, I was just starting to gather information about what job roles are out there & what might suit my personality & skills. I didn’t start applying for jobs until the end of my degree because I wanted to stay focused on my degree. I would say start as early as you can, but remember you still need to get your degree!!
Did you receive feedback from recruiters and how did feedback affect your job search?
I didn’t receive much feedback, but the bits I did get I listened to & then try to apply the feedback in future cover letters, interviews etc. Try not to be offended by the feedback as the recruiter is only trying to help you in the future.
What advice would you give about taking on work experience?
Try to gain as much work experience as possible, if that’s through a placement year or weekend job or even an internship if you are able to support yourself through that period. You will always be able to pick up skills which are transferrable. And that’s what you need to look at, when applying for the jobs find out what they want & then match your experiences & skills to those requirements & plan answers to demonstrate you have those required skills. If you know you want to do buying then experience in that field will be great but don’t rule out retail experience as there are plenty of skills which you can take from retail jobs.