Whenever things get tough in the economy, the fashion marketing jobs seem to disappear. Either they disappear completely or the salaries that go along with these highly specialized positions shrink to an embarrassing level. Companies know that employees do not want big gaps in their resumes so they can pay less and still fill their open positions. This saves the companies quite a bit of money short term, but long term it may end up hurting them.
Quite simply, when you back anyone into a corner they will do what you want, but then they will leave the first chance they get. When the fashion marketing jobs return to the industry and the pay rises, the employees that took the low paying jobs will jump ship for greener pastures in a heartbeat. This will leave the firm in a position to not take advantage of the increased demand.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t help you much if you are in this profession and looking for available jobs. The best bet is to try to take what you can get temporarily, or consider doing freelance work. The most important thing at this point is to stay active in the industry and avoid big gaps in your resume. Employers don’t like the idea of someone not working for a while. This also gives the impression that you are desperate and will take any job you can get.
If you are still struggling to find the kind of job you want, consider a parallel industry. If possible, even do this as a contractor so you can move into the job you want as soon as one becomes available. There is quite a bit of competition for these jobs when the economy is tight, but this will loosen up once things get back to normal.
There are also a few techniques you can use to find more fashion marketing jobs. The first of which is think about the companies that hire in your industry and mail them a resume and a cover letter. Do not email or fax, use the actual postal service. The main reason is people appreciate the extra effort and everyone reads their postal mail. Your resume is much more likely to be seen if you do it this way. Even if you email a hiring manager, the chances of them instantly moving you into the “resume” folder is rather high.
The other option is to look on job boards that are not frequented by the masses. Craigslist is a good example. If you keep an eye on CL often, your resume may be among the first to be sent in for a potential job. If someone is in a hurry, you may get a call or email back in the matter of minutes just because you were the first email to come through.
Finally, try to use social media to look for fashion marketing jobs. Often you may know people in the industry that you can connect with. This could be an old friend or someone you have worked with in the past. Today more than ever a good word from a current employee could go a long way in the hiring process.