Five EIC-Approved Tips for Landing a Job in Fashion

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It's been five years since Teen Vogue published The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide To Careers in Fashion, but so much has changed already in terms of publishing and the digital world. Teen Vogue is unveiling an update next week with 90% new content, featuring interviews with fashion folks like Michelle Phan and Sophia Amoruso and contributions from icons like Karl Lagerfeld, Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs and Mario Testino. Teen Vogue EIC Amy Astley and her assistant Alexandra Thurmond share a few tidbits of advice with Forbes about how to land your dream job in fashion in 2014.

First things first, you have to move to New York. Moving to New York is paramount, according to Astley and Thurmond, and once you're there you need to absorb some culture. "I look for people who read books, who read the newspaper, who are aware of what is going on in the world, who are very smart and very clever, who go to art museums and exhibits, who know about artists, educate themselves and bring more to the table," Astley says.

Know who Alexander Liberman is. Astley likes to mention the famed editorial director of Condé Nast and see if candidates know who she's talking about, or if they give her a blank look. "But if you know who Alexander Liberman is, ok, now we can talk—that's how you get to the very top," she says. She'll also ask candidates to name their favorite section of the magazine or favorite covers from past issues to see if they've done their research.

Instagram your heart out. Astley says that Instagram is the best app for magazines, and a candidate with gorgeous photos and clever captions on their personal Instagram can get a leg up on the competition. "These days there is no excuse for not being able to show somebody what you can do," she says.

Showcase your creativity. One candidate sent Astley her blog about being broke in Brooklyn, and she got the job. "I read through the whole thing: it had really good ideas in it, it was clever, it was charming, it showed a different point of view in New York City that I loved. It was about a young girl living in Brooklyn with no money kind of thing, so relevant right now."

Display initiative. Astley suggests advocating for as much responsibility as you can handle. "I learned, 'be that person who steps forward,' 'I want to do this, I want to take on more work, I want to expand my role.'"
· How To Make It In The Fashion Industry [Forbes]
· Land a Fashion Job: Editors Debunk 'Devil Wears Prada' Myths [Racked]
· Anna Wintour Dishes Out Hard Truths for Young Designers [Racked]