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Lucky magazine EIC Eva Chen took to Reddit again last week to answer "what felt like 700 questions in 75 minutes." Or at least that's how she described it on Twitter. Chen covered dating, macarons, prom outfits, maternity leave, and beauty products. But mainly she doled out career tip after career tip, even encouraging a Redditor to apply to Lucky's job listing for an entry-level social media coordinator position. Here are some of Chen's best pieces of career advice, sourced from her AMA:
How to prep for an interview: "Do your research. Know as much about the company and the direction it's going in when you go in for interviews. And look for opportunities in emerging fields such as tech!"
Who she hires: "People who understand the direction the brand is going in, towards ecommerce, digital, street style, and print all living in a glorious mash-up of goodness. People who are passionate and who always want to take on more because they love the brand! People who are not jerks or divas!"
How to get a job at Lucky: "Getting hired at Lucky is all about timing and the position being open! Right place, right time, I suppose! My current assistant, Kristie Dash (follow her on twitter/snapchat/etc, she's amazing), got the job when she reached out to me blindly. You never know!!"
Is fashion school worth the money? "Depends. I'd say interning is the most important thing you can do to further your career. Whether you do that while you're at a liberal arts school or specialized school is up to you."
Where to find an internship: "There are a lot of internship opportunities outside of Conde Nast! I'd look at some fashion sites, fashion houses, etc… People don't just look for one type of internship to hire from, they are looking more for the work ethic and potential and what you did with your time there."
How to find a mentor: "Email/letter and write more than one letter… Find many voices who you appreciate/can help you."
What she wishes she had known when starting her career: "I wish I had known to trust my instinct more and to speak up more! The advice I would give you is to work your hardest and not be glamorized by the glossy aspects of the job. Learn the BUSINESS of it too. That's the secret!"
Best piece of career advice given to her: "Hmm, hard to pinpoint just one piece of advice… but generally to ignore haters and this too shall pass?"
How to get follows on social media: "I think having your own unique voice/POV is the most important… and being yourself. People can smell a phony from a mile away these days."
How to make it in NYC: "Find your community and have that be your first network... And don't give up! NYC can be a tough place in the first few weeks. Weirdly, it can feel isolating even though there are so many people. Give it a few months and, before you know it, you'll feel like a native."
What to do and not to do on the job: "Things that turn me off: entitlement, diva behavior, thinking you're better than the job/task/everything, lack of communication skills. Things I love: positivity, passion, organization, sense of humor, and a deep knowledge and thirst to help the company."
How to manage people: "And managing people, hmm, I don't know, just letting people know that my door is always open? And being decisive."
On feeling like an outsider: "And everyone starts as an outsider, remember… I still have that feeling constantly too, it's normal."