Graduation is nearing. I have but 4 weeks left. Projects deadlines and exams are all nearing. But while I'm trying to catch up on all of that, one harsh fact is creeping in on me too: what to do after graduation?
If you remember, I'm under a contract with e2i. That's how I get my subsidized school fees and my monthly allowances. But the other part of the contract is working in the Singapore fashion industry for a year upon graduation. It doesn't state that I have to work full time or part time. But this mean I have a very wide range of options. Now the question is, what should I do to ensure that this is one year efficiently and effectively spent on a job that will move me a step forward in my quest to reaching for my dream?
That is a tougher question than one might think.
The practical solutions are very tempting and easy to reach for. I can abuse the nature of the contract and find a part time job as a sales girl. Ok that is a really stupid choice. Just saying.
But I can just find ANY job as a fashion designer in Singapore, work one year then leave. I will definitely work a year then leave. But the problem here is, where to find a job that I can be a proper fashion designer, putting the skills I learnt to proper use? Singapore has a very small market for hiring fashion designers who design. Most of such job title will include job scopes of mixing and matching existing designs from other luxury brands, or in some very sad cases, the job scope is very similar to that of a merchandiser. I know beggars can't be choosers. I am after all a fresh grad. Who wants to manufacture my designs? Whoever do, I think they must be nuts to trust an "infant" designer and thrust hundreds and thousands dollars into manufacturing something that may or may not sell. I'm not saying my designs are lousy. But it's just a logical reasoning from a business perspective. I have a Bachelor in Management so my mind isn't as ignorant (or living "in the clouds" for that matter). I know and I understand the business concerns of a company - to make profit!
Ok I'm getting too far from my topic. Basically, what and where to find a job that has MINIMAL non-designer job scopes and MAXIMISE my learning curve as a designer? Ideally, I would like to work with a large established group with lots of luxury brands under their belt. Who doesn't? I don't have anything much to offer to stand out of the crowd yet. So my next-in-line ideal is to work with a local designer. A firm that is almost a one-man show. That I believe is where I could learn the most (provided I'm not hired to fulfill the roles of an admin or finance assistant).
But where to find such an opportunity?
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