One Day, One Job » apparel

Nasty Gal

Willy Franzen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:30:24 +0000

One of the coolest things about the time that we live in is that the barrier to starting a business is essentially nonexistent. You can test your ideas on someone else’s platform, and if it works, then you build your own. Nasty Gal is a perfect example of this. The Los Angeles, CA based company began in 2006 when Sophia Amoruso “started an eBay store selling a highly curated selection of vintage pieces.” After finding success on eBay and validating the business, she started her own site where she could control the entire customer experience (and not pay eBay’s crazy fees). A lot of Nasty Gal’s stuff is pretty far out there–their home page has a huge picture of studded platforms that look like a medieval torture device–but it’s hard to argue with a brand that has nearly a quarter million Facebook likes.

Are You Nasty?

The key to Nasty Gal’s success is curation. Even though they’re in the business of selling and not editorial, they’re seen by many customers as a guide to what to buy. If it’s on Nasty Gal, it has to be cool–and that begs the question: What is a Nasty Gal? She’s “the coolest girl in the room‚ pulling off whatever wildly unique piece that suits the mood.” I’m certainly not a Nasty Gal, but maybe you are. And if you are, you’d be a great fit for a job at Nasty Gal. Right now they have a few opportunities that seem like they could be perfect for a new or recent grad. These include Accounting Clerk, Production Coordinator, Software Engineer, PR Coordinator, and Planning Analyst. Hope you’re nasty enough.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Nasty Gal?

Holstee

Willy Franzen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:47:43 +0000

Usually we associate with brands based on our experiences with their products. After a while we know what brands we like and use brand names as a heuristic to make purchasing decisions easier. Occasionally when a brand has an exceptional story, the brand actually becomes the product. That seems to be the case with Holstee, a New York, NY based company that focuses on “lifestyle design with a conscience.” The only reason I had heard about them is that they’re often on Fab.com, yet there are a ton of people who have bought a printed version of the Holstee manifesto to put on their walls (see the manifesto here). The brand has literally become the product. Some may write off Holstee as an online store for “hipsters,” but the “People, Planet, Product” approach has a lot of meaning for a lot of people, and it’s enabled Holstee to grow their business.

Design Your Lifestyle

Holstee’s product line is pretty small, and it’s pretty random, but it’s all tied together by a story. They’ve curated a collection of products that help people live their ideal life. Whether you’re buying the Holstee original with a bizarre pocket on the side or Sugru Hacking Putty to repair old stuff instead of buy new stuff, you know that you’re making an ecologically conscious decision (while also sending a message about who you are). You’re also empowering “entrepreneurs in the developing world through,” as Holstee donates 10% of all sales to Kiva. If you’ve already ordered a copy of the Holstee manifesto to hang on your wall, then you’re probably dying to hear about Jobs at Holstee. They take a slightly different approach in that they don’t post job openings. They expect you to tell them about your dream job and why they should give it to you, so go do it!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you purchased anything from Holstee?

Specialized

Willy Franzen — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:02:24 +0000

They say that you can’t forget how to ride a bike, but I’m giving it my best try. In elementary and early middle school I was constantly riding around town. I picked up inline skating for a year or two after that, and never got back on the bike. Now I tell people that I hate bike riding. I don’t actually hate it, but as I mentioned in my post on Niner Bikes, I love seeing people’s reactions to that statement. My twelve year old self would be disappointed that I don’t even own a bike, let alone a cool brand like a Cannondale or Specialized. Luckily for Specialized, they’ve been able to grow an impressive business without me as a customer. They’re based in Morgan Hill, CA, and from what I can gather their annual revenue is measured in hundreds of millions of dollars (but I can’t find a reliable source on that). That’s impressive considering that it all started in 1974 when founder Mike Sinyard sold his “old VW Microbus for $1,500 and used the money to fund a cycling trip through Europe.” That led to importing Italian bicycle parts into the United States, and a business was born.

Are Your Skills Specialized?

Specialized positioned itself at the high end from the start, and they’re still all about quality whether you’re talking about their Mountain, Road, Multi Use, or Kids bikes. Their vision is to be “the best cycling brand in the world,” and it seems that in many people’s eyes they’ve achieved that. It’s hard for me to really dig into Specialized since I’m no longer into bicycles, but I’m sure that those of you who are will find all of the information you need on their site. One thing I found frustrating about Specialized’s website is that you don’t find any background information on the company until you hit their Careers page. Luckily, there’s a ton of information there. There are videos, an About tab, a History tab, and obviously job postings. In fact, there are a lot of jobs posted, and some look great for new or recent grads including:

City & Globe Product Engineer
Credit Representative
Field Visual Merchandiser (Philadelphia, PA)
Field Visual Merchandiser
Jr International Trade Specialist (Salt Lake City, UT)
MTB Product Engineer
Social Media / Customer Service Specialist
Store Designer/BIM
The European Fitness / Mobility Graphic Designer (Switzerland)
Video Editor and Asset Manager

There are even more jobs that I didn’t cover, and there’s also a general job posting called Bike Shop Experience Wanted!. It mentions positions in sales, marketing, customer service, product, engineering, design, operations, and finance, so I’d apply to that position if you don’t see anything that matches up with your skills.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What kind of bike do you own?

PUMA

Willy Franzen — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 18:25:19 +0000

I’ve always wanted to see a mountain lion in the wild–as long as it’s not stalking and about to eat me. They’re amazingly strong, athletic animals, and they have a serious mythology surrounding them. That’s why they’re called by so many names including panther, catamount, ghost cat, painter, and PUMA. It’s an appropriate name for a “sportlifestyle” company that “designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories.” By bringing together sports and fashion, they’ve built an iconic brand that is known all over the world. What I find odd about PUMA is that they were founded in Germany in 1948 and are based in Herzogenaurach, Germany (with their USA headquarters is in Westford, MA). I find that strange because pumas are very much American cats, but I guess plenty of American companies use foreign animals in their branding.

Get Ready to Pounce

In addition to their eponymous brand, PUMA also owns Cobra Golf and Tretorn (a Swedish rubber tire company that used to make a lot of products for tennis and now is more boot focused). I actually don’t own anything from PUMA and I don’t play golf, but my Tretorn flip flops and boots are awesome. The best way for you to get familiar with PUMA is go to PUMA.com and start browsing their products. They go in a variety of directions with their “sport lifestyle” focus, but their two main product areas remain apparel and footwear. If you love the PUMA brand, then you need to check out PUMA’s Jobs page. It’s a bit difficult to browse through their listings (and their Entry Level Positions page is a dead end), but if you do you’ll see some great opportunities for new or recent grads including: Running Tech Rep (Atlanta, GA), Facilities Coordinator (Westford, MA), Accounts Receivable Representative – Cobra Puma Golf (Carlsbad, CA), Credit Analyst (Westford, MA), Credit Analyst (Carlsbad, CA), Assistant Developer Footwear – Lifestyle (Westford, MA), Junior Designer – Brand Marketing (Westford, MA), Junior Brand Strategist – Brand Communications (Westford, MA), and a number of other positions. So start stalking PUMA and see where it leads you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from PUMA?

Kembrel

Willy Franzen — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:57:32 +0000

Kembrel is members-only, but you can get in using this link. They’ll even give you a VIP Card for free (worth $20) and $5 in store credit to get you started.

There’s a battle going on between traditional retailers and e-commerce companies. The former offers the opportunity to get your hands on the merchandise, but the latter usually offers better prices, better selection, and more convenience. This leads to a lot of people using retailers to check stuff out and then buying online. I want to see companies start merging those two business models, and that’s exactly what Kembrel is doing. They’re a Philadelphia, PA based “online club” that allows “students to access their favorite fashion, food, and fun for a fraction of the retail price.” The online flash sale strategy is being combined with retail stores (they recently opened their first in Philly) to build the brand and offer members the opportunity to actually interact with products.

Join the Club

I find it really interesting that Kembrel is so intently focused on the college market. Fashion, food, and fun are a lot easier to sell to people who are post-college and have an income. Still, college kids are fashion conscious and need a place to buy clothes, and I think a hybridized online/retail model is the best way to sell to them. If you’d like to be a part of growing this model, then you need to check out Kembrel’s Jobs page. They kind of have a trying too hard to appeal to college kids way of copywriting, but maybe that will appeal to you college kids. Here’s what their Jobs page says:

Working for Kembrel is basically like working for a golden sunset that occasionally rains candy and happy hour beers in the form of a pastel-colored rainbow and there’s a wind in the air that sounds softly like hip hop mixes and there are gentle ponies with glittering braids that leap across the waving fields of tall grass delivering trendy clothes and vanilla mint ice cream to all the cheerful workers typing giddily at their desks.

Right now they’re hiring a Women’s Apparel Buyer, student photographers, and a bunch of interns. Take a look at the positions and see if any make sense for you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Will you shop at Kembrel?

Urban Outfitters

Willy Franzen — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:28:02 +0000

I’m a strong believer in the theory of hipster relativity. If someone has more interesting facial hair than you, wears more plaid than you, or has thicker rimmed glasses than you, then he’s probably a hipster… at least to you. I’m pretty far up the chain (though I do have an affinity for plaid), which means that a whole lot of 20-somethings look like hipsters to me. The only thing I don’t get is where they get all of their cool hipster gear. I often walk by Urban Outfitters, and occasionally step inside. The store is packed with people and filled with what I consider to be hipster merchandise. This confuses me, because I know that no true hipster would shop somewhere so mainstream. I mean, Urban Outfitters, which is based in Philadelphia, PA, is publicly traded, has nearly 200 locations, and also owns Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN, and Terrain. I guess the only loophole for a hipster shopping at Urban Outfitters is if you liked corporations before they were cool.

Get Urban Outfitted

Despite my sarcasm, I actually think that Urban Outfitters is an amazing company. They started as a single store in Philly in 1970, and they have grown the brand and the business to an amazing level. Urban Outfitters may be a corporation with a $4 billion market cap, but they offer a distinctly different feel from many other retailers in the fashion industry. I think the paragraph on Urban Outfitter’s About page really says its all:

Our established ability to understand our customers and connect with them on an emotional level. The reason for this success is that our brands — Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN — are both compelling and distinct. Each brand chooses a particular customer segment, and once chosen, sets out to create sustainable points of distinction with that segment. In the retail brands we design innovative stores that resonate with the target audience; offer an eclectic mix of merchandise in which hard and soft goods are cross merchandised; and construct unique product displays that incorporate found objects into creative selling vignettes. The emphasis is on creativity. Our goal is to offer a product assortment and an environment so compelling and distinctive that the customer feels an empathetic connection to the brand and is persuaded to buy.

If that sounds like a company that you want to be a part of, then check out Urban Outfitters Careers page. You’ll probably get overwhelmed if you look at all of their posted jobs (there are 100s of positions), so I recommend using some of the search criteria they offer to narrow down your search. For instance you can look at positions at their Home Office or in their Anthropologie Retail Stores. I’m not going to list all of the positions that make sense for new or recent grads, bot here are some that caught my eye:

This is just a small sampling of the jobs available at Urban Outfitters, so dig in and see what positions might be out there for you. Judging from that last posting, they must do some campus recruiting too–so that’s something to look into. Finally, Urban Outfiters has a Twitter account for job postings, so you may want to follow that.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you a hipster?

Proper Cloth

Willy Franzen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:18:54 +0000

Want to try Proper Cloth? Use this link to get $25 off your first shirt. It’d probably help to have a shirt that fits when you’re interviewing.

I’m a big guy at 6’3. I typically enjoy the benefits of being tall, but there are disadvantages like having to knee myself in the face on airplanes and not being able to hear a single word that anyone under 5’8 says in a loud room. I’m not so tall that I need to shop at specialty stores for clothes, but I’m just at the point where clothes off the rack don’t fit all that well. I fixed my pants problem with Bonobos, but I have a ton of shirts (button downs, t-shirts, sweaters, and more) that fit beautifully until I start actually moving around–then they somehow bare my midriff like I’m a teenage girl. Nobody needs to see that, which is why I should probably start buying custom shirts from a place like Proper Cloth. They’re a New York, NY based company that makes it “super easy to buy stylish, quality dress shirts that fit.” I haven’t tried them yet, but it’s probably about time that I go custom.

Get a Proper Job

Proper Cloth has been around since 2008, but it seems that they’ve recently become more serious about growth. Maybe it’s because GQ named them “our new favorite online shirt maker.” Or maybe it’s because of their Perfect Fit Guarantee. They work with you to get the exact fit you want on your first shirt. After that they save your measurements so that all other shirts fit just as well. You really should read up on the guarantee, because it’s core to the business. Then you should take a look at Proper Cloth’s shirt designs to get a better sense of what they offer. But don’t be dismayed if you don’t like anything that they have to offer, as Proper Cloth allows you to design your own shirt. I wonder if they’ll let you design your own job? I don’t have any answers on that right now, but I did find their job postings on Startuply. Right now they’re looking for a User Interface Designer/Graphic Artist, a Customer Service and Operations Lead, and an Analytical Marketing Engineer. All of the positions look well suited to a new college grad, so check them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Have you bought any shirts from Proper Cloth?

Chicago History Museum

Willy Franzen — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:20:57 +0000

I’m starting to get settled in my new place. After living in two moderately new high-rises in downtown Chicago, I’ve moved into a more historic building–it was built in 1921 and served as a Chinese consulate at some point. Now that I’m starting my fourth year living in the city, I feel that it’s only appropriate for me to start learning a little more about the city’s history. That’s why I should probably make a visit to the Chicago History Museum, which is just a mile down the street from me. Ironically, the museum, having been founded in 1856, “is the city’s oldest cultural institution,” though they pretty much had to start over after the Great Fire destroyed their building and most of their collection in 1871. Three years later there was another fire that destroyed most of what remained. Luckily, there haven’t been any more fires, so the Chicago History Museum has had a decent amount of time to build a new collection.

Make Your Job Search History

The Chicago History Museum’s collection focuses on eight specific areas: Architecture, Archives and Manuscripts (including Audio), Books and other Published Materials, Costumes and Textiles, Decorative and Industrial Arts, Fine Arts, and Prints and Photographs. The scope of these collections is limited to items related to Living in the Metropolitan Area, Working in the Metropolitan Area, Governing the Metropolitan Area, The Built Environment, and Individuals and Ideas. Apparently it all adds up to more than 22 million documents and artifacts. If you want to learn more about the specific collections, you should start here. And if you find that Chicago history speaks to you, then you’ll want to take a look at the Chicago History Museum’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Computer Support Technician and a Collection Manager – Costume and Textile (requires M. A. in Costume History, Museum Studies (Costume/Textile), or related field). If neither of those positions interest you, you could also consider volunteering.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you into your city’s history?

SCOTTEVEST

Willy Franzen — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:41:28 +0000

It’s moving day for me. I’m staying in the same neighborhood, but I still had to pack up my entire apartment and load it into a moving truck. It was kind of a pain, but hiring good movers is one of the best investments you can make. If only I had a travel vest from SCOTTEVEST–I could have stuffed everything in there, walked down the street, and done it all myself. That’s a bit of an exaggeration, but you really can fit a ton of stuff in SCOTTEVEST products. The company is based in Ketchum, ID and was started by Scott Jordan to create gadget-holding alternatives for man-purses–or even worse, fanny packs. It all started with vests, but now SCOTTEVEST offers a wide line of clothing that makes traveling with lots of stuff easy.

For the Trip of Your Life!

To get a sense for how SCOTTEVEST’s products allow you to store so much stuff, you have to head over to their website and take a look at their products. Most of the pockets are internal, so you don’t have to worry about looking like your whole wardrobe is made of recycled cargo pants (and I hear that SCOTTEVEST stuff is also wrinkle-resistant). The combo of functionality and fashion seems to be working well for SCOTTEVEST, as they made the Inc. 5000 with 205% three-year growth to $6 million in annual revenue. They’re still a small company employee-wise, but their Jobs page does indicate that they plan to continue growing. The only potentially entry level position they have posted right now is Graphic Designer/Developer, but they also have positions in PR, Production Management, and Garment Design (along with future openings in Marketing, Sourcing, Design, and Manufacturing). They seem open to hearing from anyone interested in working for them (and living in Ketchum, ID), so reach out to them at jobs@scottevest.com.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from SCOTTEVEST?

Smith Optics

Willy Franzen — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:00:36 +0000

If you’ve been reading for a while, you may have noticed that I go on a lot of fishing trips. The problem is that any time my Dad and I go somewhere, he tries to turn it into an annual trip (it’s not actually a problem at all). As long as there’s Wi-Fi so that I can get some work in while I’m not fishing, then I’m pretty much set. This week I’m writing from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec, where I’m salmon fishing. I spend most of the day on the river, and one of my most essential pieces of equipment is probably something that you wouldn’t suspect. Polarized sunglasses are invaluable for fishing. Not only do they help you see through the glare and under the water, but they also protect your eyes from both the sun and stray hooks. Smith Optics makes some of the absolute best sunglasses for fishing on the market. They’re based in Ketchum, ID, and they have about 300 employees.

See Yourself in a New Job

Smith Optics’ products go way beyond fishing. In fact, the company was started in 1965 when Dr. Bob Smith created ” the first ever fog-free snow goggle utilizing a sealed thermal lens and breathable vent foam.” Today Smith Optics’ product line “spans the range of snow and moto goggles, performance and style eyewear, ballistic Military eyewear, Ophthalmic eyewear, and snow helmets.” It’s a company filled with people who are passionate about the outdoors, and it shows in what they make. It also shows in Smith Optics’ HR policies. They offer great benefits and were named “as one of Outside Magazine’s top eight Best Places to Work.” The Idaho location is obviously a big part of it. I’ve had my eye on Smith Optics for years, and it never seems that they post many jobs. Right now they only have a Distribution Manager job posted, but I urge you to reach out to careers@smithoptics.com and see if anything else is available.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own any Smith Optics sunglasses?

Apparel Media

Willy Franzen — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:00:58 +0000

A lot of people hate all of the advertising in sports. They get irritated by NASCAR cars, billboards in center field, and logos on jerseys. I kind of think it’s cool that sports teams are maximizing their revenue potential. But if I ever saw ads on the Yankees’ uniforms… well that will never happen… right? Advertising on sports apparel has actually been happening for a long time. Local business have been sponsoring teams and plastering their names on jerseys forever. Apparel Media is a Chicago, IL based company that is working to forever change the custom apparel and sports marketing industries at the same time. By working out deals with national advertisers and local custom apparel print shops, Apparel Media is able to give teams access to significantly discounted (20-80% off) merchandise.

Be a Running/Kicking/Throwing Advertisement

The idea of using advertising to subsidize uniform purchases isn’t anything new. What’s new is the way Apparel Media is doing it. Not only are they linking up local teams with national advertisers, but they’ve built an infrastructure that enables them to create these links through the local custom apparel print shops that teams would typically go to get their jerseys. This is an interesting choice, because I could easily see Apparel Media’s trying to do all of the printing and delivery themselves. What’s also cool about Apparel Media is that they enable advertisers to get the exact kind of targeting that they want. If you want to reach ultimate frisbee players in Des Moines with your brand, IA, Apparel Media can help you do that. Or you can get your brand on thousands of little league jerseys. The opportunities are pretty much endless. Additionally, Apparel Media is building out an analytics platform so that advertisers can measure the success of their campaigns. If you’re excited about what Apparel Media is doing, check out their Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for people in UI Design/Development, Program Management, and Account Management. This looks like an amazing opportunity to get in early on something that could be really big.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

What do you think of Apparel Media?

New Balance

Willy Franzen — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:39:50 +0000

I’m not big on shoes during the summer. I try to wear flip flops as much as I can, and most of the exercise that I get is from beach volleyball where wearing shoes looks about as dorky as you can get. When I do go to the gym, I typically wear my Vibram Five Fingers (which you may also consider dorky looking). So I have no idea why New Balance popped into my head–I don’t even own a pair of New Balance shoes. In case you don’t know, New Balance is a Boston, MA based company that “began as an arch support company in the early 1900′s, developed into a specialized shoe manufacturer in the 1970′s, and has grown to become a leading global athletic products company.” They also own some other brands that you may be familiar with including Aravon, Brine, Dunham, PF Flyers, and Warrior.

Work Life Balance

I don’t know when New Balance got so big, but their “worldwide sales have increased from $210 million in 1991 to $1.64 billion in 2008.” That sounds like a long period of sustained growth. What’s also cool is that they have 5 New England factories, which makes them the “only athletic shoe manufacturer still making shoes in the US.” It’s only 25% of their shoes, but it’s still impressive. It’s pretty cool to see a business like New Balance that has been around for over a century, yet continues to find new ways to grow in a principled way. If you think the New Balance shoe would fit, then check out their Careers page. While most of the jobs that they have posted are in Retail, there are a few positions that seem like good fits for new grads who want to work at corporate. These include CAD Designer, Product Data Specialist – SRT & Merchandising, Trim Coordinator (New York, NY), and Product Developer – DryDock Footwear.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you wear New Balances?

Simms Fishing Products

Willy Franzen — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:01:41 +0000

I’m up in Grayling, MI for the next week or so for my annual fly fishing trip with my Dad. Since I live in downtown Chicago where nature is a rare occurrence, I’ve been anxiously awaiting this trip by visiting all of my favorite fishing websites (sounds pathetic, doesn’t it). On one of the sites I came across a post about a photo contest being put on by Simms Fishing Products. There weren’t many entries, and the prize is “an incredible 6-day, 7-night guided fishing expedition” in Alaska, which is my dream trip, so I obviously entered. Now, I know it does nothing for your job search, but if you vote for my entry (and vote every day until June 20th), I’ll not only keep sending you awesome job opportunities while I’m on this trip, but I’ll even do it from Alaska. After entering the contest, I remembered that Simms is a company that I’ve wanted to feature for a long time. They’re located in Bozeman, MT, and they make truly excellent products for fishermen. They’re best know for their waders (breathable, waterproof pants that keep you dry when you walk in the river) and their boots, but they’ve been extending into more and more categories.

Wade in the Water

I’m pretty familiar with the whole fly fishing industry because I interned at Orvis, one of Simms’ biggest competitors, for two summer (check out jobs at Orvis). I still have a lot of Orvis gear because I stocked up while I had the 50% off employee discount, but I’m slowly starting to get some Simms stuff. My wading boots are now Simms with StreamTread soles from Vibram (check out jobs at Vibram), and I have been nothing but impressed by their quality. Simms also partners with W.L. Gore & Associates and uses their GORE-TEX breathable fabric to make waders, jackets, and more. If you love fishing and the outdoor lifestyle, then working for Simms in Bozeman, MT would probably be a dream come true. Right now they’re looking for a Product Developer – Technical Gear, but don’t be afraid to reach out to them for another position if you’re not a good candidate for that one–that’s how I landed my internship at Orvis. And don’t forget to vote for my photo!

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own any Simms products?

Salmon Cove

Willy Franzen — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:21:24 +0000

I love salmon (especially fly fishing for them). I also love Cornell Hockey. And I can get pretty excited about clothing if it matches my style. That’s why I was extremely interested when I heard about a clothing line called Salmon Cove that was launched by two former Cornell hockey players (Ryan Vesce and Ben Wallace) in 2008. I never ended up buying anything, but I occasionally checked back in to see how they were doing. Recently I noticed that I was seeing a lot of Salmon Cove ads targeted to me on Facebook, so I visited their website to see what was new. The company is now based in Chicago, IL (just around the corner from me), and it has relaunched with new owner/leadership. The brand and style are still the same–preppy–but they’ve certainly added a Midwestern flair with shirt names like The Macinac Button Down and The Harbor Springs Button Down. If I had to compare them to anything, it’d probably be Vineyard Vines, but Salmon Cove definitely has their own style (and an awesome fish logo on all of their clothing).

Swim into the Cove

Salmon Cove is just starting their relaunch, so there isn’t a ton of information out there about them yet; however, they’ve already done some cool stuff in terms of sponsorships. They are the Official Dry Land Sponsor of the Canadian Yachting Association, and they also have PGA and LPGA players whom they sponsor. They may also be a sponsor of an Icelandic soccer team called Stjarnan that does an awesome salmon-themed goal celebration. The best way to keep up with what’s going on at Salmon Cove is to read their blog called The Current. The other option is to get a job with them. Right now their Jobs page shows a few open positions including Business Development Associate, Sales Associate (Part-time, remote), and a few internships. Check the positions out and see if you can snag one.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from Salmon Cove?

Ahkun

Willy Franzen — Sun, 15 May 2011 14:08:43 +0000

The last century or so has been all about mass produced goods. Everybody wants what everyone else has. If all your friends had a Chinpokomon, then you’d want one too. That’s starting to change. More and more people are interested in handcrafted, bespoke goods. Consumerism is changing, albeit slowly. Additionally, more and more people are looking to do good when they make purchases. Whether it’s wearing a Livestrong bracelet or TOMS Shoes, people like showing off their inner “do gooder.” Ahkun is a New York, NY based non-profit that serves the intersection of these two consumer trends. They “work with entrepreneurs who have received microloans” by connecting “them to the global marketplace–creating sustainable businesses and closing the gap between microfinance lenders and borrowers, consumers and producers.” In other words, Ahkun allows you to buy handmade goods from people who are doing their part to grow developing economies.

Ahkun Means Thank You

It’s cool enough to get a hand knitted scarf or hand sewn dress made by some hipster in Brooklyn, but it’s even cooler to get a scarf made by a woman who is helping to build her community in Cambodia. Even in a most selfish act like buying something for yourself, you can do good because of the power of Ahkun. They’re a very new non-profit, and they’re only in the early stages of working with entrepreneurs who have been funded through Kiva, but there’s a ton of promise here. They’re not explicitly hiring full-time, but most early stage non-profits aren’t. They do have unpaid internships posted on Idealist in Outreach and Partnerships, Strategy and Marketing, and Development and Fundraising. Maybe you can start a conversation with them about a bigger, more permanent role. You’d have to be able to offer a lot of value early on, but it’s worth a shot.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you buy something from Ahkun?

Trunk Club

Willy Franzen — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:34:10 +0000

I think I went almost 3 years after graduating from college without buying any new clothes. I had a decent enough wardrobe, I didn’t need work clothes because I started my own company, and I wanted to save as much money as I could so that I could keep my company going. Then I featured Gilt Groupe and Bonobos , which both had some exciting opportunities for new grads. After looking at their job opportunities, I discovered their referral programs which allowed me to score a bunch of clothing for free. I’ve certainly become more fashion conscious as I’ve spent my referral credits, but I still have trouble deciding what looks good on me. I know there are plenty of other guys who have this problem whether they’re looking for something to wear to an interview or a night out on the town. Trunk Club is a Chicago, IL based company (their office is two blocks from mine) that aims to solve this problem by making style decisions for their customers. You tell them a little about yourself (or come in for a fitting session), and they’ll send you a “trunk” full of clothes that they’ve picked out for you. It works like a hotel mini-bar, you keep what you want and send back what you don’t (with free shipping both ways). You obviously only get charged for what you keep.

Join the Club

Trunk Club is led by Brian Spaly, who was also a Co-Founder at Bonobos (but has since moved on). He’s obviously committed to helping men take the pain out of shopping, and so far it looks like he’s been a part of two big successes. Trunk Club seems to be growing well, and has been getting a ton of press attention. Though their business works the same way as a retail store–they stock a variety of brands and sell them at a markup, they’ve adapted the model to build a unique sales channel. Why send someone a catalog or an e-mail blast when you can actually send them hand-selected clothes to try on? It really is a retail experience in your home. If you like what Trunk Club is doing, then you should check out their Jobs page. They have a number of opportunities that could be suitable for new grads including Style Expert/Sales Representative, Product Associate, Fulfillment Associate, Front-end Web Developer, and Application Developer. Just make sure you wear something cool to your interview.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Would you try Trunk Club?

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Willy Franzen — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:41:43 +0000

Ever consider a career in teaching? Here’s some info on how to get started.

There’s a long history of poking fun at Martha Stewart, and it started well before she went to prison. There’s just something funny about someone who takes perfection in domesticity as seriously as she does. My family even played an integral role in the satire of Martha with my little sister’s appearance in the parody magazine Martha Stuart’s Better Than You at Entertaining, which was a follow up to Is Martha Stuart Living? (here’s a picture my sister as young Martha Stewart in the parody). We can keep laughing at Martha Stewart, but she’ll always get the last laugh. She has an amazing track record of reaching the top in nearly everything that she has done–from babysitting for Mickey Mantle’s kids to starting a successful catering company in her basement to building a New York, NY based media empire in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Martha Stewart is apparently now worth well over half a billion dollars, and has used her personal brand to build amazing print, television, online, and merchandise properties.

Are You Living?

Whether or not you’re a Martha Stewart fan, you have to be impressed by what she’s done throughout her career. She’s had an amazing ability to stay relevant, and a lot of that has to do with her media strategy. She easily could have settled with a successful catering business, or a popular magazine, or having her own television show, but she didn’t. It seems that she is obsessed with using every channel possible to reach people with her “unique lifestyle content.” That’s what Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is all about. If you enjoy the Martha Stewart brand and want to work on the media or merchandise side, then you definitely need to take a look at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia’s Careers page. There are some great opportunities posted in their job listings, and a few seem suitable for new or recent grads including: Assistant Food Editor, PHP Application Developer – Internet Content Management Systems, Front-End Web Developer, Decorative Pillow and Bedding Accessory Designer, Executive Assistant, Freelance Recipe Taster, Retail Merchandising Assistant, Apparel Designer – Martha Stewart Pets and Quilt Designer. You can also apply for an unlisted position if you don’t see something that suits you.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Are you a Martha Stewart fan?

Threadless

Willy Franzen — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:22:57 +0000

If you’re like me and wear t-shirts sometimes, then you know the value of a good one. Despite the fact that I have dozens of t-shirts in my dresser drawers, I wear the same few over and over again. My favorite is a Cornell Athletics t-shirt that has seen better days, but for many of you it might be a shirt from Threadless. They’re a brand/company of skinnyCorp that uses community-inspired designs to make awesome t-shirts. It’s hard to explain exactly what skinnyCorp is, but they’re all about using technology to facilitate collaboration within creative communities. Threadless is by far skinnyCorp’s most successful project (others include Threadless Kids, Naked & Angry, I Park Like An Idiot, and ExtraTasty). The company was founded in 2000 in Chicago, IL, and they also have an office in Boulder, CO. They’ve done a lot in that time, including being named “the most innovative small company in America” by Inc. Magazine.

New Job, New Threads

Have you seen the Seinfeld episode where both Jerry and Elaine are waiting out the relationship of a couple they’re friends with? I feel that way about Threadless. I’ve been watching their Jobs page forever, and I’ve never seen anything even remotely relevant to new grads (I’m not sure if I’ve even seen anything posted before today). I found this extremely frustrating since they make a point of bragging about their being named #8 on a list of the “50 most Gen-Y friendly companies in the Chicagoland area.” It’s hard to be “Gen-Y friendly” if you don’t have jobs for them. Threadless still doesn’t have anything entry level post , but there is an internship in Operations along with a Senior Developer position. Since I’m sick of waiting, I decided to look at skinnyCorp’s LinkedIn profile, which shows their new hires. I see titles like Accounting Coordinator, Junior Copywriter, and Consultant. I never saw these jobs posted, so I either overlooked them–or they never got posted. A lot of jobs get filled before they’re posted, so maybe you should consider applying before the jobs get posted. And if that doesn’t work out, you can also try to make a living submitting designs. They do pay selected designers “handsomely.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own any Threadless shirts?

Cabela’s

Willy Franzen — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:57:28 +0000

Being a fly fisherman, I sometimes get frustrated with living in Chicago. Not only are there few opportunities to go fishing without a decent drive, but the winters are way too long (it’s supposed to be spring now, and it’s not). To get through the winter I’ll often visit fishing stores, look at websites, and read through catalogs. It’s not much, but it’s all I have. And Cabela’s provides all three options. The company is based in Sidney, NE, and they’re the “largest mail-order, retail and Internet outdoor outfitter in the world.” It all started in 1961 with a tiny classified ad that Dick Cabela placed in a newspaper because he wanted to sell some fishing flies that he purchased while visiting Chicago for a furniture show (since Nebraska is even less of a fly fishing destination than Chicago is). Despite a lackluster response to the original ad, Dick Cabela kept trying. The company grew organically, and now Cabela’s is dominating three major retail channels. The truly amazing part of the story is that Cabela’s has been able to maintain their commitment to customer service throughout all of the growth. I’m not a big customer (I try to support local shops), but I have quite a few friends who are extremely loyal Cabela’s customers because of the quality of products and service.

Outfitting Your Job Search

If you love the outdoors, you probably already know all about Cabela’s. Their stores are massive shrines to everything that is great about being an outdoorsman. They have fish tanks, taxidermy, indoor mountains, archery ranges, and, obviously, lots and lots of products that you can buy. According to Wikipedia, their store in Kansas City had 4 million customer visits in a single year, while the store in Hamburg, PA covers a quarter million square feet. Obviously, the ultimate Cabela’s experience requires visiting one of their stores, but their catalogs and website are pretty good proxies if you’re stuck at home. And if you are stuck at home, you might as well take a look at Cabela’s Careers site too. You can check out their testimonials and culture quiz, or you can just head straight for their job listings. We’re going to pass over all of the retail positions (there are a ton of them), and only look at corporate jobs that might be suitable for new or recent grads. These include (all positions in Sidney, NE unless otherwise noted):

Cabela’s has one of the worst applicant tracking systems that I’ve ever seen. It’s “Powered by Kenexa,” and it’s completely unusable. I slogged through it so you don’t have to, so the positions above should give you a good idea of what kind of entry level opportunities exist at Cabela’s. There are more entry level postings than just these, but I can only bang my head against a wall for so long.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you shop at Cabela’s?

Wolverine World Wide

Willy Franzen — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:04:01 +0000

Today’s a big day–not only is it St. Patrick’s Day (in past years we’ve taken a look at General Mills, Luck Stone, and Shamrock Boats) but it’s also the start of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. And what ties those two things together (besides being excuses for drinking during the day)? Shoes! It’s a little-known fact that all leprechauns are shoemakers, and we know that all basketball players are obsessed with shoes. That’s why we’re going to take a look at Wolverine World Wide, a multi-brand shoe company based in Rockford, MI. Their brands include Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Track ‘n Trail, and Wolverine, almost all of which are targeted towards rugged, outdoorsy customer bases. Most of the brands don’t offer great footwear for playing basketball, but they have plenty of shoes for leprechauns that wants to cause mischief and trek to and from the end of the rainbow.

Wolverines and Leprechauns

Wolverine World Wide was founded in 1883, and since then they’ve been making high quality leather products. At first it was pigskin work gloves, then horsehide shoes. Now their products have high-tech materials like those that come from Vibram. Wolverine World Wide has come a long way over the past 125 years, and I’m not just talking about their footwear. As they’ve added brands, they’ve been able to expand their reach to the point that they now have sold products in 190 countries. That’s no surprise considering the respect that Wolverine World Wide’s brands command in the world of footwear (Sebago is my favorite). If you love shoes, but more from a functional standpoint than a fashion standpoint, then check out careers at Wolverine World Wide. They don’t have a ton of positions that seem suitable for recent grads (they do offer a bunch of internships), but the following positions are worth taking a look at: Designer, Corporate Accounting Analyst, Global Web Content Producer, and Customer Service Representative. There are also a bunch of retail positions posted.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own shoes from any of Wolverine World Wide’s brands?

Opening Ceremony

Willy Franzen — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:35:41 +0000

MATCH Public Charter School has been sponsoring One Day, One Job for the past week. They offer amazing entry level opportunities for new grads in Boston, MA, and you should check them out now.

Fast Company’s list of The 2011 Most Innovative Companies has a great mix of familiar and unfamiliar names. One of the companies on the list that I’m only recently familiar with is Opening Ceremony. They call themselves “a multifaceted retail environment comprised of shops, showroom, and private label collection that establishes a new, international creative forum in downtown Manhattan.” I first heard about Opening Ceremony because they’ve been collaborating on a line with Pendleton (a brand that I love). As I’d put it, Opening Ceremony is a New York, NY based fashion retailer/designer/curator. They’re all about bringing together things that are different—new and old, exotic and local. It’s based on the premise behind the original Olympics in 1896—”creatively merging sports, business, and global participation.” But it’s fashion instead of sports.

Join the Ceremony

To really get a feel for Opening Ceremony, you need to walk into one of their stores in New York City, Los Angeles, or Tokyo. If you can’t do that, their website is the next best alternative. Opening Ceremony’s goal is to recreate “a shopping excursion based on four different perspectives–established designer (designers that best exemplify the country), emerging designer, one of a kind vintage pieces and select items from the open-air markets.” They work with some of the biggest names in fashion, and they’re constantly adding new stuff; in fact, they focus on “the unique commercial and cultural character of a [different] visiting city” ever year. It’s a really unique take on fashion, and it’s one that I can’t effectively sum up. If you love what Opening Ceremony is doing, then you need to check out their Jobs page. They don’t post specific positions, but they invite you to “mail your cover letter, resume and 3 references to jobs@openingceremony.us.” They also ask you to mention what type of position you’re interested, and they provide the following suggestions: “Retail – LA/Tokyo/NYC/Ace, Showroom, Buying, Design, Graphic Design, Ecommerce, Online Marketing, Blog, Production, etc.”

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from Opening Ceremony?

The Taunton Press

Willy Franzen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:58:06 +0000

The world of publishing is a pretty crazy place right now. We hear about prestigious brand names struggling to stay afloat, while relative newcomers like Demand Media are IPO-ing. One of the key takeaways from all of the turmoil is that advertisers want results. That means that publishers need to be able to deliver targeted audiences that will respond to ads, whether it be through traditional outlets like magazines and newspapers or online. The Taunton Press is a publisher that has understood this for a long time. They’re based in Newtown, CT (a lovely town where I’ve done a lot of fishing), and they publish magazines, websites, and books for people who have a passion for creative activities. Their titles include Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, Fine Cooking, Fine Gardening, Threads, and more. Most of the publications come in both magazine form and an online version, so readers can consume the content however they feel comfortable.

The Finer Things

The Taunton Press reminds me a lot of Prime Publishing, another company that has found success by publishing content for niche markets. The Taunton Press seems a bit more brand focused, which is explained best by a quote on their About page:

We don’t run advertising that isn’t directly related to the subject matter of our magazines. We believe our ad pages serve as another vehicle for passing on educational information. It means our magazines might cost a little more at the newsstand. But it also means every page will be worth the price.

I love that! Advertising doesn’t have to be a bad thing. I often say that you can tell how intelligent your media consumption habits are by looking at the advertising that is targeted to you. If you’re seeing a lot of Shake Weight commercials, you might want to start worrying. Whether you have a specific interest in the topical areas that The Taunton Press covers or you are generally interested in media and publishing, The Taunton Press looks like a great place to start a career. Check out their Careers page and their job listings. Right now they have a couple of positions that might be suitable for a new grad: Assistant Editor – Threads Magazine and Chef’s Assistant. They also offer internships in Editorial, Media Sales, Publishing, and Web Publishing, so there’s the potential for more entry level opportunities in the future.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you read any of The Taunton Press’ publications?

Wilson Sporting Goods

Willy Franzen — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:23:34 +0000

During this vacation beach volleyball has been one of my main activities—along with reading, fly fishing, and eating. I started playing the sport a few years ago, but I’ve become more and more serious as I’ve gotten better. And as I’ve met lots of beach volleyball players, I’ve noticed that almost all of them carry around the same ball—the official AVP ball. However, the AVP is currently defunct (but I bet they make a comeback), so the future of the ball is uncertain. Luckily, the ball is produced by a company that is still going strong—Chicago based Wilson Sporting Goods. They are a leader in ball sports—baseball, basketball, softball, football, golf, platform tennis, racquetball, soccer, squash, tennis, and volleyball. The popularity of their balls and other equipment vary from sport to sport, but Wilson has very strong positions across a number of markets—especially tennis, baseball, American football, golf, basketball, softball, badminton and squash.

Be On the Ball

We take high quality sporting goods for granted these days, but it didn’t always used to be this way. Wilson was one of the innovators that brought new technology to sports and made reliable equipment affordable and accessible for the masses. Wilson continues to innovate, and as they do that they focus on three core business areas: Racquet Sports, Team Sports and Golf. Surprisingly, Wilson doesn’t have a real Careers page, even though they have more than 1,600 employees. For some reason, the only place that they seem to post their jobs is on their parent company’s website (Amer Sports). I’m not sure why this is, but it doesn’t mean you should give up on the idea of working at Wilson. They do provide an HR contact e-mail address: hr@wilson.com. My recommendation is that you reach out to them there, but first look at the Wilson Sporting Goods LinkedIn profile to see what kind of positions might be available. Now time to hit the beach one last time for my last outdoor volleyball until April or May.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you use any Wilson Sporting Goods?

Bluefly

Willy Franzen — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:57:36 +0000

I’m a big fan of buying stuff online, so I’m shocked when some of my friends tell me that they still buy everything at real brick and mortar stores. It’s so old fashioned. It used to be just books and electronics, but over the past years I’ve even started buying clothes and even shoes online. Companies like Bonobos and Gilt Groupe make online clothes shopping super easy, but they’re relative newcomers compared to Bluefly, which was was founded in 1998 in New York City. They’ve made a name for themselves by offering high end fashion brands at great values, and they’re as much a fashion company as they are an e-commerce company. Bluefly is pretty small—under 100 employees—considering that the company’s stock is publicly traded on the NASDAQ, but that’s not surprising considering that they made it through the late 90s and early 2000s.

Fly Jobs

I’ve never bought anything from Bluefly, but I’ve known of them for a long time. They don’t provide a lot of background info on their About page, but if you do a little Google searching you can get their story from places like Wikipedia and Google Finance. Another good way to get to know Bluefly is to read through some of the press coverage that they’ve received, which you can find on the company’s About page. If you like what you see and are excited at the prospect of a career at the crossroads of fashion and e-commerce, then you’ll want to move on to Bluefly’s Jobs page. Right now they’re looking for a Merchandising Assistant, a Web Designer, a Domestic Inventory Control Associate, and a Data Warehouse Developer. There’s some pretty good variety here, so give Bluefly a nice long look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you ever shop at Bluefly?

Spanx

Willy Franzen — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:51:42 +0000

We’re trying to get as many readers as we can into new jobs for the New Year. Help us out by spreading the word to your friends on Facebook. Use this link to tell your friends why they should be getting our daily e-mails.

Now that we’re right in the middle of the Holiday Season, it’s time to put on some weight! With Thanksgiving, Christmas cookies, and Holiday parties it’s hard not to add a few pounds, especially considering the natural tendency to pack on fat for hibernation once temperatures dip below freezing. Unless you’re headed for a tropical destination during your break, you might just want to give in and enjoy the month of December since you’re only one good New Year’s Resolution away from getting back into shape. The only problem is that you need to keep fitting into those awesome holiday pants you bought a couple years ago. That’s where Spanx can help you. They’re an Atlanta, GA based company that manufactures and sells “body shaping” undergarments. I’d heard of them before, but I just decided to check them out yesterday because I saw someone tweeting about the Spanx Men’s Line. I’m not in the market for any body shaping undergarments, but I think it’s pretty cool that they’re expanding their offerings.

Creating a Good Fit

A big part of the Spanx story is focused on their founder Sara Blakely who first “put her butt on the line” in 2000. She continues to be the face (and rear end) of the brand, even though Laurie Ann Goldman is now the CEO. If you want a little more on the Spanx story you can check out the Spanx Top 10 Facts and the Spanx Timeline. Presumably you’ll want to browse the Spanx site to look at their product lines too. And if you’re excited about the potential for a job where “muffin tops, panty lines, back fat, and backsides” are an integral part of every day conversation, then you’ll want to check out the Spanx Careers page along with their Open Positions page. Right now they’re looking for an entry level Business Systems Coordinator, so “body shape” your résumé and give it a shot. And if you’re interested in a different type of position, there’s potential for positions in apparel design, apparel manufacturing, sales, and marketing.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you wear Spanx?

Hunter Boot

Willy Franzen — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:42:43 +0000

About a month ago my girlfriend bought a pair of boots. A few weeks later when we were in Connecticut for Thanksgiving, we stopped into a shoe store so that she could buy special socks to go with these boots. The idea of needing special socks for a pair of boots is kind of odd to me, but who doesn’t love a good pair of socks? Then I saw it. A stack of boxes that went to the ceiling. This store was ready for the holiday shopping season, and their main preparation was stocking Hunter boots. Lots of them. Uggs were hot for a while, but now people want boots that can actually get wet, and they’re flocking to Hunter Boot. The company is headquartered in Scotland, but they have offices in London and New York too. They’ve made their name on their Wellington boots—Wellies for short, and though they’ve been around for more than 150 years, they’re seeing quite a surge in popularity right now.

Willy Say Wear Your Wellies

I love it when old brands become trendy. It shows that hard work and dedication to producing quality products can pay off. Then again, Hunter Boot has “The Royal Warrants of Appointment as suppliers of waterproof footwear to HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh,” so it’s not only the masses that are getting behind Hunter. As the company grows and becomes more International and less Scotland-focused, you can expect that they’ll continue to grow their team stateside. Hunter Boot does have a Careers page for the U.S.; however, it doesn’t provide job listings or even contact information. A quick look at Hunter Boot’s company profile on LinkedIn shows that there are certainly some entry level opportunities. You just have to be proactive about seeking them out.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own any Hunter boots?

Macy’s

Willy Franzen — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:37:20 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving! In past years we’ve taken a look at jobs at Pilgrim’s Pride, Jennie-O, and Plimoth Plantation and Colonial Williamsburg. This year we’ve been influenced by the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, so we’re going to take a look at entry level jobs at Macy’s. They’re headquartered in both New York City and Cincinnati, and they are “one of the nation’s premier retailers, with fiscal 2009 sales of $23.5 billion.” The company operates more than 810 stores across 45 states. Over the past decade or so they’ve absorbed a number of other retailers, but the Macy’s brand has reigned supreme—and I bet the popularity of today’s parade has had at least a little something to do with it.

A Parade of Job Opportunities

Obviously with a company as large as Macy’s, there are a lot of different places and ways that you can find information about them. I’m going to leave most of that up to you since I have a football game to get to, but once you start thinking about a job, you’ll want to skip over MacysJobs.com and go straight to MacysCollege.com for the company’s entry level opportunities. They offer Executive Development Programs in Store Management, Merchant, Product Development, Finance/Accounting, Human Resources, Logistics Management, Information Technology, Credit Operations, and Food Management. It looks like most of their on campus recruiting events are over; however, you can still apply for a multitude of positions all across the country by following the instructions here. So take a look at Macy’s, and then go stuff your face.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you shop at Macy’s?

ModCloth

Willy Franzen — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:42:31 +0000

I just got back home to Chicago on Saturday, and I arrived to see the latest issue of Inc. Magazine waiting for me on the kitchen counter. It’s a big day for me because it’s the Inc. 500 issue where they list the 500 fastest growing private companies in the United States. It’s my absolute favorite tool for finding new companies to feature, which is why we’re going to take a look at ModCloth today. They came in at #2 on the list with 17,191% growth over the past three years to get to over $15 million in revenue. And all of that growth has been “built on a foundation of love for vintage and retro clothing.” The company, which is based in both San Francisco and Pittsburgh, was started by high school sweethearts Eric Koger and Susan Gregg Koger, and they aim to “provide a fun and engaging shopping atmosphere” for their customers by using social media to interact with them. ModCloth is big on democracy, so customers actually get some say in the direction the company’s buyers take.

Mod Your Job Search

The tough thing about being an indie brand is that it becomes difficult to maintain your image as you grow—especially when it’s at a 17,191% rate. By constantly including customers in their processes, working closely with bloggers, and engaging more than 100 indie designers, ModCloth is building a foundation that ensures that they’ll be able to effectively grow an indie brand. Another key part of their growth plan has to do with hiring. Right now their Careers page gives a nice rundown of what it’s like to work at ModCloth and also includes a link to their current openings. They have more than two dozen positions posted right now, and quite a few seem suitable for new or recent grads. These include Business Data Analyst (San Francisco and Pittsburgh), Customer Care Specialist (Pittsburgh), Interaction Designer (San Francisco and Pittsburgh), Accessory Photographer (Pittsburgh), Associate Buyer/Designer Relations Associate (Los Angeles), Data Systems Analyst (Pittsburgh), Agile Rails Developer (San Francisco), QA Analyst (San Francisco), and Software Engineer (Pittsburgh). As you can see, the opportunities are quite varied so give them a good look.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you wear vintage clothing?

American Eagle Outfitters

Willy Franzen — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:00:55 +0000

When I think of outfitters, I think of an adventure. I think of a business that is going to prepare me to fishing, hunting, canoeing, horseback riding, camping, or something along those lines. Apparently my definition is accurate, but the broader definition of an outfitter, at least according to Wikipedia, is “a shop or person that sells men’s clothes.” I guess that makes Bonobos and Gilt Groupe my two favorite “outfitters.” It also means that Pittsburgh, PA based American Eagle Outfitters was accurately named, at least until they started selling women’s and children’s clothing in addition to their men’s line. Maybe that’s why use see them using AE much more often than AEO. I’m sure you recognize the clothes, and you probably have seen one of American Eagle Outfitters 950+ stores in the last shopping mall that you visited. Their brand is all over the place, so it’s hard to miss.

Fly Like an Eagle

American Eagle Outfitters’ target market is “15 to 25 year old girls and guys” who are looking for “high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable price.” It’s a pretty tight niche, but it’s one that they serve well. In addition to the main American Eagle Outfitters brand, there are also Aerie, which means bird’s nest and offers intimates for 13-25 year old females, and 77kids, which is a reference to AE’s oft-displayed year of founding and is targeted to kids aged 0-14. I guess this means that most of you are close to growing out of the American Eagle Outfitters lines, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be completely done with them. There’s always the chance for a job.

AEO’s Careers site is called LiveYourLifeLoveYourJob.com, and it provides a ton of information on what it’s like to work at American Eagle Outfitters. It’s a really well done site, but it’s done in Flash so I can’t link you to specific pages. If you take a look at the College Recruiting part of the site, you can check out American Eagle Outfitter’s Training Programs which are offered in four areas: Corporate Training, Assistant Buyer Training, Planning & Allocation Tracking, and College Trek (Retail Management). Not all of these programs are listed on AEO’s Job Search page right now, but you can be sure that they will soon as we dive into campus recruiting season. If none of those programs appeal to you, you can always check out other Corporate opportunities or even consider something at the retail level. For instance, right now they’re trying to fill the following positions: Executive Staff Assistant (NYC), Fit Model (NYC), Help Desk Analyst, Production Assistant – Denim (NYC), Paralegal – Real Estate, Associate Merchandise Planner – 77kids.com, Production Assistant – Undies (NYC), and Production Assistant – Men’s Graphics (NYC). Take a look, and see what fits.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you wear American Eagle clothes?

L.L. Bean

Willy Franzen — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:20:43 +0000

August is typically a big vacation month, so it can sometimes be hard to reach the people you want to reach in your job search. If you’re taking a vacation yourself, you may want to thing about the brands that you associate with vacation. For me, it’s often L.L. Bean because I end up spending most of my time enjoying the outdoors—and that usually includes some of their gear. They’ve been “a trusted source for quality apparel, reliable outdoor equipment and expert advice for more than 95 years.” It all started with one man named Leon Leonwood Bean and some cold wet feet. He decided to combine the comfort of leather boots with the durability and functionality of rubber work boots. He then obtained the mailing list for Maine hunting license holders and sent them a three-page flyer about his new boots. L.L. guaranteed that people would be satisfied with his boots, and he had to eat his words. Of the first 100 pairs that he sold, 90 were returned for defects. that would put a lot of people out of business, but not L.L. Bean, which continues to be located in Freeport, ME to this day.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Today L.L. Bean still offers their same satisfaction guarantee, and they continue to put a huge emphasis on customer service (places like this are usually awesome to work for). L.L. Bean now has 4,600 employees year-round, and that number spikes to 9,000 during the holidays. I guess that’s when L.L. Bean does a good portion of their $1.5 billion in annual sales. They also have a flagship store without locks on its doors—it’s open 24/7/365. It also comes with a “trout pond, a coffee shop, café and 3,500- gallon fish tank.” I’d imagine that the headquarters has some pretty cool stuff too—I know that the Orvis headquarters does. If you’re excited about Bean Boots, dog beds, outdoor apparel, tents, sleeping bags, and everything of the sort, then you’ll want to check out LLBeanCareers.com. It offers information on careers on Retail, Corporate, and Season opportunities. We’ll focus on the Corporate opportunities which include potentially entry level positions like Programmer/Analyst, Page Production Specialist, Associate Marketing Analyst – E-Commerce/Web Analytics, Assistant Merchandiser – Kid’s Category, and Assistant Merchandiser – Footwear & Travel.

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

Do you own anything from L.L. Bean?