The Four Hottest Fashion Jobs You've Never Heard Of

by Reena Nadler

Do you daydream about working in the fashion industry? Designers aren't the only people with their fingers on the pulse of the fashion world--the industry offers a wide variety of careers. Online degree programs can give you the training you need to launch a stylish career from the comfort of your own home. You just need to know where to look.

Dream Job # 1: Fashion and Retail Manager
Take charge of the store--and your career--as a fashion retail manager. Ensconced in the business side of fashion, a fashion and retail manager works with designers to develop ideas for showrooms, store windows, and customers' shopping bags. Event planning, sales management, and product development for stores, malls, or other retail firms round out some of the duties in this job. And the future looks bright. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a median annual salary of $84,220, and employment opportunities are predicted to grow faster than average.

Dream Job # 2: Fashion Journalism
Write the latest in fashion trends as a fashion journalist. In this job, you can put your pen to work, opining about fashion in magazines, books, trade publications, or even blogs. You can get the inside track on the latest trends and conduct interviews with industry insiders, such as photographers, designers, and public relations specialists. The BLS states that median annual earnings for salaried writers are $44,350, and job prospects are even better if you're trained in a specialized field.

Dream Job #3: Fashion Merchandising
Fashion merchandisers work behind-the-scenes to ensure that everything at a store or boutique runs smoothly. They are involved with manufacturing clothing and accessories, as well as buying, promoting, and selling them. You'll be well-suited for this career if you can combine your fashion sense with business expertise. According to the BLS, marketing managers (including fashion merchandisers) can earn around $87,640 per year, and college degree-holders should have the best job opportunities.

Dream Job #4: Store Design and Visual Merchandising
Visual merchandisers and store designers bring together artistry and technical expertise to conceptualize, design, and implement in-store and window displays. Their design techniques can incorporate customer psychology, current fashion trends, and the brand image of the store or department. They have to be flexible and be ready to change the store appearance for promotions and, of course, to reflect seasonal holidays. The BLS says that interior designers (including store designers) can earn more than $40,000 in median annual salary.

Realize your Own Dream Job with an Online Fashion Degree
An online degree can give you the personalized, fast-track career training to succeed in one of these fashion careers. Get a college degree in your free time on your PC. With so many choices, why put your dreams on hold? Fashion the life you want with an online degree today.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Writers and Editors"
Monster Trak, "Visual Merchandisers: Retail's silent salespeople."
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Interior Designers"