Professional Practice and reflective theories

THE TASTIEST AND MOST PROFESSIONAL FASHION BUYERS’ GUIDE

Taste of Fashion Spring 2019

cooking & reflecting with nicole Wong Recipes for fashion buyers Easy Belbin pepper beef stir fry Homemade honey and mmuform’s mustard sauce

“i nearly gave up job searching” nicoletszchingwong tasteoffashion.professionalpractice.co.uk

C O N T E N T S director’s cut/ fashion and buyers now $ 5

Corn on the “Kolb” journey of networking into my dream job

$6

Cream tea and “SCHÖN” JOB SEARCHING waS NEVER PERFECT

$8

Chef’s table “watson and baker” wontons and bakery $ 14 “belbin” pepper beef $ 18 “honey and mumford” honey and mustard sauce $ 22

butcher shop dissecting Junior buyer job spec

$24

Sweet talk patisserie “GIBBS” ME THAT DESSERT $29 Conlusion $ 34 references $ 36 Appendicies $ 40

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Figure 1: Duddell’s London (Reeve, 2018:Online)

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Director’s cut

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ow entry barriers has allowed fashion designers to enter the market through hybridised channel. Simultaneously, this has increased the amount of producers within the fashion economy (Crewe, 2013) and the contemporary marketplace for fashion products is now highly saturated (Hracs et al. 2013; Garnham, 2006). Meanwhile, consumers are becoming more aware of the damage the fashion industry is causing and thus demanding for more sustainable alternatives, on top of our already exploding garment production. Consequently, Fashion buyers are faced with a buffet of choices while having the task to understand their target market and please an increasingly demanding shoppers (Sutherland, 2018). The Fourth Industrial Revolution has also brought about advance robotics, materials and biotechnology and AI. All which have completely transformed the traditional functionality of the fashion industry, aiding faster trend prediction and increased the speed to market.

The role of the fashion buyer in 2001, was described as someone who has the overall responsibility for the selection of merchandise that maximise the sales and profitability of a product range (Jackson and Shaw, 2001). Similarly, Goworek in 2007 recalled the qualities of a successful buyer needs to be versatile and flexible. As the nature of the buying schedule may include but not limited to writing reports, traveling abroad to attend catwalks and identify trends, meet and negotiate with suppliers in the Far East. But are these qualities and skills enough to qualify as a buyer in the current climate of the fashion industry? Taste of Fashion is here to help. Each month, Tasters speak to buyers from across the industry to bring you the latest tips on how to become a successful buyer.

In this month’s edition, we have invited Buyer’s Admin Assistant, Nicole Wong to show you how she uses reflective practices to help her secure her dream job. Moreover, to help you to thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Nicole’s skills will be highlighted in conjunction with the Top 10 Skills suggested by the World Economic Forum (Gray, 2016).

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reflection with Corn on the “Kolb” (1984)

Journey of networking into my dream job KOLB’S THEORY ARGUES THAT WE LEARN FROM OUR EXPERIENCES OF LIFE AND REFLECTING THEM IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF LEARNING, SO I USED KOLB’S (1984) MODEL OF REFLECTION (FIGURE 1) TO HELP ME INTERPRET HOW I BECOME A BAA. Text Nicole Wong

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Experience: Do something

uring the first semester of university, I observed myself questioning which career path to take as I was unsure about the clear difference between a buyer and a merchandiser.

I was also drawn by how other students on my course already have a clear career path and I felt that was because I was one of the youngest in the class and I lack industry experience. This prompted me to attend industry guest speaker talks and now I realise that I want to be a buyer. The benefits of using guest speakers are well documented. Van Hoek et al. (2011) found that bringing in speakers with proven expertise from the same field seemed to carry as much or more credibility than those from the academic side. Furthermore, Miller (2014) highlights that guest speakers provides student with different points-of-views and potential resources they can apply later in life. On reflection, the talks helped me to determine that I want to be a buyer and I networked with industry experts. If I had not attend, I would not know how to prepare my job applications or what to say in interviews, as preparations are key to a good interview (Businessballs, 2019). As the fashion

Plan: Bearing in mind your conclusions

Reflect: Think about what you did Conceptualise:: Make generalisations

Figure 2 illustrates Kolb’s reflective model (McLeod, 2017: Online)

industry is constantly changing, the role of the buyer is becoming ever more complex (Sutherland, 2018).

After these realisations, I found it useful to regularly attend guest speaker talks and make notes of what people are sharing and update my knowledge. I then planned to attend career fairs to find out what jobs are out there using the insights from the guest speakers.

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Figure 3: Corn on cob (Chapple, 2015: Online)

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reflection with Cream tea & Schön (1983)

Job searching was never perfect help me to resolve this situation.

Instead, I coped with the rejection and accepted reality. This made me reach out to Chinese students who are in a similar situation as I am and the international office, to receive advice from my social network (Haythornwaite, 2008).

This has helped me tremendously to think about my career in ways that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise; for example the job market in China or applying for a Tier 5 visa.

Reflecting on this, I have shown that I don’t just give up easily but instead, I keep on researching and actively ask for help to find a solution to my problem. These are key qualities to have as buyer to solve problems and endure difficult times. In retrospect, without these hard experiences, I wouldn’t have known my options without hitting the wall serval times by employers and it prevented me from blindly applying for jobs to only get rejected.

which at the time I thought this was the only opinion I had in order to stay in the UK. As an international student who have studied in the UK for over 13 years, I lost the feel of belonging in the UK and felt like I was being rejected from everyone.

A study found that the experience of sadness can lead one to struggle

Schön’s (1983) reflection-in-action made me recognised that I had a moment of wanting to quit job searching. Initially, I thought that going to career fairs will show me opportunities. I understood that the most common mistake with attending these events is being underprepared (Fowler, 2005). So I went to the fair well-prepared with company information (LiveCareer, 2019) and industry knowledge from guest speakers. This saved me from feeling low self-esteem (Maslow, 1943) and lack self-confidence if I didn’t know what I was talking about when faced with employers with extensive knowledge. During the fair, the recruiters shared information and tips on how to apply and how to structure my CV and application to increase my chances of obtaining an interview.

I also found out that all of the companies do not sponsor Tier 2 working visa to any entry-level roles,

“I nearly quit searching for my dream” - Nicole Wong with existential question of ‘who am I?’ (Henretty et al., 2008). As a result of this disappointment, I lost all hopes in job search. But Lazarus (1991) argues that the experience of sadness promotes personal reflection. I didn’t want to feel sad about my job search circumstances because it didn’t

Self Actualisation

Esteem

Love and belonging

Figure 5: Maslow’s hierachy of needs (Maslow, 1943)

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Safety needs Physiological need

Figure 4: Sketch afternoon tea (Sketch London, 2019: Online)

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self- assessment recipes and dishes

chef’s table SELF-ASSESSMENTS AND REFLECTIVE PRACTICES GO HAND IN HAND, AS ALL PROFESSIONALS MUST BE AWARE OF THEMSELVES BEFORE THEY CAN EVALUATE THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE (GERSTEIN, 2014). THE FOLLOWING TESTS HELPED ME TO GAIN CONTROL OVER MY LEARNING AND ALLOWED ME TO SEE HOW MY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES INGREDIENTS BENEFIT ME PROFESSIONALLY AS A BUYER. text

Nicole Wong

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WONTONS

Figure 5: wonton soup (Nagi, 2018: Online)

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BAKERY

Figure 6: Siopao (Hossak, 2015: Online)

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self- assessment Watson and baker (1995)

watson and Baker

nt -Oriente nte dL o C

LISTENING IS AN IMPORTANT SKILLS BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, SHOWS GENUINE INTEREST TO PEOPLE AND CAN HEAR WHAT IS NOT BEING SAID THROUGH CAREFUL ANALYSIS.

INGREDIENTS: Yourself and a computer METHOD: Take Watson and Baker Listening preferences test (1995)

The usnd Top I h t Four olution eRev udg trial lls #7 (J sion i i 10 sk and dec ment making)

Listener Con te ted en

PREP: 0 Minutes COOK: 5 Minutes DIFFICULTY: Easy FREE

Content Oriented Listener

on er C tent -O en ri ist

iented Listen Or er nt

AKA WONTONS AND BAKERY

Strengths: pays attention to facts and evidence, and seek to

understand cause and effect before accepting anything as true.

As a BAA, this is an important skill to have when negotiating with my buying team to ensure what we buying is the right products for customers and the season with trend evidence.

Weaknesses: too interested in what is said rather than who

is saying or what they are feeling, take a long time in making decisions because they seek for cause and effect before accepting anything as true. Clearly, I lack the people listening skills and assertiveness in decision making, this can damage my relationship with my buying team. As a BAA wanting to progress into a more senior role, this may prolong the garment ordering time in the future and result in products not arriving in time and missed the sale opportunity.

Tip: To improve this dish, add a few teaspoons of People-

Oriented listener. This will help me to improve my concern for others and their feelings. However, I shouldn’t over do this because I might find problems when I become overly involved with others and ignore limitations and faults. I’ve also added 1 teaspoon of Action-Oriented listener into the mix to help me focus on what needs to be done.

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BELL PEPPERS

Figure 7: Bell peppers (Natasha, 2018: Online)

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BEEF STIR FRY

Figure 9: Beef stir fry (Sara, 2018: Online)

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self- assessment belbin’s team roles

belbin’s BELL PEPPER BEEF STIR FRY

BELBIN BELIEVED THAT EACH PERSON POSSESS A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOUR THAT CHARACTERISES ONE’S BEHAVIOUR IN RELATIONSHIP TO ANOTHER IN FACILITATING THE PROGRESS OF A TEAM. BELBIN FURTHER DEFINES A TEAM ROLE AS ‘A TENDENCY TO BEHAVE, CONTRIBUTE AND INTERRELATE WITH OTHERS IN A PARTICULAR WAY’ (BELBIN, 2010).

BELBIN’S BELL PEPPER BEEF STIR FRY

METHOD: Take Belbin’s team role test

nt Plant P Pla lan t an

t Plant Plant lan Pl tP

INGREDIENTS: Yourself and a computer

PLANT

lant Plant Pl an tP an

PREP: 0 Minutes COOK: 20 Minutes DIFFICULTY: Easy £££

t Plant Plant lan Pl P t

Strengths: tends to be highly creative, generate ideas and good

at solving problems.

As a BAA it is my responsibility to ensure things are running smoothly following the critical path (Fashion Personnel, 2019).

If I ever run into problem, my team role as a plant will ensure that I generate ideas and solve difficult problems.

Weaknesses: generates too much ideas and have strong

The usInd on h t r Fou evoluti R 3 trial skills # 0 Top 1 eativity) (Cr

ownership of ideas. I can foresee that if I get promoted into a more senior role where I will be expressing more ideas to the team, then it is better to co-operate my ideas with others to yield better results as a team (Belbin, 2019).

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HONEY

Figure10: Honey (Sally, 2018: Online)

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MUSTARD

Figure 11: Honey mustard dressing (Nagi, 2016: Online)

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self- assessment HONEY AND MUMFORD LEARNING STYLES

HONEY AND MUMFORD AKA HONEY AND MUSTARD SAUCE

lector Refle Ref cto

Reflector

r to

PREP: 0 Minutes COOK: 10 Minutes DIFFICULTY: Easy FREE

tor Reflecto flec rR e rR

Reflecto r tor Re lec fl ef

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OWN STYLE CAN HELP YOU MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS AND INCREASE THE RANGE OF EXPERIENCES AS POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES.

Reflector Ref lec tor ec

INGREDIENTS: Yourself and a computer

Strengths: thorough and methodical, good at listening and METHOD: Take Honey and Mumford’s learning style (1986)

assimilating information which is good when trying to present new trend ideas. Rarely jumps to conclusion which is good for a buyer because one mistake on the range can cause the company to lose millions of dollars.

Weaknesses: slow to make up their mind and reach a

decision, too cautious and doesn’t take risks. Not assertive.

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The usd n I h Fourt evolution R 0 1 l a # i r s l t l i k s i0 x 1 e l p F o T ve i t i n (Cog ility) b

Self-assessments helps to develop metacognitive skills that contribute to a range of important graduate capabilities, doing this regularly will help you to evaluate your own performance and reflect on how you can improve (Academ, 2017).

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dissecting the job specification

Butcher’s shop A GOOD JOB SEARCH PRACTICE IS TO DISSECT THE JOB SPEC. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ME AS A BAA LOOKING TO PROGRESS INTO A JUNIOR BUYER. I ALSO USED MY SKILLS AUDIT TO HELP ME ILLUSTRATE MY SKILLS AND THE LEVEL THEY ARE AT, IN ORDER TO MATCH THE JOB SPEC. text

Nicole Wong

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As a BAA I have assisted the assistant buyer throughout the selection process and in delivery of new ranges. Need to ensure I understand MatchesFashion vision in order to develop the seasonal strategy, ensuring the products are in line with the company.

My responsibilities working at a startup changed frequently and this included sourcing from China and finding the right suppliers.

Negotiation is about a compromise from both sides which also reflects how negotiation helps to build relationships and goodwill (Croner-I, 2019).

My skills audit showed that my negotiation skills is low. However, I have tried to improve by contacting professionals through LinkedIn for advice.

The ush Ind r u o F t evolution R 9 trial 0 skills # Top 1 otiation) (Neg

University has prepared me to be highly skilled in research and analysis, this is reflected in my range plan and product development assignment portfolios.

WOMENSWEAR JUNIOR BUYER- matchesfashion.com london, england

(Glassdoor, 2019)

What you’ll be doing

• Working with the Buying Manager to develop the seasonal strategy, to include brand/designer mix in line with identified range plans.

• Achieving targeted sales, margin and profit on the designated area of business.

• Optimising and driving the best results both in-season and at season-end, ensuring the most profitable results for your department.

• Sourcing and selecting relevant new brands and partnerships.

• Building strong relationships with new and existing suppliers • Conduct buying appointments and meetings both in the UK and overseas.

• Reporting and presenting on your category’s performance.

• Representing MATCHESFASHION.COM as a key point of contact within both the internal and external business community.

• Managing and developing junior team members.

• Keeping abreast of all fashion and market trends, new brands, designers and market influencers.

F igure 12: Junior Buyer Job spec (Glassdoor, 2019: Online) see full Appendix A) 26

Have made sure the buying tea m have the products and managed critical path effectively.

Generate creative ideas as a plant (Belbin, 2019) to optimise and drive sales.

I a m a flexible person and I have experienced studying abroad and attending boarding school, which has given me independence. My Chinese background, understanding of Chinese culture and how Chinese operate overseas will be a great asset to the company when dealing with Chinese suppliers.

Managing and developing junior tea m members resembles the characterisitcs of a leader described by Luthra and Dahiy a (2015).

They illustrated that leader has the potential to take charge and mentor others.

In work, this is conducted through motivation and help them in achieving their individual targets while also achieving tea m and organisation targets. As a BAA progressing into a Junior Buyer, I need to work on my communication skills.

Successful development of a fashion range is a tea m effort since buyers work closely with the rest of their buying colleagues (Goworek, 2007). As a plant, the objective of this role is “to act as prime source of innovation and ideas for the tea m” (Belbin, 2019: Online). I now convey my ideas more effectively to offer better results for the tea m rather than taking ownership of my ideas.

WOMENSWEAR JUNIOR BUYER- matchesfashion.com london, england

about you

• Solid global experience in a similar role • Highly creative and idea-focused • Motivated self-starter who thrives in an exciting fast-paced environment

Having worked at a startup, I gained the ability to work fast and get the most out of limited resources and held diverse responsibilities that helped me master a variety of transferable skills from working at a startup.

Which all can be applied to working at a fast paced environment.

• Organised and have a strong attention to details.

My excellent communication skill was showcased from my experience of being a netball captain and led my tea m to win the league. I was able to lead effectively and motivate my tea m with a shared common goal and positive attitude.

An avid reader for trends and styles. I regularly indulge in WGSN for trend forecasting and keep regular updates of catwalk trends, as well as, looking on LSN: Global for micro and macro trends. Also attended Berlin trade shows to find out the latest sustainable fashion trends and technological innovations.

Skills and experience required: • Proven experience as high-level Assistant Buyer or existing Junior Buyer within a luxury retail/eCommerce environment.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

As a Plant tea m membber, I can contribute a lot of creative and outside of the box ideas to help solve problems. In terms of time management, I a m improving my time management skills by setting more alarms and set reminders.

• Have a proven ability to problem solve and manage time in a productive and efficient manner.

• Ability to work as a part of a team and on own initiative.

• High proficiency in MS Word, Excel and Outlook.

• Awareness of market and fashion trends.

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Strong ability to present analytical skills professionally through the mediu ms of Microsoft Office software and Adobe software like InDesign and Illustrator.

A future

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Sweet talk patisserie

‘Gibbs me that dessert ALL ABOUT TEAM WORK, LEADERSHIP AND WHICH OF THE DE BONO’S THINKING HATS WILL SUIT YOU THIS SEASON. INSIDE THIS INTERVIEW I WILL BE COVERING TEAM WORK COORDINATION, CONFLICT, RESOLUTION AND HOW THE HATS WILL MAKE YOU BEHAVE. text

What reflective model would you advice our readers to use for team work?

Gibb’s reflective cycle (1988) to help me learn from my team working experience. His model allowed me to analyse and evaluate an event and make necessary improvements.

So what happened during the merchandising task?

Let me DESCRIBE what happened.

We had a task to rank Next’s t-shirts from best to worst seller and Jess came up with the idea to rank the

Nicole Wong

t-shirts by their variables and give them an average. But I immediately saw a flaw in her method and told the group without hesitation. Then there was a moment of silence before I quickly turn the situation around by suggesting a new idea.

Metaphorically, I definitely had de Bono’s Black hat on, at the moment I had interrupted Jess’s idea.

Who is de Bono and what’s the Black Hat? De Bono designed the six coloured Thinking Hats which describes a tool for group discussion and individual thinking. Each colour identifies

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a distinct direction in which the brain can be challenged and directs our modes of thinking. Black is the judgment hat, which plays the devil’s advocate. I had this on when I noticed that Jess’s method wasn’t going to work because it didn’t take into consideration of the look and sizing. So I informed the group about the limitation and considered it as not realistic. And Jess didn’t look too pleased when I’d criticised her.

How did that make you FEEL? One of the common issue that cause conflict in groups is resulted from

faulty communication (Hadad and Reed, 2007). I was alarmed by this, as I knew that this is not the way to communicate effectively in a team. When I realised my behaviour, I quickly put on de Bono’s (1982) Green hat and thought of another idea that would complement to her method.

The Green hat symbolises the focus on possibilities, new concepts that thinks outside of the box. As I am also a PLANT from Belbin’s team roles, it was natural for me to contribute imaginative ideas to my team.

How did you reflect yourself in situations like this?

I EVALUATED my self-analysis

tests to see why I performed that way. Then I remembered that my weakness as a plant suggested that I get too preoccupied with ideas to communicate effectively (see page 16), which was clearly reflected by my initial behaviour. I am also a content-oriented listener, which is someone who have more interest in what is said rather than who is saying or what they are feeling (Watson and Barker, 1995). This can make them run into trouble when they ignore the ideas and wishes of others.

Understanding myself in terms of what role I play in team work showed me that I focus too much on facts and evidence. Therefore I tend to assess people by how credible they are. Putting this into

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perspectives, I was testing Jess’s expertise in her method. This is something that I need to work on in order to achieve a more holistic group work environment and help me to become an influencer rather than an authoritarian figure. Nevertheless, this task was enjoyable as I gave the group a new perspective and idea. Even though I was in a group environment, I didn’t feel intimidated or nervous to speak up. This also showed me that I approach group tasks calmly and perform well. I am pleased that Jess wasn’t annoyed at me. I too have learned from this, as it has taught me to be aware of people’s feelings and opinion during a group task.

straight off the catwalk spring 2019

De bono’s thinking hats 31

Sweet talk patisserie

Continue Description

Why do employers value team work and communication skills?

In a recent survey, team work and communication skills were ranked amongst the 5 qualities sought by employers. Many companies are now focusing on people’s team building skills because they recognise teambuilding can make a company more productive (McGrath, 2017). Consequently, by understanding what role you play in team work, this can help you to project yourself better when you meet with employers and show them what qualities you can bring to the company.

Feelings

Action

Conclusion

Evaluation

How would you conclude your experience?

Looking back, I listened to everyone’s ideas as a confident thinker, which is actually considered as one of the most influential motivators in people’s everyday lives (Bandura, 1986) and there is a growing body of literature that suggests self-confidence is central to the construct of achievements (Bandura, 1986; Ericsson et al., 1993). I followed the intuitive process led by de Bono’s hats and indeed there were positive and negative impact to the group dynamic. I also used my previous group work experience to complete the group task.

What’s your plan?

Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of my team work characteristics will help me to avoid conflict in team work and achieve the common goal in team work. The self-analysis test have also shown me the attributes I can contribute

Figure 13: Gibb’s reflective cycle (University of Cumbria, 2016)

to a company such as creativity, attention to details and confidence. Since becoming more aware that I use the black hat in group situations, I have worked on my communication towards others and used less assertive tone when speaking to the group. This has helped me to transform my weakness into a strength. I am also working on developing myself through the Yellow Hat that seeks harmony to balance some of the negatives of black. But with aims to progress into a more senior role, I need to embrace more qualities of a leader. I need to work on recognising people’s belongingness and esteem needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1943) in order for me to develop as a leader that influence and motivates people (Northouse, 2007) rather than a manager who orders people. My assertiveness could benefit me in moving towards a senior role with the qualities of assertive decision making but I should not overdo it.

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A future

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A future I used reflection in professional practices not only to recall what has happened but it suggests what can be an improvement to the original. The variation of reflective models and self-assessment test has helped me to shape the professional I am today. Not only it showed what my strengths are, but also the areas which I need to improve on, in order to progress into my professionalism. On reflection, dissecting job specification helped me to prove to employers how I can fit into their company and the position.

Moreover, it showed to me what I can and cannot do, and what needs to be improved in order to apply for the position. I have since used this technique more often to set goals and achievements before I apply for more senior roles. Overall, as a Belbin’s plant buyer, I can see that I may generate too much ideas for the buying team to take.

However, being a good buyer, you cannot carelessly design and order garments to sell without an in-depth analysis of cat walk trends or from WGSN. As this could damage the business if the line doesn’t sell.

But as well as being a reflector learner, I can balance the over generating ideas using its strength of thoughtful in assimilating information. I also like to take in all the facts and evidences from research before I compile a final idea. This way, my skills can ensure that in whatever I do, I minimise the risk of a fail range as I never jump into conclusions.

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Belbin, M. (2019) The nine Belbin Team Roles, Belbin. [Online] [Accessed on 20 March 2019] https://www.belbin.com/about/belbin-team-roles/ Businessballs. (2019) Job interviews. Businessballs. [Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.businessballs.com/team-management/job-interviews/ Changing minds. (2019) Listening styles. Changing minds. [Online image] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] http://changingminds.org/techniques/listening/listening_styles.htm Croner-i. (2019) Negotiating with suppliers. Croner-i. [Online] [Accessed on 26th March 2019] https://app.croneri.co.uk/feature-articles/negotiating-suppliers de Bono, E. (1982) Thinking course. London: BBC Books.

Ericsson, K., Krampe, R. and Tesch-Römer, C. (1993) ‘The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance’. Psychological review, 100(3), pp. 363- 406.

Fowler, G. (2005) Making the most of career fairs. ScienceMag. [Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2005/12/making-most-careerfairs Gerstein, J. (2014) Growth Mindset: personal accountability and reflection.

User generated education. [Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https:// usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/growth-mindset-personalaccountability-and-reflection/ Glassdoor. (2019) Womenswear junior buyer. Glassdoor. [Online image] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/job-listing/womenswearjunior-buyer-1-year-ftc-matchesfashion-com-JV_IC2671300_KO0,34_KE35,53. htm?jl=3050003482&utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_ apply&utm_medium=organic Goworek, H. (2007) Fashion Buying. London: Blackwell.

Gray, A. (2016) The 10 skills you need to thrive in the Fourth Industrial revolution.

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Hawthornwaite, C. (2008) ‘Learning relations and networks in web-based communities.

International journal of web based communities, 4(2), pp. 140-158.

Henretty, J., Levitt, H. and Mathews, S. (2008) ‘Clients’ experiences of moments of sadness in psychotherapy: a grounded theory analysis’. Psychotherapy Research. 18(3), pp. 243-255.

Jackson, T. and Shaw, D. (2001) Mastering fashion buying and merchandising management. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lazarus, R. (1991), Emotion and adaption. New York: Oxford University Press.

LiveCareer. (2019) The ten keys to success at job and career fairs. LiveCareer. [Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.livecareer.com/career/advice/jobs/jobcareer-fairs Luthra, A. and Dahiya, R. (2015) ‘Effective leadership is all about communicating effectively: connecting leadership and communication’. Management studies, 5(3), pp. 4348.

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McGrath, L. (2017) Teamwork. Interview Techniques. [Online] [Accessed on 20 March 2019] https://interviewtechniques.ie/teamwork/ McLeod, S. (2017) Kolb’s learning style and experiential learning cycle. Simply psychology.

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[Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/ teaching-and-learning/blessings-benefits-using-guest-lecturers/ Northouse, P. (2007) Leadership: theory and practice. London: SAGE. Sutherland, E. (2018) The new skillsets of the super-buyers. Drapers. [Online] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] https://www.drapersonline.com/business-operations/the-newskillsets-of-the-super-buyers/7032855.article The e-learning network. (2015) Honey and Mumford learner types quiz (1986). The e-learn ing network. [Online image] [Accessed on 27th of March 2019] http://resources.eln.io/ honey-mumford-learner-types-1986-questionnaire-online/ Van Hoek., et al. (2011) ’Embedding insights from industry in supply chain programmes: the role of guest lecturers’. Supply Chain Management: an international journal, 16(2), pp.

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Chapple, J. (2015) Grilled corn on the cob with feta and chives. Real simple. [Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://www.realsimple.com/foodrecipes/browse-all-recipes/grilled-corn-on-cob-fetachives

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Sketch. (2019) Sketch Afternoon Tea. Sketch London.

[Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://www2.sketch.london/afternoon_tea.php#gsc. tab=0

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Nagi. (2018) Wonton Soup. Recipetineats. [Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://www. recipetineats.com/wonton-soup/

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Hossak, H. (2015) Siopao (Asian pork bun), Domestic Goddess. [Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://domesticgothess.com/blog/2015/02/27/ siopao-asian-pork-buns/#more-1269

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Picture of my ear

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Natasha. (2018) Marinated mini sweet peppers recipe, Natasha’s kitchen. [Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://natashaskitchen.com/marinatedmini-sweet-peppers-recipe/

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Sara. (2018) Pepper steak stir fry. Dinner at the zoo.

[Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/pepper-steak-stir-fry/

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Picture of myself with plants

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Images references Sally. (2018) Sweet and spicy honey chex mix. Sally’s baking addiction. [Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/spicyhoney-chex-mix/

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Nagi. (2016) Honey mustard dressing. Recipetineats.

[Online image] [Accessed on 29th of March 2019] https://www.recipetineats.com/honey-mustard-dressing/

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Picture of myself at restaurant

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Pic of myself

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Pic of me and friends with mirror reflection

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Style Bistro. (2010) Ralph Lauren at New York Fashion week Spring 2010. Pinterest. [Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ pin/318489004881452345/

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Style Bistro. (2013) Ralph Lauren at New York Fashion week Spring 2013. Pinterest. [Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ pin/834573374672593013/

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Livingly. (2017) Elisabetta Franchi at Milan fashion week fall 2017. Pinterest. [Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/756252962406610483/

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Style Limits. (2018) Pearl beaded beret. Pinterest.

[Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www. pinterest.co.uk/pin/282530576609534518/

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The Guardian. (2013) London fashion week: day two in pictures. Pinterest. [Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/479703797809692164/

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Pinterest. (2009) Green Hat. Pinterest. [Online] [Accessed on 1 April 2019] https://www.pinterest.co.uk/ pin/550565123190976709/

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Appendicies

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Appendix A. Womenswear Junior Buyer

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FASHION BUYING & MECHANDISING STUDENT LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoletcwong

NICOLE TSZ CHING WONG 07794 065 121

nicoleewongg@yahoo.com.hk

PROFILE Nicole is enhancing her knowledge of the fashion industry to fin gaps and solutions during this turbulent time for retailers. Her course and work experiences has prepared Nicole with understandings of the luxury market’s situation. Demonstrates strong customer awareness and exceptional customer care. Follows popular trends and is commercially aware of not only trends but also new fashion innovations and technologies. Years of boarding school experience and studying abroad has given her a strong foundation of communication, cultural understanding and adaptability which are all valuable and transferrable skills that she can reflect in the work environment. Fun and bubbly character with great teamwork spirit to encourage collaboration in order to achieve excellent levels of customer satisfaction.

Manchester

London

Hong Kong

SKILLS

Adobe Indesign

Customer Service

Adobe Illustrator

Cantonese

Analytical

Mandarin

Microsoft

DEAREST FANNIE Creative assistant & Buyer Assistant July 2018 - Current

Upon this unpaid work experience with a sustainable lifestyle start-up company, Nicole has been covering many aspects of the business. Her role included: - Assisting many product photoshoots - Packing and labelling products - Analysing product materials and their sustainability - Researching and contacting suppliers to determine which one fits with Dearest Fannie’s strategy, pricing, ethos and quality objectives.

This great opportunity has enhanced her insight into small business organisations and the roles of buyer and merchandiser

EXPERIENCE STITCHED UP CO-OPERATIVE LTD Volunteer Jan 2019 - Current

EXCEL INTERNSHIP University of Southampton Arts Ambassador Sept 2017 - Jul 2018

Every third Saturday of the month, Nicole volunteers at Stitched Up, a nonprofit co-operative which helps people to sew and upcycle their clothes. Her role varies from preparing, assisting workshops and crafting art works.

Nicole is also improving her hand sewing skills through this opportunity

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During this internship, Nicole enhanced her creative writing skills through creating content for Art’s monthly newsletter, regular blog posts, event reviews and interview right ups. Part of her role was being the social media co-ordinator for the Art’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page, ensuring regular uploads and engagement activities. She also created a promotional campaign for the launch of Southampton’s new cultural complex, the success of her campaign yield a result of 3000+ attendants

EXPERIENCE CONTINUED . . .

EDUCATION

ROYAL ASCOT Bar Staff June 2018

THE MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY Fashion Buying and Merchandising MA Sept 2018 - Current

Nicole worked effectively with the bar team to ensure all the tasks were completed. The efforts were recognised when the bar exceeded its target every day throughout Royal Ascot and became the highest earning bar As her first bar job, under the immense pressure and target driven role, Nicole was given employee of the week for her strong adaptability in managing learning new skills whilst performing high levels of customer service

JOHN HANSARD GALLERY Gallery Assistant Feb 2018

As gallery assistant, Nicole was in charge of managing the flow of visitors and provided assistance to visitors

COSMO GLOBAL BUFFETT Restaurant assistant Jan - Apr 2017

Nicole worked as a restaurant assistant during the second year of her study where she gained first hand customer service in a fast paced food and beverage environment. She has learned to avoid mistakes that displease customers, resolved customer complaints and paid full attention to what customers would ask for INTEGRATED BRILLIANT EDUCATION Volunteer Teacher Aug - Sept 2015

Nicole spent the summer before attending university to teach ethnic minorities the basic maths knowledge, English and Cantonese. This included teaching plans and developed effective communication approach to teach children of mixed ages

Distinction grade predicted

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON Geography BA Sept 2015 - Jun 2018

2:1 Degree is accredited by the Royal Geographical Society LVS ASCOT, ASCOT A Levels & GCSEs Sept 2006 - Jul 2015

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS 2018 Dissertation nomination for the RGS Race and Culture dissertation award Geography employability officer 2017 Secretary for the Chinese Student Society 2015 Sixth Form Prize for Textiles Runner up in the Independent School Association for Fashion in London West region Head of Boarding and senior prefect The Bill Goldsmith Memorial Prize for contribution to Sport & Sports Woman of the Year

INTERESTS Illustrating Design and make my own clothes Keen netball player, currently playing for MMU’s intramural team Enjoys cooking and hosting dinner parties

43 UPON REQUEST REFERENCE AVAILABLE

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