STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Kitty · Hermes

Decisions decisions!

AllieGurl · Marc Jacobs

Kitty wrote:

The positives about this new job is that the owner has an MBA and started the business herself. She said she's more than willing to teach me all the ins and outs of starting a business. She also said that there are lots of opportunities for marketing the boutique and that she'd be more than happy to give me those responsibilities, etc. She kept emphasizing that it was definitely an opportunity w/ room for growth.

I feel like I'm still young and that this is the kind of risk I should take now..because it's going to be a lot harder in 15 years or so.

My thoughts exactly. Your young. you dont like your current job. You love fashion and seem to want to try a different path.

My suggestion - can you take a "leave of absence" from your current job for the 3 month trial at the other job? If you hate it you could always go back.

Also I would counter offer. Ask for the hourly rate she offered plus a small commision. (like half what the normal would be after the 3 months) This way you will show that you are willing to prove yourself.

Not only that but you could end up one day owning your own store, and you would probably learn alot from this women who has obivously been successful..

Besides - wont you get a discount? That should help with the paycut in saving on clothes !

boobaby · Kate Spade

I say do it! I feel like dying every time I try to picture myself working in an office environment for the rest of my life. I would love an opportunity like you have.

Kitty · Hermes

Crap. I'm trying to figure out if I'll be able to actually afford it. Does anyone know of any calculators online that help you calculate what taxes would take out of your pay?

alagirl · Kenneth Cole

Sounds like to me that this is a great opportunity for you. I went through the same sort of decisions about a year ago (from a USDA/federal employee to self employed) and it was the best decision I ever made. It's scary to give up the pay you are used to, but being happy and content at work means a helluva lot to me. You are right about now being the time to make a move - 10 or 15 years is a long time to stay at a job you don't like!
I would do as Alliegurl suggested and ask for a counter offer. She can only say no.
Keep us informed!

halleybird · Hermes

AllieGurl wrote:

Kitty wrote:

My suggestion - can you take a "leave of absence" from your current job for the 3 month trial at the other job? If you hate it you could always go back.

this is a good idea. Have you worked retail before? It can be pretty mind-numbing too, though a boutique is probably less so than the places I have worked. If you haven't tried retail, this would be a good idea.

Kitty · Hermes

I doubt my work would be cool w/ the leave of absence. Plus, if I do the leave of absence and then decide I don't want to go back..that's kind of messed up, ya know? I'm sure I could find another job if it doesn't end up working.

I just emailed her back a counter offer that I think is fair and is a more reasonable paycut from my perspective. If she says no, I probably won't take it.

kenzie · Chanel

halleybird wrote:

Have you worked retail before? It can be pretty mind-numbing too, though a boutique is probably less so than the places I have worked. If you haven't tried retail, this would be a good idea.

I agree. When I worked in retail, I wanted to scream because I was so bored. But, working in a boutique and having the opportunity to do marketing for them sounds like a great job. I hope it works out for you!

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

I am going to go a different route... what if you continue your career with marketing but move onto a better industry.. like art or fashion? Marketing is about communication and interaction. I think the reason you might be unhappy, is like you said you don't have strong feeling about the products you're pushing. What if you did marketing for a fashion company, or magazine, or something else young and hip?

Farrah · Marc Jacobs

I completely know where you are coming from. I spent 4 years in HR when I decided that I couldn't take the corporate environment anymore. I don't know what ever gave me the impression that I would be happy in an office for the rest of my life; I was a theater major for crying out loud!

Even though I am still in a corporate environment I like my job and it is only temporary while I go to school to get my teaching certificate and Masters (which is major in helping me cope). I'll be taking a pay cut when I start teaching too, but I absolutely know it is worth it to be happy. Do you have the support of FH in this endeavour? That is super important because you are starting from scratch. Just remember that you have to do what makes Kitty happy and don't be swayed by money. Unless you have a job that pays 6 figures or more it is never worth it to stay just for the money. JMO. Good luck and keep us posted!!

jj · Kate Spade

If you want to see what your take-home pay would be after taxes, check out www.paycheckcity.com. Go to personal calculators on the left, then click on paycheck calculator. It's fantastic - I always use it when negotiating salaries or a raise.

About the job, have you thought about approaching PR/Adv firms that work with boutiques or designers? I just left a small firm that designs and places ads for a few local boutiques and puts together materials for them when they want to approach designers about selling their lines. You would still be involved in the industry, but potentially doing more things you like and for a better salary.

Kitty · Hermes

I've tried to get jobs doing marketing for anything fashion related and I've had a really difficult time..I think because I don't have any experience in that industry. I wonder if this would be a stepping stone? Especially if she let me handle some of the marketing.

Ack. I just don't know what to do...I'm trying to figure out what kind of career this could even lead to.

jj · Kate Spade

Hmmmm...I guess my guidance depends on your level of marketing experience. I really believe that if you have certain skills and experiences, you can translate it into a related career path. Marketing for a university and retailers are obviously different, but still rely on the same skill sets.

Also, make sure the boutique has a marketing budget - do they run ads in magazines, host events or have a website? I think it would be easier to market if she has certain things in place already. If she doesn't have a web site now, she may not want to spend the $$$ to create one.

littlebean · Kate Spade

First of all, congratulations! I know this is a hard decision, but it's great that you have this opportunity.

I agree with what Farrah and others have said above. You are way too young to stay in a career/field that doesn't make you happy. And there's no better time than now to make the move. I definitely think that you should try to leave your current position.

To me the question is whether or not this is the job that you want to leave it for. It sounds like there are some really good "growth opportunities" in the position and they might give you the chance to get a leg up to get other jobs in the fashion industry down the line. But I also think that it's true that there might be some undesirable aspects of working in the boutique -- and if you don't necessarily want to do something like open your own boutique someday, who knows if it would open the opportunities you want it to. And potentially it could make it more difficult to get back into the marketing field. But I just don't know...

So, my basic advice with this sort of thing is always to just do a pros/cons list, even though it's sort of silly, I think it helps, and obviously to talk it over with your fiance. My other advice would be that if you have the ability to find someone with your "dream job" (e.g. full-time marketing in the fashion industry) -- maybe through the alumni office of your university or through some other connection -- have a conversation with them about how this boutique job would look on your resume and what she/he thinks is the best next step for you to get to where you want to be someday.

Kitty · Hermes

It's not weird to ask for an offer letter, is it? It's such a small operation that I have a feeling she'll think i'm nuts..but I want something in writing before I consider accepting.

jj · Kate Spade

I think it's a good idea to ask for a letter - I would have her include your start date, terms of your trial period, what date it will end, and then your salary after that.

Kitty · Hermes

Thanks!

luckylily · Gucci

Kitty - I'm dying to know...what did you decide to do? It seems like such a cool job, but I can imagine that it is a really tough decision.

Kitty · Hermes

I took it.

Here was my thinking:

I had a job lined up before I even graduated college, and literally started the Monday after I graduated. I didn't have more than a weekend off.

Since then, I've just been doing the responsible thing and trying to move up and up.

I don't even know if I want to do marketing, I don't like desk jobs, I'm not sure I can imagine myself doing what I'm currently doing for the next 40 years.

I'm basically going to take this job as a leap of faith and a chance to just do something totally different and FUN. I don't know if it will lead to a different career or if it will lead to anything. I just need to do this for my own mental health and while I'm still young and don't have a lot of responsibilities (house, kids, etc.).

If it doesn't work out, there will always be office/marketing jobs and I have the rest of my life to do those jobs.

Plus, every single time I went in the store I felt SO HAPPY. I love the two girls I'd be working with and I just felt energized and alive after walking out.

So, I put in my two weeks yesterday and I start on the 21st! Yay!

luckylily · Gucci

Yippee!! Congratulations! FWIW, I think you made the right decision. You clearly thought it through; you can always go back to an office job later if this new job doesn't provide you w/ the challenge you are looking for.