From career advice to lessons of failure, and inspiring words about life in general: Her Conference was full of inspiration from its speakers and panelists.
Here’s what I took away from my weekend with Her Campus in New York City:
“Everything in the [fashion] industry is shifting through social media and you are at the apex to make your own mark,” –Designer Rebecca Minkoff.
Technology is the industry’s next big thing and right now we are at a huge turning point in the industry as companies and brands are shifting their methods of production, marketing and much more. Social media has impacted the industry and the world more than anyone could have imagined and millennials are the pros and at the head of this major innovation.
“Take advantage of the resources you have at an internship,” –Executive Fashion Director of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen Aya Kanai.
Internships are such amazing opportunities to get hands on experience in the industry, and often time interns do not take advantage of what is put out in front of them. Aya constantly sees interns form cliques and walk around like they own the place, when as an intern, you are there to learn. Internships are great opportunities to network with fellow interns and other team members. They are places to make yourself known and prove that you are the best at you do. And remember that someone is always watching you, so professionalism is key.
“The best career you can have [is one] makes you happy,” –Best-Selling Author, Former Assistant DA of Atlanta and Reality Star for ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette Andi Dorfman.
Happiness is the key to success. If you are not happy with your life or your career, then you are not successful. You shouldn’t dread going to work everyday (only some days, because who really likes Mondays anyways?) You should be passionate about your position and you should always strive to improve yourself and your company.
Culture is Key
A common theme throughout all the speakers and panelists was that the environment in which you work is key in your career. If you are not in a work environment that inspires you to achieve, then maybe it isn’t the place for you. The devil should not wear Prada, but should like and get along with his or her boss and peers. If you do not like what your company stands for, even if it is your dream job title, you should take a step back and evaluate the culture in which you want to immerse yourself.
HC Panelist Cover Letter Tips
- Know your audience
- Have several people look it over
- Advocate for yourself
- Grab the reader’s attention in the first line (ex. Open with a personal story)
- Prove that you know the brand/company you’re applying for
- Avoid writing why the job would be great for you. Rather, focus on why you would be great for the company and how hiring you would make the boss’s job easier.
“Be the person you needed when you were younger,” –Editor-in-Chief of SELF Joyce Chang.
Growing up, who did you need to push you to the next step? Who inspired you to chase your dreams? As you grow up and move through new positions and changes in life; take a step back and reflect. Use your own experience to help others. Be the person you needed when you lost hope, were struggling, needed a friend, inspiration or even a laugh.
“Find your people,” –Joyce Chang.
Being driven is a great quality, but, as Joyce said, “it is often lonely at the top.” So finding your people is important. Find that group of friends you can count on even when you haven’t talked to them in a month. Find the people who will be there for you even on your worst days. Start to look for these people in college because once you start on your crazy, post-graduation journey there is no turning back.
“Never stop learning, because it gives you courage,” –Editor-in-Chief of ESSENCE Vanessa De Luca.
As editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, Vanessa De Luca, spoke about her keys to success. The one that stood out the most to me was that knowledge is power. . Often times, it’s thought that you go to school and take classes to learn what you need to know for the real world and that learning new things stops when you graduate. That’s not the case. No matter where you are in life, never stop learning. The second that you think you know everything, you’re stuck. So take a step back.
“Know something about something,” –U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.
Narrow down your goals and attack them head on with confidence. Be knowledgeable at every stage. Know your end goal, know your boss, know your company, know yourself and always be confident in your knowledge. If you always know something about something, it will show your dedication and investment to everything you do.
Being a strong writer will help you in the future.
Ambassador Samantha Power said, “learn to write, write well and write quickly.” Especially in the world of journalism, you need to learn to “time yourself and become a good, fast writer,” said Danielle Tullo, Editorial assistant at Cosmopolitan. No matter what field you are going into, you will need to learn to write and write well. Being a good writer will help you in all aspects of your life and career. From cover letters and assignments depending on your job to everyday emails, being able to write effectively will be a huge benefit.
Failure.
It is a word that no one likes to hear, yet it is one of the most important lessons of life. Each speaker who took to the Her Conference stage had a story of failure. Failure is what makes you stronger, failure is what allows you to try again and again until you achieve your goal.
“Believe in the power of failure,” –Vanessa De Luca.
Everyone has failed at some point in their life and that only makes you stronger. Don’t be afraid to fail because with each failure comes a new opportunity to succeed and improve upon yourself, your ideas and your skills.
“You can’t know strength until you know weakness,” –Andi Dorfman.
When you think about it, this makes perfect sense. In order to know what you’re good at you need to know what isn’t your strong suit. In order to rise up you need to fall down and in order to succeed you need to fail.
“’No’ is just the beginning of ‘yes’,” –Rebecca Minkoff.
Every success story starts with the word “no.” They start with rejection and being told they’re not good enough. Each no isn’t a failure, they push you closer to the yes you have been dreaming of. Never give up on your dreams because the next door you open may lead to a yes.
“Never quit on a bad day,” –Olympic Champion, Fitness Advocate and Author Nastia Luikin.
No one knows a bad day quite like Olympic Gymnast Nastia Luikin. However, we all have days where we feel like nothing is going right and we just want to quit on our dreams. One of the most important lessons I learned from Her Conference was this, no matter how tough or how bad it may seem, don’t quit on a bad day, you need to find the strength to see the good and to see what once made you fall in love with whatever it is that is currently bringing you down. In the end you will regret quitting just because your head was in the wrong place.
All that being said, the most incredible thing I learned is that Her Campus is a powerful network of inspiring and aspiring young women.