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What steps should I take to build a strong resume as a freshman?
I'm a freshman in college majoring in Advertising and Marketing Communications, and I'm passionate about working in the fashion industry; specifically in PR and creative direction. My dream is to one day become a creative director for a fashion brand. I've worked before in other jobs, but I don't have direct experience in fashion or communications yet. I want to start building my resume now so I can position myself for internships or roles that align with my goals. What kind of experience should I be looking for, and what steps can I take on early to stand out in this competitive industry? #Spring25
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Updated
Jarod’s Answer
As a freshman in Advertising and Marketing Communications with a focus on fashion PR and creative direction, building a strong resume starts with strategically accumulating relevant experiences, skills, and connections from day one. The fashion industry is highly competitive, but proactive steps now will help you stand out for internships and entry-level roles. Here’s a tailored plan to build your resume and position yourself for success:
1. Clarify Your Goals and Brand Yourself
Fashion PR and creative direction require a mix of creativity, strategic thinking, communication skills, and industry knowledge. Start by:
Defining your personal brand: What makes you unique? Are you passionate about sustainable fashion, inclusive marketing, or digital innovation? Use this to shape your resume and activities.
Updating your professional profiles:
Create or optimize a LinkedIn profile (even as a freshman!). Highlight your major, goals, and any early experiences (e.g., part-time jobs, coursework, hobbies like styling or blogging).
Start a personal website/portfolio (use platforms like Squarespace or Canva) to showcase creative projects, writing samples, or mood boards related to fashion.
2. Build Foundational Skills (Even Without Direct Experience)
Since you don’t have fashion/communications experience yet, focus on transferable skills and industry-relevant tools:
A. Learn Key Tools and Software
Design tools: Practice Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) for visual content creation.
Social media management: Learn platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest (critical for fashion PR). Use free tools like Hootsuite or Later to simulate social media campaigns.
Copywriting/editing: Strong writing is essential for PR (press releases, captions, emails). Take online courses (e.g., Coursera’s Copywriting for Social Media) or start a blog about fashion trends.
B. Take Relevant Courses
Prioritize classes in marketing, communications, graphic design, or digital media.
Look for electives in fashion business, consumer behavior, or visual culture to align with your goals.
C. Practice with Side Projects
Start a fashion-focused blog/Instagram: Write about trends, styling tips, or sustainability in fashion. This demonstrates creativity, consistency, and industry passion.
Create mock campaigns: Design a hypothetical PR campaign for a fashion brand (e.g., “How I’d relaunch a brand on TikTok”). Include visuals, strategy, and expected outcomes in your portfolio.
Volunteer for campus events: Help promote a campus fashion show, club event, or charity sale. Use this to practice marketing, event planning, or content creation.
3. Seek Out Internships and Entry-Level Opportunities
Even as a freshman, you can pursue part-time roles, internships, or freelance work (paid or unpaid) to gain experience. Focus on:
A. Target Fashion-Adjacent Fields
Retail jobs in fashion stores: Work at a clothing boutique, vintage shop, or brand flagship store. This builds customer service skills, retail knowledge, and industry connections.
Freelance social media management: Offer to manage social media for a small local brand, student-run fashion club, or entrepreneur. Use this to build a portfolio of content (posts, stories, analytics).
B. Apply for Freshman Internships
Many brands (especially startups or small agencies) offer freshman/sophomore internships or “exploratory” programs. Look for roles in:
PR agencies with fashion clients (e.g., Edelman, Weber Shandwick).
Fashion brands’ marketing/communications teams (check company websites or LinkedIn).
Campus marketing internships: Some universities hire students to promote brands on campus (e.g., Coca-Cola, Apple). These roles build event planning and social media skills.
C. Use Campus Resources
Career center: Meet with advisors to refine your resume and learn about on-campus jobs (e.g., working for the university’s marketing department).
Clubs and organizations: Join fashion clubs, marketing associations, or PR societies (e.g., Fashion Student Association, American Marketing Association). Run for a leadership role (even as a freshman!) to gain experience in event planning, team management, or content creation.
4. Network Strategically (Even as a Freshman)
Networking is crucial in fashion. Start small but intentionally:
Attend industry events: Look for virtual or in-person fashion talks, webinars, or college-hosted panels. Use platforms like Eventbrite or your school’s events calendar.
Connect on LinkedIn: Reach out to alumni in fashion PR/creative direction (use your school’s alumni network). Send a personalized message: “I’m a freshman at [School] interested in fashion PR. I loved your work on [specific project]. Would you mind sharing 1–2 tips for someone starting out?”
Engage with brands online: Comment thoughtfully on fashion brands’ social media posts or subscribe to their newsletters. Some brands (like Reformation, Ganni) share internships or casting calls via Instagram stories.
5. Structure Your Resume to Highlight Relevance
As a freshman, your resume will focus on potential, skills, and early experiences. Use this framework:
1. Header
Name, phone number, email, LinkedIn URL, personal website (if applicable).
2. Objective Statement (Optional but Impactful)
Example: “Passionate freshman in Advertising and Marketing Communications seeking to leverage creativity and digital skills in fashion PR and creative direction. Committed to driving inclusive and innovative campaigns for brands like [Brand Name].”
3. Education
College name, major, expected graduation date, GPA (if 3.0+).
Include relevant coursework (e.g., “Relevant Courses: Introduction to Marketing, Visual Communications”).
4. Experience (Order by relevance, not chronology)
Campus involvement: List clubs, leadership roles, or projects (e.g., “Social Media Manager for Campus Fashion Club: Grew Instagram following by 50% in one semester”).
Side projects: Include your blog, mock campaigns, or freelance work (e.g., “Created and managed a fashion blog with 500 monthly readers; wrote 20+ articles on sustainable style”).
Retail/part-time jobs: Highlight transferable skills (e.g., “Sales Associate at [Store]: Improved customer engagement by suggesting styling tips, leading to a 15% increase in repeat visits”).
5. Skills
Hard skills: Adobe Creative Suite, social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok), Canva, Google Analytics, copywriting.
Soft skills: Creative direction, campaign strategy, teamwork, public speaking, trend analysis.
6. Projects/Portfolio
Add a section linking to your personal website or specific projects (e.g., “Launched a TikTok campaign for a hypothetical sustainable brand, resulting in 10k views in one week”).
7. Awards/Volunteer Work (Optional)
Include any relevant awards (e.g., “Best Visual Design in a Marketing Project”) or volunteer work (e.g., “Volunteer at a local clothing drive: Organized social media promotion, increasing participation by 30%”).
6. Key Experiences to Prioritize (by Year)
Freshman Year (Now)
Join a fashion/marketing club and take on a role (e.g., content creator, event planner).
Start a fashion blog or Instagram to showcase your eye for trends.
Apply for a retail job in fashion (even part-time).
Complete a free online course in fashion marketing or PR (e.g., Coursera’s Fashion as Marketing by Parsons School of Design).
Sophomore Year
Intern at a fashion brand or PR agency (even a remote, part-time role).
Lead a campaign for a campus club (e.g., rebrand a club’s social media).
Freelance for a small fashion business (e.g., create their lookbook or press kit).
Junior/Senior Year
Secure a summer internship at a target brand (e.g., Vogue, Calvin Klein, PR agencies like KCD).
Take on a capstone project related to fashion (e.g., design a marketing strategy for a local boutique).
Build relationships with professors for recommendations.
7. Example Freshman Resume Outline
Name
Contact Information | LinkedIn | Portfolio Website
Objective: Driven freshman pursuing a degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications, with a focus on fashion PR and creative direction. Seeking to leverage digital storytelling and design skills to support innovative campaigns in the fashion industry.
Education
University Name, Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Marketing Communications, Expected Graduation: 202？
GPA: ?.? (first semester)
Relevant Courses: Introduction to Marketing, Visual Communications, Digital Media Fundamentals
Experience
Campus Fashion Club | Social Media Intern
Created and scheduled Instagram posts featuring student styling, increasing engagement by 40% in two months.
Assisted in planning a campus fashion show, managing event promotion via TikTok (reached 10k views).
Sales Associate | Local Vintage Boutique
Provided personalized styling advice to customers, leading to a 25% increase in average transaction value.
Managed the store’s Instagram stories, showcasing new arrivals and driving 15% growth in followers.
Skills
Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Canva | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook | Copywriting, Trend Analysis, Event Planning
Projects
Fashion Blog: The Sustainable Style Diaries
Published weekly articles on thrifting and eco-friendly fashion, attracting 500+ monthly readers.
Collaborated with a small sustainable brand to feature their products, increasing their website traffic by 30%.
1. Clarify Your Goals and Brand Yourself
Fashion PR and creative direction require a mix of creativity, strategic thinking, communication skills, and industry knowledge. Start by:
Defining your personal brand: What makes you unique? Are you passionate about sustainable fashion, inclusive marketing, or digital innovation? Use this to shape your resume and activities.
Updating your professional profiles:
Create or optimize a LinkedIn profile (even as a freshman!). Highlight your major, goals, and any early experiences (e.g., part-time jobs, coursework, hobbies like styling or blogging).
Start a personal website/portfolio (use platforms like Squarespace or Canva) to showcase creative projects, writing samples, or mood boards related to fashion.
2. Build Foundational Skills (Even Without Direct Experience)
Since you don’t have fashion/communications experience yet, focus on transferable skills and industry-relevant tools:
A. Learn Key Tools and Software
Design tools: Practice Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) for visual content creation.
Social media management: Learn platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest (critical for fashion PR). Use free tools like Hootsuite or Later to simulate social media campaigns.
Copywriting/editing: Strong writing is essential for PR (press releases, captions, emails). Take online courses (e.g., Coursera’s Copywriting for Social Media) or start a blog about fashion trends.
B. Take Relevant Courses
Prioritize classes in marketing, communications, graphic design, or digital media.
Look for electives in fashion business, consumer behavior, or visual culture to align with your goals.
C. Practice with Side Projects
Start a fashion-focused blog/Instagram: Write about trends, styling tips, or sustainability in fashion. This demonstrates creativity, consistency, and industry passion.
Create mock campaigns: Design a hypothetical PR campaign for a fashion brand (e.g., “How I’d relaunch a brand on TikTok”). Include visuals, strategy, and expected outcomes in your portfolio.
Volunteer for campus events: Help promote a campus fashion show, club event, or charity sale. Use this to practice marketing, event planning, or content creation.
3. Seek Out Internships and Entry-Level Opportunities
Even as a freshman, you can pursue part-time roles, internships, or freelance work (paid or unpaid) to gain experience. Focus on:
A. Target Fashion-Adjacent Fields
Retail jobs in fashion stores: Work at a clothing boutique, vintage shop, or brand flagship store. This builds customer service skills, retail knowledge, and industry connections.
Freelance social media management: Offer to manage social media for a small local brand, student-run fashion club, or entrepreneur. Use this to build a portfolio of content (posts, stories, analytics).
B. Apply for Freshman Internships
Many brands (especially startups or small agencies) offer freshman/sophomore internships or “exploratory” programs. Look for roles in:
PR agencies with fashion clients (e.g., Edelman, Weber Shandwick).
Fashion brands’ marketing/communications teams (check company websites or LinkedIn).
Campus marketing internships: Some universities hire students to promote brands on campus (e.g., Coca-Cola, Apple). These roles build event planning and social media skills.
C. Use Campus Resources
Career center: Meet with advisors to refine your resume and learn about on-campus jobs (e.g., working for the university’s marketing department).
Clubs and organizations: Join fashion clubs, marketing associations, or PR societies (e.g., Fashion Student Association, American Marketing Association). Run for a leadership role (even as a freshman!) to gain experience in event planning, team management, or content creation.
4. Network Strategically (Even as a Freshman)
Networking is crucial in fashion. Start small but intentionally:
Attend industry events: Look for virtual or in-person fashion talks, webinars, or college-hosted panels. Use platforms like Eventbrite or your school’s events calendar.
Connect on LinkedIn: Reach out to alumni in fashion PR/creative direction (use your school’s alumni network). Send a personalized message: “I’m a freshman at [School] interested in fashion PR. I loved your work on [specific project]. Would you mind sharing 1–2 tips for someone starting out?”
Engage with brands online: Comment thoughtfully on fashion brands’ social media posts or subscribe to their newsletters. Some brands (like Reformation, Ganni) share internships or casting calls via Instagram stories.
5. Structure Your Resume to Highlight Relevance
As a freshman, your resume will focus on potential, skills, and early experiences. Use this framework:
1. Header
Name, phone number, email, LinkedIn URL, personal website (if applicable).
2. Objective Statement (Optional but Impactful)
Example: “Passionate freshman in Advertising and Marketing Communications seeking to leverage creativity and digital skills in fashion PR and creative direction. Committed to driving inclusive and innovative campaigns for brands like [Brand Name].”
3. Education
College name, major, expected graduation date, GPA (if 3.0+).
Include relevant coursework (e.g., “Relevant Courses: Introduction to Marketing, Visual Communications”).
4. Experience (Order by relevance, not chronology)
Campus involvement: List clubs, leadership roles, or projects (e.g., “Social Media Manager for Campus Fashion Club: Grew Instagram following by 50% in one semester”).
Side projects: Include your blog, mock campaigns, or freelance work (e.g., “Created and managed a fashion blog with 500 monthly readers; wrote 20+ articles on sustainable style”).
Retail/part-time jobs: Highlight transferable skills (e.g., “Sales Associate at [Store]: Improved customer engagement by suggesting styling tips, leading to a 15% increase in repeat visits”).
5. Skills
Hard skills: Adobe Creative Suite, social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok), Canva, Google Analytics, copywriting.
Soft skills: Creative direction, campaign strategy, teamwork, public speaking, trend analysis.
6. Projects/Portfolio
Add a section linking to your personal website or specific projects (e.g., “Launched a TikTok campaign for a hypothetical sustainable brand, resulting in 10k views in one week”).
7. Awards/Volunteer Work (Optional)
Include any relevant awards (e.g., “Best Visual Design in a Marketing Project”) or volunteer work (e.g., “Volunteer at a local clothing drive: Organized social media promotion, increasing participation by 30%”).
6. Key Experiences to Prioritize (by Year)
Freshman Year (Now)
Join a fashion/marketing club and take on a role (e.g., content creator, event planner).
Start a fashion blog or Instagram to showcase your eye for trends.
Apply for a retail job in fashion (even part-time).
Complete a free online course in fashion marketing or PR (e.g., Coursera’s Fashion as Marketing by Parsons School of Design).
Sophomore Year
Intern at a fashion brand or PR agency (even a remote, part-time role).
Lead a campaign for a campus club (e.g., rebrand a club’s social media).
Freelance for a small fashion business (e.g., create their lookbook or press kit).
Junior/Senior Year
Secure a summer internship at a target brand (e.g., Vogue, Calvin Klein, PR agencies like KCD).
Take on a capstone project related to fashion (e.g., design a marketing strategy for a local boutique).
Build relationships with professors for recommendations.
7. Example Freshman Resume Outline
Name
Contact Information | LinkedIn | Portfolio Website
Objective: Driven freshman pursuing a degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications, with a focus on fashion PR and creative direction. Seeking to leverage digital storytelling and design skills to support innovative campaigns in the fashion industry.
Education
University Name, Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Marketing Communications, Expected Graduation: 202？
GPA: ?.? (first semester)
Relevant Courses: Introduction to Marketing, Visual Communications, Digital Media Fundamentals
Experience
Campus Fashion Club | Social Media Intern
Created and scheduled Instagram posts featuring student styling, increasing engagement by 40% in two months.
Assisted in planning a campus fashion show, managing event promotion via TikTok (reached 10k views).
Sales Associate | Local Vintage Boutique
Provided personalized styling advice to customers, leading to a 25% increase in average transaction value.
Managed the store’s Instagram stories, showcasing new arrivals and driving 15% growth in followers.
Skills
Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Canva | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook | Copywriting, Trend Analysis, Event Planning
Projects
Fashion Blog: The Sustainable Style Diaries
Published weekly articles on thrifting and eco-friendly fashion, attracting 500+ monthly readers.
Collaborated with a small sustainable brand to feature their products, increasing their website traffic by 30%.
Updated
Anthony’s Answer
I wrote about how to write an effective resume for The Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/how-to-get-a-job-11605911616
Keep it simple: Use clean, standard formatting for easy readability by both humans and software.
Use keywords: Incorporate important terms from the job description to pass automated filters.
Customize your documents: Tailor each résumé and cover letter to fit the specific job and company, adding a personal touch to show genuine interest.
Don't rely heavily on AI: Using ChatGPT or other platforms for AI assistance can often make your resume sound like many others. You need to stand out and AI tends to flatten resumes in a way that will do the opposite. I strongly advice using a personal touch and avoid the AI crutch.
Keep it simple: Use clean, standard formatting for easy readability by both humans and software.
Use keywords: Incorporate important terms from the job description to pass automated filters.
Customize your documents: Tailor each résumé and cover letter to fit the specific job and company, adding a personal touch to show genuine interest.
Don't rely heavily on AI: Using ChatGPT or other platforms for AI assistance can often make your resume sound like many others. You need to stand out and AI tends to flatten resumes in a way that will do the opposite. I strongly advice using a personal touch and avoid the AI crutch.
Updated
Di’s Answer
Hi Victoria,
In addition to classes, I would recommend looking for school organizations, volunteer opportunities, internship opportunities, and part-time jobs that give you exposure to the industry. You can also look for alumni from your school that are doing what you are interested in doing at the companies you would like to join and start to build your network with them and get their advice on how they approached their career.
Hope this helps!
In addition to classes, I would recommend looking for school organizations, volunteer opportunities, internship opportunities, and part-time jobs that give you exposure to the industry. You can also look for alumni from your school that are doing what you are interested in doing at the companies you would like to join and start to build your network with them and get their advice on how they approached their career.
Hope this helps!
Updated
Felix’s Answer
Get involved with a club where you can gain practical experience. If you join a Marketing club, are there opportunities for you to work with real clients? If not, try to build support for something like this.
Updated
Kangana’s Answer
Hey Victoria,
I would recommend that you join any fashion or pr related clubs at your campus. That can help you build your resume as well as your professional network. Next, I would advise you to pursue entry level roles and internships. Even applying/working for PR/Marketing internships at small boutiques, local brands, or startups can help you. Whilst, work on building your creative portfolio, personal blog or Instagram/TikTok page. Since you are a freshman I would recommend reaching out to upper classmen, especially anyone doing something you may be interested in. You can even reach out to professionals to network with and get advice from. All these things will help you build your resume.
I would recommend that you join any fashion or pr related clubs at your campus. That can help you build your resume as well as your professional network. Next, I would advise you to pursue entry level roles and internships. Even applying/working for PR/Marketing internships at small boutiques, local brands, or startups can help you. Whilst, work on building your creative portfolio, personal blog or Instagram/TikTok page. Since you are a freshman I would recommend reaching out to upper classmen, especially anyone doing something you may be interested in. You can even reach out to professionals to network with and get advice from. All these things will help you build your resume.
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
These are all great responses above. I would also try to get a good GPA freshman year. A strong GPA freshman year gives you more flexibility as you start to take tougher classes later in college. In addition, it also is important to have a strong GPA as a freshman and sophomore as that is when you will start applying for internships. Thus, if there is an easy class that fits your schedule, that could be an easy A, take it as a freshman! Plus you will be a freshman and have a bunch of other things on your mind like making friends and getting involved at the school.