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Golden lessons for smooth career in the apparel industry

I have around ten year’s practical working experience in an apparel industry. Today I will share my gathered knowledge with you by this article. Ten years are not short time to become expertise on a particular subject. I think my lessons will help you a lot to cope up any apparel or fashion industry. I am interested in sharing my knowledge, especially with the novice. Every year thousands of newcomers are tried to get accommodation in apparel or fashion industry.

After my graduation, I have joined in a renowned garment industry as a junior merchandiser. There I have to do several tasks like sample development, dispatch, sample material sourcing, swatch card making, lab dip test, procurement, major quality defects checking etc. After three years I got a promotion. As I have started from root level, so I got chance a lot to learn more. I had to face a lot of well and worse situation during my working tenure that I will share with you by following topics.
1) Show respect to your superiors:   
Golden lessons for smooth career in apparel industryIt’s the best trick to make good relationship with your colleagues, mentors, and superiors. You have to pass enough time with them in a day. Your progress, learning might be stopped due to their inconvenience. You cannot work alone. You need support, guidance, and favor from superiors. If you don’t show your regards to them, they will not favor you when you desire.
Remember, you may become friendly with you colleagues who hold similar position, but you must show respect that holds a higher position than you. They deserve honor and obedience from others due to their long tenure of working experience. If you do not respect and failed to make good relationship with them, you will miss from their love, guidance, favor while your desire. Your positive attitude will help you to coup up with a new environment.
Moral: Mutual respect is desired if you wish to be admired
2) Double check that is assigned to others:
Garment is a crowded sector where so many people are gathered to hit a particular goal. If you hold a superior position in a company, you might be looked after plenty of jobs to accomplish. You need to rely on your subordinates who will complete all of your tasks. It would be better if you can make sure that your subordinates are caring out that has been assigned. The work has referred to juniors is to be double checked by you whether it is finished perfectly or not. Even ensure that the job has yet been started or not. Never believe others oral speech. You cannot escape your liability if any task is not done perfectly or found a mistake in the work later. I have faced such type of problems several times during my working tenure. Always cross check all the tasks related to cutting, production and finishing section.
Moral: Be rational, not emotional in professional task
3) Keep a signed copy or receipt copy for evidence: 
“Danger comes without information” is an appropriate proverb in the apparel industry. You can’t predict how much worse situation will arise to you from the different angle. Don’t misunderstand me; it’s a common practice in garment industry. I have learned the truth from my long tenure of service life. If somehow any mistake happens by someone, nobody is willing to take the liabilities. Everyone will try to keep them in safe zone. I had to handle so many cases and heard the speech of victims.
There is no value of verbal command or approval. You should keep signed copy, receipt copy or email documents during any communication and never forget to keep the receipt. You have to be alert during any transition with other departments. Unfortunately, if any mistake happens and you are directly involved with the transition but you don’t have any evidence that it was not your mistake. What will be the result? I think you could realize the effect. Even never believe any suppliers or buyers verbal command because end of the day they may not keep their word.
Moral: Counter record is inevitable as it is evidence
4) Make your trend:
The persons who got success are same to us, but they did the task in a different way. Be innovative and find a different trend to manage your tasks in a precise way. Your capabilities of handling work will keep you in safe zone. There is no need to explain the importance of hard work, politeness, honesty, dedication, punctuality etc. Extra activities like sports, music, negotiation power and labor handling capability will keep you in focus point.
Moral: An idea can change your life.
5) Efficiency will be increased by solving more problems:
Solving problem ability is a great positive characteristic. If you can solve more problems perfectly it will increase your confidence. When you are capable of solving more problems at a time, it will get noticed by your colleagues, friends, and management. It has some positive and negative sides. Your management and office colleagues will rely on your efficiency. You will get promotion and other benefits. It’s a positive thing. But problem is that when you frequently extend your helping hand to your colleagues and give a solution to solve their problems. Later it will make big panic. Mostly they will depend on your decision and recall you again and again to resolve their problems. Thus, you will become overloaded by solving other tasks. It will compress your free time. Suppose, I was busy to find a solution in my job, but they are urging me to get rid of their problems.
Here I can share my personal experience for your reference. I am little bit interested regarding IT related issues. Thus, I got expertise on computer related problems. When someone falls any trouble in office like computer maintenance, excels formulas, email set up or drafting, find something in Google etc. Usually, they like to seek my assistance in solving their problems. Even my superiors and ex-colleagues knocked me to get a solution. Initially, I was delighted, but later it made me fatigue.
Moral: Be enthusiastic in your job first. Sometimes you have to say no to others.
6) Be professional:
It is true we all are emotional as we are human beings. But we have to be professional in job life. Otherwise, your emotional decision will obviously create many problems in professional task. Professional manner will help you to grow your confidence and expedite your promotion, career etc.
Moral: Keep distance from toxic people.
7) Learn by doing. Don’t fear of making mistakes:
Beginners have little working experience comparing with other senior staffs. They cannot perform at the initial stage. They have to work under more senior persons. Seniors are always busy to handle some major issues thus most of the time juniors do not get help from them. Don’t take this in a wrong way. I learned from them after making mistakes. I was scold by my seniors many times while I made a mistake. I become expert by learning and doing work. Don’t be shy about making a mistake because no one can be expert without doing physical task.
I just followed their advice and tried to catch their trend politely. But never try to be over smart and don’t urge superior to provide secret tools or techniques at the initial stage. If so they would become afraid of you. They must assist you if you have patience and learning attitude. First, attract them by your dedication and punctuality then they will disclose the entire secret weapon to you.
Moral: Work spontaneously. Don’t become frighten whatever someone is thinking.
 
8) Don’t hide a mistake:
If someone does a lot of work, he can make a mistake. As a human being, it is considerable. But the terrible thing is that if he will try to hide it from others. He who do not work it mean mistake can’t be made by him. Once any error occurred by you, please disclose it to concern person. Otherwise, it will bring horrible situation later, and nobody will show interest to rescue you in that time. Please keep in mind that your mistake quickly caught by other expertise sooner or later. If you disclose them and seek advice, they must assist you to overcome those obstacles. Remember, they got expertise by facing such problems several times.
Moral: A stitch in time saves nine.
9) Speak loudly to make the issue clear; else nobody will pay attention you:
Garment sector is a place where so many people work at a time. You may face enough cunning guys who will try to make you false. They have bad tendency to prove themselves too superior, dynamic and better than you. Intentionally, they will try to find errors in your task. So, pay attention to your task and make clear to others. Don’t hesitate to speak the truth and keep you safe from others deception and conspiracy.
Moral: Make the talking comprehensible.
10) Others may try to make the thing worse:
I don’t have intention to share the scenario with you what I faced. But I have to disclose it for the betterment of all. You have to handle so many problems that are not familiar to you. But others are expert to deal the problems. They know the sequence and character of the problem and familiar to handle it smartly. But they may not warn you before due to envy. They will try to prove you idle, amateur and not efficient for this position. Fair computation is inevitable in professional life. But if someone intentionally tries to pull you in the wrong way it is not acceptable.
Moral: Be aware of devil’s advocacy.

Conclusion: I just express my feeling, experience, and thoughts to you. You may have a different experience. If you have any thoughts please share with us. Now it’s your turn. You can follow it or not.

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