Want A Career In Fashion? Let Us Introduce You To Your Ultimate Mentor

Always dreamed of a career in fashion? You couldn't find a better mentor than Aliza Licht. She is the senior vice president of global communications at Donna Karan and is the one behind the industry-changing Twitter account, @dknyprgirl - it started out in 2009 as an anonymous Gossip Girl-style insider in DKNY HQ and now has over half a million followers.

You might think a fashion executive would never have the time (or inclination) to tell you what's wrong with your cover letter or what you should really wear to an interview, but if she could Aliza would have one to ones (over cappucinos) with everyone knocking on the door of the industry. Aliza began answering career questions on Twitter, which led her to write her debut book Leave Your Mark. In the 288 pages she covers everything from how to write a CV to how important it is to have your own brand on Twitter. We chatted to Aliza about how to break it into the industry below...

Firstly, what is the idea behind your book?

**Aliza: "**On Twitter people were asking me questions about business, not just PR. People would say I'm going on an interview, what are your tips for a cover letter. I was blogging about these things and an editor from Grand Central contacted me and said I think there's a book in here somewhere. It was so intimidating, I was like 'I can not write a book.' She stayed on me. I didn't want to do it just to do it, I needed a purpose. One day I thought I need a career guide. The fashion industry in general is a great lesson across any industry because people think it's all glam and fluff but people in fashion work really hard. Using my journey as the narrative I can pull out all the things I've learned and did write.

How important do you think it is to have a social media presence?

**Aliza: **"If you want to go into fashion it's important. It used to be the resume, this one piece of paper that outlined our lives. Now you can paint the exact picture you want of yourself out there. It's an amazing ability to network and that is twitter's biggest attribute. It's the biggest cocktail party in the world."

What are the best connections you have made on Twitter?

**Aliza: **"In the introduction you'll see that I have hired my assistant off Twitter. You can in a subtle way keep connections going on Twitter - it's more organic and natural and has helped me a lot with my own connections. From a news perspective it keeps your finger on the pulse."

What are your top tips if want to get into fashion?

Aliza: "You have to show that you really want to work at that specific company. If you say 'I'm dying to work in PR' ok well so are like 50 other people. You need to show 'I'm dying to work in PR at Donna Karan.' And not in a blowing smoke way, in a sincere way - they know where the brand has been and is going and hopefully know who you are. It's not enough to declare the area you want to work in, you have to prove why you are the one who should be hired.

You also have to remember fashion is a very small industry and at times there are office politics, but you cannot burn bridges because people always show up again. That's something I live by. You do what you can to get a job done."

How much do you edit yourself on twitter?

Aliza: "Because I'm a publicist I have that automatic filter. It's important to ask yourself 'why am I posting this right now?' Sometimes you are so concerned about gaining followers, you lose the mentality what will I do after this and that is dangerous. I made a sarcastic symbol because I wanted to make sure people didn't take my tweets the wrong way. It's too big of a following to go array."

What should you wear to an interview in fashion?

Aliza: "It's fashion, show your style. Look at the style of the company. Show your style, within reason. I don't believe in showing cleavage in the office and a skirt shouldn't be confused for a belt. Dress the spirit of the company. If you come to DKNY in a pink cable knit I'd tell you to go downstairs to Ralph. Be completely up to speed on everything about the person who is interviewing you and the company. The interview is not the chance to ask questions you could have Googled."

Buy Leave Your Mark,£11.99