Approaches to Interviews for Apparel Merchandising

Approaches to Interviews for Apparel Merchandising

Approaches to Interviews for Apparel Merchandising

Mohammad Shahadat Hossain 
Currently working on Merchandising for a buying liaison office. 
Studied B.Sc. in Textile Engineering from Daffodil International University 
E-mail: shahadat1859@yahoo.com

  All of we have our own way to adopt interviews & it varies from case to case or person to person (ways/interest of interviewer or theme of organization) but I am trying here to present a sequential overview which I believe to be making you confident prior to go for any interview specially for apparel merchandising job. 

Fig: Interview board

Before going for an interview/insight thinking when you’re on session: 

• Don’t be panic on getting the job while you’re on interviews.
• Be positive in thinking & try to feel for the entire session very lightly to grow your confidence.
• But be aware that you’re presenting yourself, so your any unusual manner can abuse your personality to market.
• Be formal in manner & approach, not only in dress-up.
• Try to think that whichever you know this is right & you have to establish this.
• Try to use simply “no” at your answer, don’t try to answer any point on which you’re not confident enough.
• Be honest & try to expose the real facts otherwise you will fall on perplexing situation with your false answer.

Covering the questions at interviews: 

• Please describe/introduce yourself in brief.
  --Highlight your present work/responsibility, educational & personal back ground (family/home district) in a couple of sentence.
• Why did you choose merchandising as your profession?
  --You should say valid/logical reason behind.
• How do you manage your assigned work/responsibility?
  --Should answer on a summarized point, avoid lengthy explanation.
• How do you keep your record for daily follow-up/tracking?
• What are the sampling process?
  --As example: development sample, fit sample, PP sample, production/gold seal sample.
• What are the mostly used commercial & shipping terms?
  --i.e; FOB, C&F, CIF, L/C at sight, deferred, PI, CI, BL, HAWB etc
• What are the lead-time of your product?
  --You have to answer it based on your product. This is variable like 60 days for knit basic tee/vest, 95 to 100 days for denim/woven bottom etc..
• What do you mean by T&A plan or critical path & do you think this is necessary for your order follow-up?
  --You have to answer this based on your own experience/approach of working. But as per my understanding- this is really very necessary tools as it is total framework for your daily follow-up process which includes your planning/forecast & working towards hitting the plan for keeping your order on track.
• How do you define a successful PP meeting?
  --To cover up all the necessary discussion on comments, sampling, production plan, forecasting possible issues. And to make sure that all relevant production, QA team has clear understanding on everything.
• What do you mean by trim sheet/BOM? Or how do you take your order specification/clarification?
  --Based on development records, you should make queries on all the points (fabrication, accessories, styling/fitting, color, approval reference, packing/folding reference) & take confirmation/understanding from your respective buyer.
• What are the necessary points for costing?
  --Fabrication/relevant yarn count, consumption, knitting price, dyeing price, accessories cost, print/embroidery/wash/any other embellishment cost, size ratio, quantity, fabric & trims source, commercial, testing or any other charge, CM (cost of making), lead-time of product.
• Interviewer can show you some product to ask on price, lead-time, fabrication, print/embroidery/wash/any other embellishment, CM/SMV value?
• Interviewer will ask you on fabric lead-time, accessories lead-time, transit time for some imported fabric, yarn, accessories.
• What are the folding or packaging process?
  --Flat pack, shirt fold, roll pack, hanging method etc.
• Write a mail to manage one-week extension from buyer?
• How do you manage your customer for any approval (based on any particular case like fit rejection, PP rejection or any other submission rejection)?
• How do you plan yourself for best adoption of new customer/account?
• What types of testing parameter your existing customer follows for base & bulk?
• How do you take commercial acceptance on testing?
• How do you get confirmed of care symbol/instruction for your product?
• You need to be aware on testing parameter for what types of product?
  --It’s also variable based on your product range. But for an idea like shrinkage/recovery for rib fabric(specially on lower gsm), pilling for CVC, wash fastness for pigment coverage AOP, wash fastness for lurex content fabric etc…
• What are the required percentage of fabric wastage which needs to be considered while booking?
• What is the usual width of woven fabric? Or what is the open width for knit fabric (S/J, rib or any other)?
• Can you please tell about some renowned supplier for woven/denim fabric?
• Do you know the change of weight after wash (both for woven/denim & knit fabrics)?
• What will be the per day output of a product (knit basic tee shirt, vest, fleece hoodie, woven/denim bottoms for men’s or any other kids item or anything)?
• What are the types of zipper? Or how do you measure button size? Or anything on accessories?
• Types of wash, print, embroidery (varies from case to case)?
• What are the type of poly/carton- you’re using for your consignment?
• What are the type of vessel? i.e; feeder, mother vessel
• Can you please share some DC/Port name for UK/any other importer country?
• How do you manage yourself in critical situation like as air shipment at your company’s cost or any other alarming issue?
• How do you avoid issues at your working area?
  --I think to flag out the thing at very beginning & to put the thing on table not keeping on pocket at your own risk.
• How do you define risk assessment?

IQ views/general questions: 

• What is the total export value from BD garments on last year?
• What do you mean by brand?
  --It’s like an identity to expose through a motto. This answer can be variable & to be as your own thinking.
• What are the top class fashion brand for all around the world i.e; Europe, USA, UK?
• Do you think you as perfect/confident & what’s your strength behind to make you perfect than others?
• What’s your thinking about BD garments trade or what do you think of this trade- after ten years?
• What do you want you to see you after 5 years? Or what’s your future planning? Or what’s your motto of life?
• Do you think you as positive thinking person? & why?

This is simply an overview of interview- from my point of view. You may go through the same to match with your ideas. As I believe that everyone has their own thinking to present themselves or make them ready for any challenge. I will be obliged if someone can get help from this writing, thanks in advance & wishing for all of your better future. 

More articles of this author:

1. Developing the Conceptual Analysis for Fabric Sourcing Properly on the Way of Garments Manufacturing
2. 90 Questions and Their Answers of Garments Washing and Dyeing
3. Study Planning of Textile Engineering Students

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