A Social Media Job Plan

Current position: Hired by ICED Media after a friend told her about an opening, Brown is now social media manager of Swatch watches, a position in which she handles and creates branded and unbranded messaging of the product through Twitter and Facebook.

Education: B.A. in Fashion Buying and Merchandising,
Howard University, 1999

Former position and responsibilities: Product Development Manager for Coach’s footwear line, where she worked as the intermediary between Coach designers and the company licensed to construct their shoes. Tasks included sourcing the leathers, picking the appropriate hardware, and making sure samples were delivered on time. “I focused on the whole development process of the shoes.”

Time employed: Almost seven years. In 2002, Brown started with Coach as a production associate in handbags, where she tracked the production process and purchase orders.

Work history: After college Brown participated in Old Navy’s management training program and worked as a store manager for a year and a half. “I realized that I didn’t like working with customers and preferred the corporate side.” She applied for a production position at Calvin Klein Jeans Inc.,

where she stayed for a little more than a year. “I wanted to be on the corporate side, but I also realized that I wanted to be a little more creative. I wasn’t a designer, but I wanted to be more involved in the product.” It was the reason she transferred to the smaller division of footwear. As a product development manager she was able to offer input on designs.

Skill set: Has a broad understanding of the fashion business from production to retail sales. “But I also had a love

of the PR and marketing side.” A fashion magazine junkie, Brown would often track her company’s products in all areas of fashion: Who was wearing what, where it was positioned, who was talking about it. She would alert their PR department of her discoveries. “Often I was finding things that they weren’t finding. I don’t have training in it, but just loved it.”

How she got her present job: A friend employed at the company told her about the position and then recommended her for an interview. “I was on Twitter for my own personal use, but I had never done it for a corporate account.” The same friend, who was also involved in social media marketing, gave her a tutorial. “I mimicked what she was doing then figured out how to apply it to Swatch and using my own fashion background, as well as my love for PR and marketing, to create a style and voice for the company that would make it more current. I did not have a strong background in writing, but did have strong skills in fashion.”