The most important career lessons come from getting the lunch order at the office. The minor task requires you to use different skill sets, such as communication, problem solving and attention to detail. This framework sets up the skills that you will use throughout your career, said Hillary Kerr.
SMU Fashion Week kicked off Wednesday, April 20, with a talk from media-mogul and co-founder of Who What Wear, Hillary Kerr.
Who What Wear is a leading online platform for shop-friendly fashion and style content, following the best in celebrity fashion, entertainment and popular culture. It is the third largest fashion brand on social media, following Vogue and Elle.
The site was launched by former Elle magazine editors, Kerr and Katherine Power, in 2006 and is located in Los Angeles. Kerr serves as the site’s editorial director, while Power is the creative director.
Kerr and Power are the co-founders of Clique Media, which includes WhoWhatWear.com (celebrity style and runway trends), MyDomaine.com (home décor) and Byrdie.com (makeup and beauty). The Who What Wear brand of clothing is also in Target stores.
Kerr spoke to SMU students about her new book “The Career Code: Must-Know Rules for a Strategic, Stylish, and Self-Made Career.”
“The Career Code” is the third book in the Who What Wear series. It guides readers to create their own professional success. The book is filled with insightful “career codes” to follow, as well as all of the practical, how-to advice Kerr and Power have learned while building their company.
“The first two books are more about style. ‘Career Code’ provides personal life hacks, giving the ins and outs of the work world,” Kerr said.
The book will be released on May 17.
“It is only $12.91, which is like three fancy coffees,” Kerr said.
Kerr’s talk was exceptionally well attended, filling up a large room in SMU’s Owen Fine Arts Center.
Kerr addressed career tips that have been valuable in her own life.
“Don’t look down on getting the lunch order,” she said.
“Be resourceful. If your boss asks you to do something, the process can be a learning lesson. There can be eight different ways to solve a problem,” Kerr said. “This allows for creative thinking to discover how many different paths there are when getting what you need.”
With a master’s degree in journalism from NYU, along with a bachelor’s degree from USC, it is clear that Kerr has got both the beauty and the brains covered.
Kerr answered different questions from the audience, who appreciated the casual setting.
Caitlin Akan, an SMU senior majoring in communications and minoring in fashion media, said that Kerr was informative and personal.
“We are taught similar lessons, but hearing her say these career tips in a casual setting will definitely stick with me,” Akan said.
Prior to launching Who What Wear, Kerr was a Los Angeles based freelance writer, scribing for publications such as Teen Vogue, Elle, Maxim and Nylon. Kerr also spent some time in New York at Elle‘s headquarters as the associate lifestyle editor. She covered food, travel and design for the publication before making her way back to Los Angeles.
Who What Wear began as a simple blog with daily posts on the latest fashion news. Today, it is a multimedia brand that includes a website, newsletter and podcasts.
“I will be buying her book. She is a powerhouse and really down to earth. Everything she was saying is very achievable,” said Lisa Schober, a student at El Centro in the fashion-marketing program.
