Good Afternoon, Morning or Evening to you, who is reading this, my name is Emilie, and I think I’ll be perfect for the job, you’re offering.
Why? I hear you asking all the way where you are. Well, I’m someone very different for a start, and no unfortunately I don’t have 3 heads, but I do have 2, just kidding, just kidding. I’m different because of my past different because most people in my situation would have given up a long time ago. Would have taken the easier option and just took the easier path but not me I knew what I wanted and what I enjoyed and was determined to do it, no matter what came in my way.
I grew up with very little money, basically raised myself from 7 onwards, my mum worked all the time, and I was an only child, so I had to entertain myself with what I had. My mum had a habit of playing with blue tac at work, and every so often, my mum would bring it home and leave pieces of it lying about. After a while I began to collect it and use it to make loads of different 3D sculptures. Showing my initiative, out of the box thinking, and creative thinking, even from a young age. I also became a mum when I was… let’s say young as well. But I was far from a stereotypical teen mum. How to begin this story well I had to be escorted off the school premises, because I came to school after teachers said I needed to rest, when all I wanted to do was continue my studies. Luckily, I did do so because 5 days later I gave birth to my son haha. Luckily, he was born in June, so I only missed a month of school, well physically, I did home schooling myself from 3 days after I was discharged from hospital and then in September id found a nursery for my son and started attending school again. Taking him too nursery and myself too school then picking him up and taking him, home doing the night feeds. It was a draining year for me. But I did it got B’s and C’s throughout my academic courses and a distinction in my graphic design and business studies. Although I won’t lie to you, I failed miserably at science less because I couldn’t academically do it, more because the teacher was horrible to me, so I refused to do it. Let’s just say he wasn’t supportive or pleasant about my situation or my background. But with these grades I continued to college, to study health and social care because I wanted to help people. Realised my passion was still in the art world and then studied art and design, once the course was complete. When studying art and design I was also working part time and still managed to come out of it with good grades and got myself into university and moved away from my hometown. All whilst singlehandedly looking after my son. Because that’s who I am, a determined, motivated and willing to grow and learn person. It’s something I just need to do, never give up.
University has been really hard for me. I’m not even going to say oh my gosh it was amazing I did this, and that no. University was not that time for me personally. I went through a lot of personal problems and suffered mentally along the way, but I did It I pushed on put my feelings aside and now I’m about to graduate, with not the best grades I must admit especially when I exceeded so much before but with what I’ve been through since starting university. The fact I still pushed on, the fact I’m still here, wanting to achieve… I’ve done amazingly.
Workwise, I’ve worked since I’ve been able too, because I’ve always wanted to be financially independent especially since having my son, and up until recently I’ve never worked in the industry. But I’ve always been showing my creativity without even realising it. When babysitting and looking after my son, I’ve always had to take charge and be calm in busy or chaotic situations, because of lack of resources and funds I’ve always had to make do with what I have and budget. Then when I worked at Revolutions in order to get more people involved or spending their money, I would create games for the night for instance I’d have several shots on my board all of which were the same colour. If they guessed the flavour before tasting it then they’d get that one free, if not they’d have to pay for the other 4 flavours as well, and you’d be surprised how many people took part and of course didn’t win. I came up with many more, but I can’t be giving away all my money making secret games. Whilst working at my current workplace I’ve done so much more than I imagined when it comes to my creative flow. I’ve created several on brand fun, quirky and welcoming email templates, designed posters, come up with new business ideas to try make more money at low costs. Created countless holiday displays. When things need shifting, I also make displays to try get them sold, for example we sell these bottles and apparently, they wouldn’t sell, I thought they would because I feel like bottles and bags etc are an easy thing to push especially where I work. So, I created a display showing off everything and we went from selling non to selling a box full of bottles and a box full a bags within 4 days. Not only that I coach/teach new members of staff and give them tips and tricks. Not only that I support members of staff when they’re having bad days or bad week, making sure they’re okay and if they need any help. My eye for detail also allows me to clean exceptionally, which giving the current circumstances is a bonus, but allows me to create displays that aren’t just thrown together but are carefully put together and planned.
In the next upcoming months, I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree in Fashion Branding with communications. Which included modules and projects developing visual and written communication skills such as direction and styling, image making, editorial, advertising, fashion filming, visual merchandising, fashion photography, as well as fashion promotion, history and journalism. Not only have I learned about all of them. This has allowed me to grow my skillset with the fashion industry and allowed me to learn the ins and out of how the industry works. Whilst being at university I have created content for brands but also started my own brand. Due to a lack of funding and wanting to know the ins and outs of how my business will work in the future, I do everything myself, from sourcing content and influencers to collaborate with, and managing multiple social media accounts and then creating every last detail of a magazine, doing the designing, creative direction, styling, photography and even the journalism, writing the articles and the interviews. Which has been an incredibly eye opening experience for me. Unfortunately, the first official issue won’t be released till May, however I do have a previous mock up on my portfolio featuring images and articles written by myself also.
In recent weeks, I was recently asked to work with ASBO magazine as a Features Editor, due to my entrepreneurial thinking and different mindset towards fashion, compared to other people. This is because I see the world a lot differently than others and I admire things other people wouldn’t even consider and I manage to show it in a way that showcases the style to its best ability. Not only that I’m able to create things with limited resources, so the editor of ASBO magazine knew I’d be able to create the content needed, even if things didn’t go to plan, due to my ability to think on my feet. My out of the box thinking allows me a perspective that nobody else has, which allows me to create original and intriguing content, businesses and ideas. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to the work till July/August when its released.
I am also an extremely visual person, which means everything I see, I look at in detail, and I’m able to see things other people can’t. Which is what has helped me see the gaps in the market for my own business, and I also like to stretch myself to broaden my skillset. Proof of my out of the box and creative thinking and engaging content creating is my project with Rad Union, as seen in my portfolio with university work, you can see I created relatable memes and then added the product to all the pictures, making the content relatable making people share it across their platforms. I also created a game of where’s wally only where’s the trolley and hid the trolley in the image and if I do say so myself, it’s hard to find which allows people to interact with the brand and not only that have fun (the aim of the game was to find it, in the quickest time and then you would either earn a huge discount or receive the product for free, if you won out of whoever took part).
Sorry about how long this is, I’m going to cut myself off now before I ramble on for another two pages. If you take away anything from this cover letter, I hope you take away this. I’m very passionate about what I do, and I’m very work driven and motivated about getting into the career I’m wanting, no matter what comes in my way. It would be wrong to say I want a specific job at the minute because I’ve done various things for so many years especially creatively. But this industry is where I am supposed to be, and I want my creativity to flourish. Because it’s what I do best, as well as juggling multiple things at once. I’ve done almost every aspect of fashion related jobs for the past 3 years, and I know I can bring something to this company, my out of the box thinking and determination to do better than what everyone said. I was told I wouldn’t be able to do anything with my life and that I’d be on benefits or have a rubbish job for the rest of my life, when everyone found out about me having my son. I was told, I wouldn’t do anything with my life, and I’m determined to prove them all wrong, and give myself and my son the best life possible. In the next few months, I want to move to London with my son, (and the best time is now for us, with me graduating in July and him moving up a school in September) have a job I enjoy going too and where I can thrive at and my son to have a stable and fun filled life, and I know I can provide that with you guys in London.
So, I really hope you give me the opportunity to show my skills off to you guys and add my spirit to your company.
Hope to speak to you soon. (with positive news haha)
EMILIE JADE SMITH