AOL Jobs Week Resume Contest Winner: Amanda Martahus
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Industry: Fashion Merchandising/Buyer
Time Unemployed: 6 months
What do you want your potential employer to know about you?
One of my greatest assets is having grown up in the business of fashion. My family owns a woman's boutique in Pittsburgh, which my parents started over 20 years ago. I have years of buying experience and have been to major trade shows both in the U.S. and overseas where I visited showrooms and factories in countries such as Guatemala and Thailand. As one of the top students in the Drexel Design and Merchandising Department, I've maintained a 3.65 GPA and am on track to graduate with High Honors from in June. I was chosen to help teach a Photoshop intensive course in trend and color forecasting because of my strong analytical and creative ability. Samples of my work and current resume are available on my website at: www.amandamartahus.com.
Summary
I am a self-starter with a keen eye for color and trends. I work well in a team environment or individually. I have a positive attitude, entrepreneurial spirit, and love challenging work.
Even though I am 22 years old, I can honestly say that I have 13 years of experience. I am very passionate about the fashion industry and it is something I want to be involved in for the rest of my life.
Education/Certification
Drexel University, Philadelphia PA
Bachelor of Science in Design & Merchandising
Graduation June 2011
Cumulative GPA: 3.65 out of 4.0
Dean's List Award
Certificate of Merit in Career Management and Professional Development
Member of Kappa Theta Epsilon Honor Society
Professional Experience
Allure – Women's Boutique, Pittsburgh, PA
Assistant Buyer, Visual Merchandiser -- Summer 1998 – September 2010 (seasonal)
Experienced with all phases of my family's retail clothing business
Competent at buying, planning, merchandising and visual displays
Plan TV commercials, develop marketing materials, sales promotions and seasonal mailings
Travel domestically on buying trips to New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Las Vegas
Travel internationally on buying trips to Guatemala, Belize, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar
Attend trade shows at the Javits, Las Vegas Convention, California Market Center and various regional venues
rue21, Warrendale, PA
Cooperative Experience: Buyer – Accessories -- March 2010 – September 2010
Responsible for daily contact with 100+ domestic and international accessory vendors
Tracked and reported most profitable sell-through percentages for weekly bestseller meetings
Suggested and test marketed jewelry styles that were distributed to 30 stores
Introduced three new accessory vendors to the buyers through existing market contacts
Project Consultant
Assisted Marketing Department launch two new fragrances, "Twentyone Black" and "Carbon Elements"
Actively worked with Product Development Team to generate new concepts, packaging designs, names, colors, flavors and scents for the rue Beauté line which went into production and distributed to its 600 store chain
Produced mood, color, and trend boards for District Manager Meetings
Ann Taylor Loft, Philadelphia, PA
Stylist, Sales Associate -- Spring 2009 – Spring 2010
Wardrobe clients from single items to complete outfits
Consistently exceeded expectations for sales and Ann Taylor Loft credit card enrollments
Continually built loyal relationships and repeat client purchases
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Assistant Student Teacher -- Summer 2009
Taught the course, "Presentation Techniques", to 20+ Design & Merchandising students
Trained students to construct 'mood boards' by utilizing trend and color forecasting
Demonstrated how to create and edit complex, multi-layered montages with Adobe Photoshop
Skills
Technical Competencies: Island Pacific, J Walk, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, Google SketchUp, Visual Retailing Software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Outlook.
If you have a position or job lead for Amanda, please contact her at about.me/AmandaMartahus
