Alumni Profile: Careers
in Buying & Merchandising
 Name:
Michael Montera
Job Title: Assistant Buyer, Men’s Merchandising
Organization: American Eagle Outfitters
Year Graduated: 2007
Degree: LSA - History
Favorite class at Michigan
History of the 1960s
What’s your favorite thing to do in a typical day?
Decide which trend in a certain article of clothing of designers should create and how much of it we should buy and put in our stores.
What’s the least favorite thing you do in a typical day?
Getting to work early to pull reports of our sales from the previous week.
How did you decide on this field? How did you get
hired?
I had past work experience in clothing stores but it wasn’t until AE came to campus and spoke with me about the job that I realized this was a career path that interested me. I interviewed at school and then went on to a final interview event at the AE headquarters before I was hired.
How does your Michigan experience help you in your job?
Michigan helped me take any situation and find the best solution for it through developed analytical skills and by asking the right questions.
What are possible next steps for your career? Is another
degree required or recommended?
The next steps in my career are to become a full buyer and then from there a divisional or general merchandising manager for the company. Another degree is not required; my best chance at promotion is to work hard everyday and stay on top of current fashion trends.
What do you wish you had known as an undergraduate preparing
for your career?
I wish I could have known a little more about fashion merchandising. A lot of the people I work with majored in merchandising, and while I don’t feel that gave them too big of an advantage it still would have been nice to know a little more about the business before starting.
To Learn More… about careers
in buying & merchandising:
- Use O.Net Online, the Occupational Information Network, for an overview to buying.
- Contact The Career Center at 734-764-7460 to find out how you
can learn more about this field.
Know a recent alumna/us with an interesting job?
Send us their contact information
and we would be happy to invite them to join our profile page.
|
