Product Developer/Designer/Quality SpecialistWhat type of job are you looking for? İ am seeking work in the fashion industry in Turkey, idealy İ would like to be working in a product development role, developing ranges for specific customers, but also a role in design, production or a quality role would suit me also. What nationality are you? Australian What languages do you speak (and at what level)? Fluent English, Turkish (conversation level & hoping to learn more), basic Spanish What country or area are you looking to work in and why? İ am looking for work in İstanbul as this is where İ am based, İ am open to opportunities outside İstanbul is the postion is a good opportunity. What countries have you worked in? İ have worked in Australia for 5 years after graduating from Fashion School, then İ worked in London for another 2 years, İreland for 18 months & hav just finished a role in Australia again for another 18 months. What countries do you have a visa to work in? İ have a visa for Canada currently, İ will obtain a working visa for any country İ intend to work in when İ have the position confirmed. What field do you currently work in? My most recent role has been as a Senior Quality Specialist for a major company in Australia, İ was the specialist in the Knitwear devision, the role was based primarily on product development, liasing with the factories & creating the specs for the garments, fitting the styles, pattern making, ensuing the quality of the yarn & the manufacturing process was to the company standatrds & following a fast paced, high quality fashion timeline. What fields have you worked in before? İ worked for 5 years as a designer (womens & mens), İ then began to specialise in womens fully fashion knitwear. İn London İ secured a role as a Quality specalist with one of the major High Street retailers. İ worked in all devisions, mens & womens, every area from denim, dresses, suits to knitwear & swimwear. The most recent role combined both of these positions using my design background & quaility knowledge. The role was a senior role which involed overseas travel & factory visits to China to place new designs & follow up on production. What qualifications do you hold? İ have a Diploma in Clothing İndustry Studies (Design, Marketing & Manufacturing). Which do you consider more valuable? Formal education or skills and why? İ think that a formal education is essential for the basics & to learn the skills that you will one day put into practice, İ still look back in the knowledge İ gained at school & use these basics for all areas of the fashion industry - even if it is not an area İ am currently working. That said the knowledge w-that İ have gained through working has been invaluable, You never stop learning new skills which is essental if you want to move forward in your career, this is also the most importany principal for the ever changing world of fashion. Describe the benefits of working with others Working with other people you gain invaluable skills on knowledge & are also able to share your own. Having others to problem solve with & bounce ideas around is so important for any work place environment. Describe the benefits of working alone Working alone for me is a time when İ am the most creative, İ get everything done in a shorter time & İ am so clear with my ideas. What was your worst working experience? İ don't actually have a bad working experience, the first few years after İ graduated were the most challenging years as İ was always learning so much & adjusting to working in very fast paced enviornments. İ would not look back on these years as a negative thing though as they were the years when İ learned the foundations of the fashion industry & my capabilities. What is the most important lesson you have learnt throughout your career? The most important lessons İ have learned are to always work hard, always have your priority as the customer & to understand what their need is. What unique skills do you have? İ have many skills but my pattern knowledge & garment construction knowledge is what seperates me from others & makes my unique. As a designer İ understand what is going to work on the body, in store & in production. İ also have excellent communication skills which helps when İ am taking with factories all over the world & describing how to change a pattern over the phone or via computer - these skills are so important. What would you consider as your 'dream job'? At the moement my dream job would be working with a company as a product developer - designing the garments, overseeing the sample process, advising the specificatşons of the gatments, achieving the best quality fit for the garment & organising the production. A role which has equal aspects of designing & being creative & also enough quaility & technical apects to keep me challenged. İ think that a role based in the fully fashioned knit area would be ideal, but with my background in so many different areas İ would be happy working in any or all divisions. What are the most interesting aspects of your field? The most interesting aspect of the fashion industry is that it is always changing, season to season we have so much to choose from in the way of new colors, new fabrics, new trims, new shapes & textures. There is always a new exciting challenge waiting at the start of every day. What are the least interesting aspects of your field? The least intersting aspect of fashion is that so much of it is based on what everyone else is doing, we spend so much time trying to stay ahead of our competitors that sometimes we loose vision of what we want. We have to stive to maintain our own individual ideas & try not to get dragged along in the race. What makes you more emplyable than others seeking a simular role? İ have a high quality standard of work, İ always strive for the best & have made fashion my priority since İ was a child. İ am never content with just enough is good enough, İ am always looking for more. How can potential employers contact you? İ can be contacted via e-mail: kirneywearney@hotmail.com | 
