When you think of iconic fashion brands, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein likely come to mind. As an intern at PVH, the umbrella brand behind these names, I was able to experience work in the fashion industry. For six months, I was part of the talent acquisition and internal events teams. Here’s a peek into my daily life at PVH and at the end I will share some tips for future interns.
My day usually kicked off around 9 or 9:30 AM. Each morning began with a quick catch-up meeting with my mentor, followed by a coffee break with my team, fellow interns, or someone new I wanted to connect with. From 10 AM to noon, my schedule was packed with meetings. These were golden opportunities to learn about various projects across teams and present my own work. For example, every first Tuesday of the month I presented the data of recruitment processes to the recruitment team and shared the previous month’s intern event feedback. Lunchtime at PVH was a treat. Our buffet-style restaurant offered a huge variety of delicious options, and it was the perfect time to unwind and chat with teammates. Post-lunch, I dove into administrative tasks – for example scheduling interviews, planning events, and responding to emails. Towards the end of the day I usually had an event or a town hall to go to that I was helping to organize. By 4 PM, I was wrapping up my tasks and planning for the next day. Around 5 PM, I’d head home, often with another intern, debriefing our days on the way.
If you are about to start your internship, I have a few good tips & tricks to share with you that you will be thankful for at the end of the experience.
Confidence is Key: You are a student! You know what it takes to have to be a quick-learner and keep up with topics. If you are not sure how to do something, ask questions. Never think that a task is too complicated – give it a go even if it seems like a huge bite to chew.
Network your way through the internship: Did you meet someone during lunch, who has an interesting position within the company or seems like a good connection to have in the future. Invite them to a coffee! No one is going to turn down and intern and believe me, everyone loves to talk about themselves.
Voice Your Opinions and Feelings: If you feel like you are not learning enough, have too many tasks or are doing things that do not really interest you. Tell that to your mentor! I did this and ended up spending a month with the events team instead of sticking solely to recruitment, which was incredibly rewarding.
This internship was full of learning and growth. To those starting their internships, good luck! And for those who’ve finished, I’d love to connect and share our experiences over a coffee.
