Hello Erin,
 
First I would like to say that I absolutely LOVE the Product Fiend website. It has so much good information and so many product reviews delivered in such a fresh way. It's not only informative, but quite entertaining,
 
Second, I would like to ask you for some advice. I am absolutely fascinated by organic/natural/earth-friendly and body-friendly products. I recently graduated college with a degree in economics and I would love to go into a field where I could use my talents as well as my interests to help create, promote, or inform about the practices and products I love. My interest really comes from hearing from my mom and grandmother how women groomed and beautified themselves back in our native country of Bosnia. It fascinates me because they always used only products that came from the earth, and judging from their old pictures as well as their youthful looks today, whatever they did worked quite well.
 
I know the kind of products you deal with are not exclusively organic, but I know you have a similar interest in this type of product.

I would appreciate any advice you may be able to give me on what the best way to get into this type of industry is. I currently live in Sacramento, CA.
 
I thank you in advance!
 
Sincerely,
 
Emira

My scintillating reply, after the jump...

Hey Emira, thanks so much for writing and, of course, checking out our little blog site. I decided to publish your letter because I totally identify with your interests (I have traveled the world studying indigenous beauty products--would love to hear more about Bosnia!), and as you know, brilliant Product Fiend reader that you are, I'm pretty gaga for organic, earth-friendly beauty fare myself. Additionally and somewhat randomly, I totally get off on dishing out career advice!

So I have a couple of ideas for you. Naturally, my journalism background wants to point you toward the print world. You seem like an eloquent writer, and especially with the public's new insatiable interest in all things green, there are plenty of venues--both online and on paper--for you to explore this beat. Relevant magazines that come to mind are Healthy and Organic Living and Mother Earth News, and don't get me started on all the web sites swimming around out there. Keep in mind though, these jobs are hella competitive, so I always suggest tirelessly applying for internships until you strike gold, then work your way up. Since apprenticeships like these rarely pay (oh, did I mention the salary will probably never be too stellar; it's a passion job), unless you're a trust fund baby, you'll probably have to bolster your income with bartending or a similar stint. But that's cool. I'm sure you can handle it.

Similarly, you could research like-minded beauty companies and speak with their HR departments or whoever else does the hiring. Do some informational interviews. You may discover some surprising avenues you never thought of. For example, once I had a conversation with a woman who worked at Clarins, and her job was to travel around the world discovering new ingredients for them to incorporate into their products. That doesn't sound like a bad gig to me!

But because you have a degree in economics, why not go for the gold and explore starting your own company? After all, it's the only way to maintain your own quality control, and just think of the possibilities! If you used your knowledge to compose a business proposal, land a low-interest loan, and create your own line of all-natural products based on your family's Bosnian beauty secrets (package them in recycled cardboard please!), I'm sure that people would be interested in buying them, and I can guarantee I'd write about them in Product Fiend.

Good luck to you! Knowing what you're passionate about is the most crucial step, and it looks like you've already aced that.

Your Fiend always,

Erin

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