25-Year-Old Ford Artists Agent Jill Press on How to Turn an Internship into a Career
Jill Press knows what she wants—and how to get it. The savvy New Jersey native snagged an internship at Ford Models while she was still in high school and she never left. Making a name for herself as an eager and skilled intern kept her top of mind when a position opened up after she graduated from Muhlenberg College, and since then, the 25-year-old has climbed the ranks at Ford Artists, nabbing herself an agent title that has her managing a roster of some the world's best hair and makeup talent.
How did she do it? Read on to find out all about Jill's career path, plus her top tips for making it in the industry!
1/6Learn from her job success story.
2/6"I always knew I was interested in fashion and beauty. As part of my high school graduation requirement, I had to work somewhere for two weeks at the end of senior year, and I applied for an internship at Ford. I got it and ended up staying through the summer. I kept in touch with my contacts here, and every summer I came back, splitting my week between interning at Ford and working at my father's jewelry store in New Jersey. The money I earned working paid for my commute into the city for my internship."
3/6"When I graduated college, I had the chance to interview with my current boss, the director of Ford Artists. Though I interned in the Ford Men Direct division, which represents commercial male models, I was always interested in the Artists division, which represents makeup artists and hair stylists. I actually found out about the interview during my Senior Week. There were all of these events at school I didn't want to miss, but I knew it was a very small sacrifice to make for the chance to work full-time at Ford. I came on as an assistant and then was promoted to junior booker, and now I'm an agent. I've really found my niche here."
4/6"As an assistant, I was managing the director of the division's schedule, as well as her artists' schedules. I was booking travel and things like that. I wasn't working directly with clients at first, but soon after I started, I was given a couple and was able to really prove myself. It took off from there—we hired another assistant, and I became an agent. Now my days are spent juggling the schedules of all my artists in a much different way. I make sure they're getting the best jobs and that they're maximizing their workdays. I also manage the relationship between the artists and clients like Ralph Lauren and J.Crew. It's important to make sure you're connecting the right ones together! For example, one of my other clients is Lilly Pulitzer. I meet with the Lilly team to see what they're working on and what they're looking for in hair and makeup for upcoming shoots. Then I go look at our roster of hair and makeup stylists to see who I think would best suit their needs. I love matching people up!"
5/6"I love working in beauty, and Bobbi Brown is one of my favorite brands. I love Chanel because they have great products that last a long time. I also really like Smashbox and Nars—I use the Laguna and Orgasm blushes all the time. For hair, my favorite products are from Living Proof. My hair is a little thin, and they have this great cream that jazzes it up a bit. Oscar Blandi has a dry shampoo I love, and my hands-down-don’t-leave-the-house-without-it product is my Dior eyebrow pencil."
6/6"When you intern, it's really important to keep in touch with your bosses if it's somewhere you see yourself working after you graduate. If you're home for winter break, tell them you'd love to come in and help for a week of two. That's something I did when I interned. And then once you get a job, make sure you always go above and beyond. If you have to work late, work late. Always give 110%, no matter what the task. It's also important to learn how to prioritize. A lot of stuff is going to come at you at once, and you have to realize what's most important. Another bit of advice? If you feel like you're not growing in a role, have a conversation with your boss. Make sure the issue is on the table and that you know how to succeed."
