Looking for your next step in fashion?

The team at NEXT - one of the UK’s biggest fashion and lifestyle retailers - has shared insider tips on what they look for when hiring for product roles. From tailoring your portfolio to showcasing your commercial eye, there’s plenty here to help you land your next opportunity.

NEXT is one of the UK’s biggest fashion and lifestyle retailers and Europe’s largest online clothing retailer. With over 500 UK stores covering 8.3 million square feet of retail space, they serve 8 million online customers across 72 countries, selling 280 million products annually. The team is made up of around 45,000 employees. 

How to get a Product role at NEXT

Do Your Research

• Understand NEXT’s culture, values, and the specific role you're applying for. This will help you tailor your CV and cover letter and answer interview questions confidently.
• Be prepared to speak confidently about why you want to join NEXT.
• Take a look at our Life at NEXT social channels to help with research: LinkedIn / YouTube / Instagram / Facebook

Network with NEXT Employees

• Attend industry events and connect with our team on LinkedIn.
• Reach out to friends, family, or colleagues who may have insights about working at NEXT.

Prepare for the Interview

• Practise answering common interview questions with real examples.
• Research your interviewers and prepare thoughtful questions to ask them.

Pro tips for your CV when applying to NEXT

Your CV is often your first impression, ensure the formatting is clear and easy to read - bullet points can help with readability.

• Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for, one size does not fit all.
• Start with a short personal statement at the top to summarise who you are, what you do, and what value you bring. Use this to highlight anything you want the Recruiter to know. Keep it to a few sentences and make it compelling.
• Use a logical order, your most recent experience should appear first.
• Keep descriptions short and impactful, focusing on key responsibilities and successes.
• Highlight achievements, we want to see what impact you have made, not just what tasks you have completed.
• Demonstrate or outline which software you are competent in/comfortable with.
• Fully read the advert and ensure it aligns with your skill set, as well as being right for you in terms of location and time required to be in the office.
• If you can, save it as a PDF to keep the formatting intact.
• Check your CV, proofread your CV carefully or ask someone else to review it.

Pro tips for your Portfolio when applying to NEXT

Tailor your portfolio for the role you are applying for, don’t just send everything you have ever designed. Think about the relevance of what you include and if it showcases what you can do but also matches the requirements of the role.

• Make sure your portfolio is commercial. We need to be able to see your commercial eye, but of course include your personality within this.
• Make sure your portfolio shows the direction you wish to take NEXT.
• If you have a passion for fabrics - note this as an extra point on your CV or cover letter. Understanding fabrics can help to highlight your knowledge across products.
• Ask a friend/family member/someone you trust to review the portfolio you are submitting, in line with the role you are applying for. This is a really great tip as they will approach the portfolio in an objective way.

Want to Learn More?
Check out our latest opportunities on the NEXT Careers Site or get in touch:
📩 product_careers@next.co.uk
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