- Name: Lydia Van De Kreeke
- Age: 29
- Current location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Home town: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- Education: Bachelor of Journalism
- Current position: Head of Copy, Karl Lagerfeld and DENHAM
- Bio: Lydia combined her passion for fashion with her skills in journalism to create her dream career. After completing a Bachelor of Journalism degree at Carleton University, Lydia interned at Weddingbells magazine and InStyle UK. After moving to Amsterdam for love, she found herself making a move into the world of communications, working as a Senior Copywriter for Tommy Hilfiger. She now works as the Head of Copy for the Karl Lagerfeld and DENHAM labels.
- Countries I've worked in: Canada, England, Belgium, Netherlands
- Sector / subsectors: Media and Communications, Advertising, Copywriting, Writing
- Country: Netherlands
- Region: Europe
- Sector: Advertising, Communications, Research
- Degree subject: Journalism
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Who are you, what to do you do, and what does it entail?
Lydia breaks down the scope of work involved with being the Head of Copywriting for a fashion label.
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Tell us about your career trajectory. How did you get to where you are now?
After internships in Toronto, Sweden and England, Lydia followed her heart to Amsterdam. But how do you find work in a country where you don't speak the language?
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What's an average day like for you in this role?
Every day, and sometimes every hour, can be different.
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What do you look for when you hire copywriters?
Be interested in what you're writing about.
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What are your biggest tips for someone going in for an interview?
Lydia breaks down her top interviewing tips: Do your homework, look the part, and ask questions.
Tags: interviews -
What do you enjoy the most about working internationally?
Sometimes it's good to be the English-speaking fish in the Dutch pond.
Tags: languages -
How did you get your foot in the door?
Lydia's inconvenient truth: Expect unpaid internships.
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So you landed your internships through cold emailing. What did you do? Just email the Editor-in-Chief?
Lydia explains why aiming lower on the corporate ladder might yield better results, and why you should be concious of your timing.
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Is a degree necessary for this position? A degree in particular?
Lydia discusses 2 degrees they look for when hiring, but stresses that different paths work too, if you're passionate enough.
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What are some of the misconceptions about your field?
The Devil Wears Prada is not real life.
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How was the transition to living abroad for you?
Lydia breaks down what was easy about moving to the Netherlands, and what was difficult.
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On a personal level, what is the first step for moving abroad?
Have you ever had a conversation with a friend of a friend of a cousin? Lydia has. No matter the degrees of separation, finding someone who lives where you want to go and picking their brain, is the best first step to an international life.
Tags: networking
