If the fashion industry has a Yoda, it’s Aliza Licht.
“I found myself doing a lot of virtual mentorship over the last six years,” says Licht, who regularly fields questions on Twitter and her personal site, alizalicht.com, and doles out advice to total strangers.
So how did the 40-something gain her sagelike status?
The executive, who has been with Karan since 1998, was a social media trailblazer — creating the DKNY PR Girl handle on Twitter in 2009. The anonymous, dishy account became wildly popular as one of the first social media feeds from the belly of a fashion brand.
In 2011, Licht revealed herself as the voice of @dkny — which now has 531,000 followers.
By then, the handle had made the fashion industry seem approachable — when people tweeted Licht, she engaged.
On the heels of the reveal, a book editor asked Licht to mine her social media expertise and pen a guide.
“I was flattered, but intimidated,” she says. “What was I going to write about? People are constantly asking for career advice, and I found myself taking cold calls from people asking me to look at their résumés. I could write a career book.”
“Leave Your Mark” is out Tuesday.
And what kind of advice does Licht have?
We asked her to show five people in different phases of their careers how to score their dream jobs.
Goal: Industry switch
Lisa Hughes, 34, a teacher from Atlanta, recently earned a Ph.D. in art, but she’s having second thoughts about a career in that field. Her husband recently landed a job in New York, and she’s been working two days a week at a talent agency. Now she’s looking for a full-time position as a talent manager for broadcasters.
Licht’s prescription:
Build the network: “Lisa has to work on building her contacts — that’s a key ingredient in managing talent. I recommended that she go to a networking event alone and make at least three new professional contacts.”
Fill the schedule: “Lisa should make use of her free days by trying to get other part-time gigs in the talent-management industry. She should put together a list of companies and pitch to them.”
Ask for more: “If she likes the company she works at, she should ask for work beyond the administrative support she is giving — manage up and show them what she is capable of.”
Her look: “New York can be a tough place — especially in the fields of art and talent relations. I advised Lisa to update her look to be more New York — more modern and fiercer. Lose the florals and add sophistication.”
The new clothes: Boss by Hugo Boss dress, $545 at Bloomingdale’s, 1000 Third Ave.; Manolo Blahnik pumps, $745 at saksfifthavenue.com; Earrings, $215 at lulufrost.com; Ivanka Trump bag, $350 at macys.com
Results: “The dress was gorgeous,” says Hughes. “I felt it was very professional, yet chic. The pared-down, simplified look was classy and elegant — something I could easily pull off at work.”
Goal: First job
Since graduating from college two years ago, Julia Conroy, 24, has had internships, but she still hasn’t secured a full-time job. Her goal is a gig in sports marketing.
Licht’s prescription:
Build a network: “Julia says she made a good impression in her past experiences, but never thought to ask for written letters of recommendation. I asked her to go back into her address book and reconnect with all her past supervisors.”
Proactive research: “Make a list of the top 20 teams and sports marketing agencies that she would want to work for.”
Add sparkle to the résumé: “Julia’s résumé, while filled with great bullet points, had no statistics to back up key statements. Listing demonstrative stats could really speak to her talents.”
Break some rules: “She has applied for various positions through the companies’ online-application process. That is the classic black hole. She should tailor outreach to specific people who work in the department that she wants to [join].”
Her look: “Julia needs to step it up in the style department. She comes off too green. I recommend a blowout and some light makeup. And she will feel more confident and mature with heels on.”
The new clothes: Blazer, $178 at jcrew.com; dress, $150 at bananarepublic.com; Vince pumps, $395 at nordstrom.com; bracelet, $55 at kendrascott.com
Results: “I now know I need to break out of that comfort zone,” Conroy says. “Having Aliza’s guidance and wearing the right clothes will push me even further.”
Goal: Starting a new business
Licht’s prescription:
Social media strategy: “Jackie should build up social media presence for this new business, specifically on Instagram.”
Her look: “Jackie needs to be fierce. She’s from the South Bronx, and is very proud of her story and where she has gone in her career. I picture her á la Olivia Pope.”
The new clothes: Blazer, $245 at ayr.com; dress, $180 at reiss.com; Manolo Blahnik pumps, $595 at barneys.com; bag, $278 at select DKNY stores; necklaces, $40 (short), $50 (long), both at anntaylor.com
Results: “I feel like a confident boss,” says Marrero. “The look is sophisticated. It’s an elegant elevation from my normal urban-chic style. And Aliza’s keen sense for branding led the Reel team to re-evaluate its marketing plan.”
Goal: Promotion
Licht’s prescription:
Show your work: “I advised Chris to write up two formal job profiles: one for the job he was hired for, and a second showing his original job and adding on the new area he is handling. Taking the time to map this out will show his boss he is serious.”
Prove your worth: “Chris currently oversees 14 people, and his title is manager. I advised him to pitch a director title.”
His look: “McNally, who lived in New York previously, acknowledges that when he moved to Boston, he got more casual and ‘bro-ed out.’ ”
The new clothes: Suit, $695 at select DKNY stores; shirt, $160 at reiss.com; tie, $75 at jcrew.com; shoes, $285 at reiss.com
Results: “I loved the final look,” McNally says. “It was professional and sporty — I feel like I could be extremely confident in my new look and take on anything.”
Goal: First job post-MBA
Trisha Mohabir, 25, will earn her MBA in June. In the meantime, she’s been interning at a beauty company in public relations. It’s a gig she’d like to make full time.
Licht’s prescription:
Nail the résumé: “Trisha’s temp experience is a bit all over the place, because she has been placed in various roles within the company. She needs to lead with her most impressive experience.”
Speak up: “Go back to each brand supervisor now for a heart-to-heart, explaining that she would love to be considered for any possible position. She should not wait for June to do this.”
Look ahead: “Trisha should prepare for the fact she might not get a job there, though, and make lists of beauty brands and p.r. agencies that specialize in beauty. Then she should prepare both kinds of cover letters and make sure her résumé is tailored to each type of job.”
Her look: “She should make her look more sophisticated. She needs to make her [appearance] fit her industry more.”
The new clothes: Alice + Olivia culottes, $265 at Lord & Taylor, 424 Fifth Ave.; top, $195 at cynthiarowley.com; pumps, $48 at missguidedus.com; jewelry, all Trisha’s own
Results: “I have redone my résumé and am already working on my new cover letters,” says Mohabir. “Aliza just made me realize I need to take the best of what I’ve done and that will help me shine. Quite honestly, she changed the way I will look at applying for jobs.”
How to ‘Leave Your Mark’
■ “Appreciate when someone introduces you to someone in their network,” says Licht. “And follow through and connect with that person.”
■ Licht advises interns to request more work and ask a lot of questions. “Suck your internships dry,” she writes.
■ When it comes to social media, keep it professional. She advises against sharing “dirty little secrets.”
■ “Don’t just learn your job,” she writes. “Learn everyone else’s, too.”
■ “You don’t get a promotion for your job,” Licht reveals. “You get a promotion for going above and beyond your job.”