Gianna Rivera, buyer at The TJX Cos., said the intern experiences while at LIM College not only helped with networking and relationship building but also served as a way to guide her career path. In fact, her internship at The TJX Cos., along with advice from a trusted mentor, shifted the focus of her career from luxury wholesale to the off-price retail segment.
Here, Rivera discusses her career path, and challenges and lessons learned along the way.
WWD: How did your education and internship experiences help shape your career decisions?
Gianna Rivera: The internship opportunities I had throughout my experience at LIM College helped me build relationships in the fashion industry and let me figure out what I was really interested in. There are so many avenues within the fashion business. I had originally wanted to be an account executive in wholesale, but my final internship before my senior year was in buying. That’s when I realized that’s what I wanted to do and was what led me to TJX.
WWD: What were some of the challenges you faced on your career journey?
G.R.: I wouldn’t necessarily say I have had challenges during my career journey, but I would say I have had many “learning

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