How to Get a Job at Rent the Runway

Dress, Waist, One-piece garment, Fashion accessory, Fashion, Street fashion, Day dress, Retail, Cocktail dress, Boutique,

(Image credit: Courtesy of Company)

published 23 June 2014

There's more to Rent the Runway than meets the eye. Sure the e-commerce site is known to help its customers enjoy high fashion and glamour while staying on a budget (a $420 Nicole Miller dress can be rented for $65 for four days), but it's also a powerhouse for female engineers. The co-founders openly encourage women to pursue careers in tech at the almost five-year-old startup — 25 percent of the company's engineers are female — impressive considering large tech companies like Google only hit the 17 percent mark.

Dress, Waist, One-piece garment, Fashion, Day dress, Cocktail dress, Boutique, Retail, Outlet store, Abdomen,

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Company

Even if you're not on the engineering career path, Rent the Runway has a lot to offer its 250 current employees. If the perk of renting designer dresses at an even greater discount than the standard 90 percent off that customers receive isn't enough for you, RTR offers unlimited vacation days, team happy hours, and yoga classes.

RTR is currently hiring software engineers, fashion buyers, and store managers for their showrooms in New York and Las Vegas. In partnership with social recruiting firm Jobvite, we spoke to Rent the Runway Co-Founder and Head of Business Development Jennifer Fleiss on how to get hired. Here are her five tips:

Follow wedding trends.

Now that wedding season is in full swing, we've created a catalog and digital look book featuring editorial imagery that brings our wedding-appropriate apparel to life. We include tips about what to wear to every type of wedding you may be attending this summer. Customers can shop directly from the look book or discuss inspiration with our stylists.

Pursue Big Ideas

We now have 250 employees but we've maintained our startup vibe by encouraging everyone to voice their creative thoughts and roll up their sleeves to dive in and make it happen. We like candidates who have an entrepreneurial spirit.

Be a Street-Style Connoisseur

This is key if you're applying for a fashion-buying role. When Rent the Runway decides to buy a dress from a designer, they follow the data — what styles sell the most across various age groups and cities. If you go into the job knowing boho-chic is in on the West Coast, you'll be sure to impress.

Know Your Luck

On an interview we ask the candidate to rank themselves on a scale of one to 10 in terms of how lucky they are. It helps give us a sense for the appreciation and outlook that they bring to a situation.

Sharpen Your Multi-Tasking Skills

In a fast-paced environment like Rent the Runway, skills like multi-tasking and prioritization of tasks are crucial. We also look for people whose characteristics align with the core values of our company culture, such as 'dream big and go after it.'