Could use career advice

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Beth

Beth

I Suck Cuz I'm Banned
Jan 2, 2006
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Vancouver
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Washington
Hi everyone,

I hope some of you can give me some career advice.

I'm 50 and after 15 years home with my triplets and 6-year old, I decided to follow my dream and enroll in a month-long 160-hour floral design course in Portland, Oregon. That was last April. Since then I've held 2 jobs.

I left the first one after 5 months because the commute was horrendous, I was expected to lift and deliver (with no dolly or anything) these huge heavy ceramic pots and giant floral designs by myself, in my own (upscale leather and nice carpet) van, to a downtown office building every week, and because the boss was a little nuts (angry, occasionally violent).

I've been at my current postion since early November (almost 5 months). She wanted a helper/delivery person, but told me she'd be more than willing to give me design experience too, as time permitted. I'm doing a great job, and proud to be her support person (it's just the 2 of us), happy to be the person who brings lovely flowers to unsuspecting recipients, but I'm not getting to do any design. She'll throw me the occasional bone... would you put oasis in that container, would you add a little leather fern to the back of that design. Sheesh. It's her shop, and she wants the designs to be hers. I understand that. And she really doesn't need much design help.. usually she can handle all of that, as long as she has me doing everything else. There are about 3 days a year that she needs extra help, and she hires another woman to come in and help her then. I continue to do just cleaning, flower care, delivery. Depressing.

At this point (don't shoot me), even working at a grocery chain would be better!!! I mean, I'd get to work with the darn flowers a LITTLE, right? LOL

Any comments would be so much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Beth :~)
 
I only reply to this because I find that I am the boss in this very same situation ... here's what I did.

Hired a girl to do much the same as you, deliver, learn the ropes here, help customers and answer phones as needed. We are not a very busy store, so I find it hard to teach design when there is no repetition. At the holidays, with worksheets and set designs, she does great. She knows the mechanics, and how to set things up. But everyday is different. She did design occasionally, but her designs needed work - pricing was not accurate, and the styles did not reflect the look we're going for, too heavy on one or two types of flowers, instead of the variety we usually go for.

Honestly, I'm new to boss-dom, so this went on for a little while - I wasn't sure what to do. I wanted her to grow so I wouldn't have to continually be the designer on site (I want to get out and introduce our little store to the community, other businesses, etc etc). :treadonme
After this past v-day, and working repetitively on designs, she said how having worksheets helped her see our design style, and most importantly to accurately price her deisgns(which she is afraid to do on her own, even though I patiently explain the process). So my thought to you is ...

If she has a set style, ask her to make up some design worksheets, where the elements are already laid out on paper for you to just plug in. She'll still have creative control as to the items in the arr's, and you can gain valuable practice. Don't mean to be a bad guy, but taking design classes is only a small part of being a florist. I realize that part of being a "Designer" is having creative freedom, but truth be told, you have to earn that, unless of course you are your own boss:) . You really have to be able to take constructive criticism, and actually just take criticism in general (whether it's worded nicely or not).

My girl is still learning - she prefers the worksheets, which is fine for now.
Find a way to ask her to let you deisgn more ... maybe making several cooler arr's. Start small, and the rest will follow if you "do your time".
Good luck!
t.
ps - though your first boss may have been crazy, we put on all our job apps that light duty lifting is a definite possiblity, as well as bucket scrubbing, cleaning. I have never worked in a shop where a deisgner truly only did designing, so be prepared.
 
Beth said:
I left the first one after 5 months because the commute was horrendous, I was expected to lift and deliver (with no dolly or anything) these huge heavy ceramic pots and giant floral designs by myself, in my own (upscale leather and nice carpet) van, to a downtown office building every week
Click to expand...

This is par for the course - quite normal, and a part of the industry. We all get to do it, no matter how nice our car :)

Beth said:
the boss was a little nuts (angry, occasionally violent).
Click to expand...
This, too, is a kinda normal - but that doesn't make it ok. You don't have to put up with abuse, but remember you're in an industry that deals in emotion. Sometimes it spills over into the working environment.


Here's my suggestion for your current boss. Ask to be able to "copy" at least one piece per day, and place it in the cooler for walk-in sale. This will teach you the shop style and let you practice your "chops." This work should be done after all regular chores are complete, so as not to interfere with regular work.

As a benchmark for you, and new student we take on is going to process stock, handle buckets, wrap deliveries and do some cut bouquets for the first year. It's rare to move straight into design unless there is an emergency :)

Don't give up - just stick to it, and make sure you have an open line of communication with your boss.

Ryan
 
Beth,
Like Tracy, I am the sole employee of the shop (designer, janitor, secretary, customer service rep,owner, and delivery driver) I can also speak on the behalf of your employer.

First, it is hard to let someone else do ANY designing when you have been doing it yourself for so long. You expect that person to do work exactly like yours and you will nitpick it to death. I have put three girls through the ringer on design interviews and none of them have the "vision" that I do. I refuse to sell generic cookie cutter work and I know with some time the girls could have mastered my "vision" with time. But, I just don't have the patience to teach someone to design to my specifics.

I see where your employer is coming from and she did tell you that you were only hired for "cleaning crew" but she would let you design if time allotted. We have all been there and done that and trust me, you will be thankful for it in the end. There are so many aspects of this industry and cleaning buckets, processing flowers and making deliveries are the basics of this business. You have to learn how to do those things before you can go, and grow, from there. Give your boss some time, I am sure that the longer you stick by her side the more rein she will give you.

Best Wishes!!
Heather :)
 
Beth

I think you probably need to look at working for a larger florist who has the need for more then one main designer. A smaller shop will be more micro managed and frankly the owner does tend to try and do everything . A larger shop will have key designers and probably a junior designer that they are developing thus more oppurtunities.
 
Beth....

you have three choices........
You can learn the "hard" way, you can learn the "easy" way, or you can learn the "right" way!!
The "hard" way, is where you "think" you know enough about the industry that you branch out on your own, and find out you dont!
The "easy" way, is where you never really learn, but, just go along with whatever anyone you ever work for tells you to do, and stay in it for the ride!!
The "right" way, is where you spend as much effort and zeal in convincing your employer(s) that you are essential to their biz, and in time, they'll trust your skills, and in turn, (if they are the truthful type) they'll allow you to develop your OWN skillset,style, and work ethic.
You noticed I used "work ethic" as a jump off point!!
The greatest contibutor to distrust of employees is perceieved work ethic, or lack thereof, and many employees think very highly of themselves, when in fact, they fail to see the big picture, and have little patience, or staying power!
Your employers, so far, by your description, have "polarized" your opinion of yourself, and it seems to have rubbed off on your ability to be truthful with yourself!!
We, here at our shop, and when we had MORE shops, found the greatest threat to future employees, was our lack of trust in their abilities, and over time, this assumption was correct, BUT, the people that DO survive the breaking in period, the time of washing buckets, delivering, filling tubes, painting the walls, cutting the grass, washing floors, cleaning cobwebs, watering plants, cleaning glass cooler doors, cleaning flowers, learning how to properly prepare them for resale, carrying buckets, hydrating, regularly watching and rejuvinating slimy buckets of product, becomes part of the life learning cycle of a determined florist wannabee, and at some point, someone is gonna say to you "you're as good as you SAY you are!!"
Sometimes it takes weeks, sometimes it takes months, sometimes it takes years, and sometimes, it NEVER happens, and you move on.
 
I got into the floral industry by my husband.The shop owner hired me as a "favor" to him. The owner and I had personality conflicts-we would not have been friends outside of the shop.However,I learned as much of what not to do as anything.I have my own shop now. I do not know everything,but I learn everyday.If you love it,you'll stay in it and eventually-you WILL get to do your own thing.I personally,like washing buckets as anything.That means you have had flowers,sold some flowers, and are preparing for more!!!!!
I wish you the absolute best!!!!!!!!!
Violet
 
murphymusic said:
I personally,like washing buckets as anything.That means you have had flowers,sold some flowers, and are preparing for more!!!!!
Click to expand...
Murphymusic Violet - I usually can put a positive spin on things, but washing buckets?? I am so happy to hear this new perspective, and will keep it for myself, and pass it on as to why it should be a joyous task. Thanks for the great outlook!!:flower:
tracy :)
 
I want to say that I SO appreciate all your thoughtful replies. You've given me a better perspective on all of this.

I don't begrudge the things she's having me do right now. I know they're all vital to the day to day running of the shop. I just long for a chance to design something once or twice a week. I'm afraid I'm forgetting everything I learned in class, since I've not been able to practice what I learned.

I will open up better communication with her, see if there is hope for me to make an item or two a week, or copy hers as someone brilliantly suggested... even off the clock. I would have no problem with that. I will be patient. I will continue to work hard, tirelessly, with a smile on my face. I will try to enjoy more what I AM doing. I am, after all, working in a wonderful environment, in a really nice business.

Thanks again,
Beth :~)
 
A wise employer will encourage the talents seen in the hiring process.
Working in the shop from the floor up is necessary... as is having the desire to learn and expand on ones talent. I hope Beth, for your sake and the employers sake, she falls on the side of wise.

V
 
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