I'm feeling targeted AGAIN!

Don't get me wrong. I love my new job, but you see it goes like this.

The manager hired me and another girl who turns out to be her friend. Neither one of us know what we are doing as far as actually taking the photos ( target portrait studio) but I have had experience working at another portrait studio doing sales and learning how to do the photography though I never officially took photos.

At my last job at the portrait studio I wanted to take photos and while I was some what taught no one really taught me. I kept being told that they'd teach me once some time for training opened up. I was one of their best sellers and they wanted to keep me there but photography is my passion and I really want to be able to do both. Time came around for training hours open and what did they do, trained newbie sellers who wanted to do it rather than me. Why? Because they didn't want to lose their best seller . I was pissed and quit. All that waiting for nothing. Those girls they decided to train all stunk and quit within weeks too did she train me then, nope kept making excuses.



OKAY now back to my present job. I have been there for four days now. So far I am doing an super job at sellling, I have a knack for it, I know that. I am still paciently waiting just to be trained to do some photography, even if I am mostly going to be a seller so long as they train me to do photography to I'll be happy. She decided to start her friend out on photography and me on selling. We were supposed to switch on the second day but nope, she decided not to. So I haven't learned to shoot photos at all. Well my manager told me yesterday on my fourth day that she had great news!! She said she got permission to keep as a seller all through christmas and that i didn't have to be a photorgrapher. I was like what? What's that mean? She told me that they usually have to train everybody to do everything but since I am so kick butt at selling she got the okay not to train me in photography. My heart was broken. Again I am not allowed to do photography, no one will even give me a chance. She asked me how I felt since I must have had the saddest face on me, I told her I am fine with selling and love it but really wanted to know how to do it all. She said she'd eventually train me some but that was all. This obviously puts me at a disadvantage as people who can do it all make more money and get more hours. I don't want to quit but am devestated and feel like I am being targeted since the other girl is her friend she's obviously going to do things more for her.

I just needed to get it all out. I love the people and the place and other than that it is great but.... I just don't think anyone will ever give me a chance to prove that I am a aewsome photographer to.

well, I think I would just have patience and down the road you will be trained. though it makes for problems for others at work ,,,friends usually look after friends first. I've seen that happen at lots of places.

stick with the job,,,give it a time frame that you are willing to wait until you can be trained..and go from there. If it looks unfavourable,,then look for another job.

just my thoughts on this..

connie

I would sit down with your boss and tell her (in a very sincere and respectful way) what happened at your last job and how disappointed you are that you can't be trained in photography. Even if the other girl is going to do the photography tell her that the training is very important to you. Don't say that you won't sell but just that you want to learn how to do photography too. Be very sincere. Even if they won't train you ,you can say that you tried and if they do train you but won't let you do photographs you could quit this job and get hired as a photographer and not for sales. Don't mention anything about her being friends with the other girl. Hope this helps.

I'm going to take a different perspective on this - and I hope y'all will read all the way through and try to hear me out. (Knowing bunny people are such great people...I'm sure you will).

Target and most other companies don't look at you and say, "How can we use this person to their best potential and help them grow as a person?" Now - some companies do this - but most retail companies look at the bottom line....which is $$ earned.

For example, if your studio doesn't earn X amount of $$, the manager could be put on probation or there could be talk of closing the studio or something (cutting back on hours or employees).

So your manager is keeping in mind one thing right now - and that is the amount of $$ that she can bring in for the studio - and it is obvious that you do a good job at selling.

Now I'm not making a judgment call and saying she's right and you're wrong...or vice versa. But what I'm trying to do - is to show you her point of view...and that is, "I have someone her who is good at sales and I need to bring in the money so I need to keep her there."

What you need to do is to come up with a way to approach her and say something like, "I know I'm good at selling pictures but I also wanted to learn to photograph. Could we schedule my time so I am taking pictures one day a week to start with? This is really why I wanted this job." Don't mention her friend - don't mention anything along those lines. Just explain that your goal was to learn the photography and you would like the chance to do that. Also say that you will continue to do your BEST at selling when you are working with customers on that aspect of the job.

I would be hesitant to quit right away though because I think it makes you look bad to future employees - kind of like, "Well...she's quit two photography jobs in X days or weeks.....I think I'll find someone else". I'd stick with the job AT LEAST through Christmas so that you can see them through the busy season and then move on if they haven't trained you.

That's just my .02 from a "forty-something" woman who has sort of "been there - done that" in some retail jobs. I've talked to some human resource folks (I was considering getting my human resource management degree) and learned that they REALLY look at the length of time spent at a job - particularly if there is a pattern of leaving jobs after a short length of time.

Peg

I wanted to add one more thought to this.

If you have a digital camera, you could go to a park someplace and take pictures of folks - trying your best to get good shots of them and then put together a portfolio to show your manager your skills so far.

That might help!

Peg

If there's one thing that I've learned during my (short) working life, it's that you really have to tell people what you want. If you stay quiet, then you'll never get it. Where my parents come from there's a saying, which is 'Shy bearns get nowt' - in otherwords, the kid who doesn't speak up is left out (bearn = child, nowt=nothing).

Sit down with your manager and let her know how you feel. Be tactful about it. Tell her where your true passion lies, and let her know that you could be equally good in that sector. Like it's been suggested, put together a portfolio, so that she can see how truly passionate you are.

It might work, or it might not, but even if it doesn't, at the end of the day she's going to know where you really want to be, and it's something she'll keep in mind for the future.

TinysMom wrote:

This make since and I do get this. I defintiley understand that from her point of view but I also want to be able to show her my other skills. I don't intend to quit because I really like the job but like you said I will wait till christmas and then see how things go. Thanks everyone.

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Target and most other companies don't look at you and say, "How can we use this person to their best potential and help them grow as a person?" Now - some companies do this - but most retail companies look at the bottom line....which is $$ earned.

For example, if your studio doesn't earn X amount of $$, the manager could be put on probation or there could be talk of closing the studio or something (cutting back on hours or employees).

So your manager is keeping in mind one thing right now - and that is the amount of $$ that she can bring in for the studio - and it is obvious that you do a good job at selling.

Now I'm not making a judgment call and saying she's right and you're wrong...or vice versa. But what I'm trying to do - is to show you her point of view...and that is, "I have someone her who is good at sales and I need to bring in the money so I need to keep her there."

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Since you are really good at selling - your manager probably doesn't want to loose you -so make a couple demands. Offer to work an extra shift so you can train on photography during that time- soit won't take away fromwhat she already has you down for. Or offer to come in off shift and train (get the experience - though you would be doing it for free....and can now say you have that experience when applying for other jobs!). I would still talk to the manager and make your goals clear. No point in wasting 6 months doing the sales if it's not your goal and no guarantees the manager will actually trin you on photography after christmas.

Say something like - you would like to train in photography now, but you're willing to concentrate on selling during the busy Christmas period or something like that... I would also look for another portrait studio job while you are still working at Target -no reason to quit before finding something else... and no reason you're stuck there till christmas.

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Nadia

Nadia has a really good point here. As long as you still have a job with this photography studio - you could try for another job and as your reason for moving on explain that you aren't getting the training in photography and they want you to wait for several months. (Other than that though - don't knock the Target studio..).

That just might get you another job...and with Christmas coming up - there might be jobs opening up soon?

Peg

HoneyPot wrot

Say something like - you would like to train in photography now, but you're willing to concentrate on selling during the busy Christmas period or something like that... I would also look for another portrait studio job while you are still working at Target -no reason to quit before finding something else... and no reason you're stuck there till christmas.

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Nadia

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