I might be starting quite a long discussion here but I’m highly
against working for free. I will not be grateful when someone offers
me a position with no pay. It greatly upsets me that in this industry
in the beginning so many artists are expected to work for free or for
pay so low they’ll have to live out of their car.
I majored in jewelry making at Towson University and I did have an
intership that was paid. I’ve worked in 3 jewelry stores, 2 of them
repairing jewelry and I was treated so badly in the positions. The
owners of the stores emotionally abused the employees to the point
that turnover was unbelieveably high.
I have promised myself I will never hire an assistant if I can’t pay
them well and give them health insurance. If I can’t do this then I
won’t have an assistant. Besides do you expect an employee that
you’re paying $8 or $10 an hour to stay around for long? If you
expect that you’re crazy. I will not treat others the way I do not
want to be treated. It’s that simple. I will also not perpetuate this
theory that jewelers should be paid very little.
I’ve gone through many itnerviewws, one where my looks were insulted
and I was told I would have to work for at least 5 years making no
many to become a good goldsmith. All I could think was that at $8 an
hour I’d be living out of my car.
I have not had the chance to run my jewelry business full time so
from the experience side I don’t know how that will work out I just
know I will treat others far better.