[Jewelry making - Article 00363] - Re: [Orchid] Jewelry/Metals Marketing Book

[Frif]

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    Karen~ When I was employed with a state affiliate of a national
    jewelers organization, I learned that owners of stores frequently
    pay their employees in a secretive way. telling employees not to
    discuss with other employees, their rate of pay or bonuses or other
    benefits, Reason?  They pay as low as they dare, with no standard or
    openly known pay scale.  If they can get a talented, solidly
    experienced jeweler or sales person to work for peanuts, they WILL. 

    My recommendation  to  a person seeking work as a bench jeweler is
    to ask about the pay scale for that shop.  What is the starting pay
    for ALL employees at the level you seek? For step increases?  Is
    there an annual increase? Do they pay commissions for sales for bench
    people? Do all the employees work thru the same scale?  

    The issue is a transparent pay scale and one which provides for
    assured increased pay for increased experience and skill.  It is up
    to see to it that we don't give our work away, to settle for unfair
    wages, 

    OF COURSE there are shops in which the employees are paid fairily.,  
    But, in the greater percentage of stores, the pay IS too low and
    owners may or may not feel moved to improve employee pay. 

    My suggestion is to become JA certified, or obtain some other
    accreditization which can demonstrate proficiency and then, seek out
    the best stores in town that can add to your skill set.  In my view,
    the only justification for working for very low pay is for an
    apprenticeship, or the opportunity to learn from the best mentoring
    employer you can find. 

    It is unfortunate that not all people are good teachers,or want to
    share technical info  either!  It is a good idea to search out
    employers who have a good reputation . It is not just the prospective
    employee who should be scrutinized! It should work both way! On the
    other side of the issue, there are wonderfully generous
    teachers/owners who  offer their hard-earned knowledge and
    experiences to beginning and advancing bench and sales people. There
    are those who will gladly pay fair wages that are regularly adjusted,
    and the business benefits. 

    And, in the current US economy, most of the jewelry business is
    slowing, Money for high wages is a more difficult issue, That
    deserves consideration, but yet, it is each of our responsibility to
    ''pay our dues'' to learn to be the best we can be, and be fairly
    compensated for our skill. and contribution to our craft and our 
    employers business. 

Frif



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