[Jewelry making - Article 00623] - Re: [Orchid] Employment in the Metal arts/Jewelery Field

[Jim Reitze]

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    I find it interesting that this thread started as a request for
    information on entry level bench positions in the Chicago area and
    ended up being a praising (few)/bashing (many) session of
    Jared/Sterling jewelry shop employment. I think I'll go ahead and add
    yet another little twist to the direction this thread is going. 

    My business has dropped off so badly over the past 3 years (I have a
    mostly retail repair operation within a retail store, independent,
    well, sort of, of the retail operation). There are many factors to
    blame in the drop off, but that should be the subject of other
    threads. I am limited to 40 hours per week by the simple fact that I
    don't have the keys and that is all the hours the store is open. I
    feel that I could, and should, do much better if I could find a
    better venue. I, too, have considered the option of moving away from
    self employment toward a job that has a decent salary and some much
    needed benefits. I, too, have discussed the possibilities with the
    folks at Jared. I had already decided that it wasn't a good career
    or personal move for me before this thread started. It has, however,
    made me realize that it was a good decision for me to NOT pursue that
    avenue, no matter the benefits package. If I were relegated to the
    hourly bench staff, the highest wage they might offer (after the
    obligitory bench test & interviews, of course) was barely better than
    the income I am griping about now, and I would have to work an extra
    8-18 hours per week to do it. Plus, I would have to work in a
    pressure cooker environment, seemingly working for unrealistic
    expectations, and for little or no encouragement or incentive. The
    only good thing there was an affordable medical package. I would
    also be required to relinquish ANY & ALL outside interests in the
    jewelry industry. Understandable on one level, unacceptable on
    another. And, with that many hours per week dedicated to the company,
    I would have little or no time left to find other income
    opportunities, or, more importantly, to be involved in my family's
    lives and passions. I would be little more than the source of income,
    and not all that great an income, to boot. 

    Another post offers a supervisory shop position for a manufacturer.
    Responsibilities seem to include everything from overseeing the work
    of several other bench people, doing some bench work, quality
    control, keeping everything running smoothly & on time, ordering
    materials........ In short, being a one man band. The hourly rates
    offered in this post were, in my estimation, pitiful for the
    responsibility and experience required to successfully fill these
    shoes. Sorry if I offend anyone, but the best rate they offer in this
    posting is only about 75% of what I am making now. If the wages I am
    seeing are 'customary' in this industry, it is no wonder that nobody
    wants to do this anymore. 

    From another source, a shop owner in TN laments that he has built a
    fancy new shop and cannot find anyone competent to staff it. What are
    you offering for a wage and benefit package? He didn't address that
    in the column where I saw this. From my own experiences, I have seen
    it too often, through too many employers and a couple of self
    employed situations. If you are at the top of your game and in the
    rare right situation, you can make good money at repair and
    special/custom order work. If you are only in the better than average
    category, you may do OK, but you'll work long hours doing the
    impossible for the unappreciative (both the management and the
    customers are guilty of that). And, they want it yesterday, and
    don't want to pay decently for the work. 

    As I said, the why and wherefore of business being down, public
    attitude, etc., is fodder for many threads. In this one, I will close
    by observing that we can look at many jobs out there in this country
    and see a common denominator. Most of the least appreciated jobs,
    like teaching, law enforcement, firefighting, nursing, and many
    others (seemingly to include jewelers, watchmakers and other
    'non-essential' trades) draw the lowest salaries, least benefits and
    poorest level of esteem. It seems that the public demands that these
    people be highly qualified, dedicated to their trade and willing to
    work long hours to maintain their skills and perform their duties,
    yet they would like not to have to pay dearly for those services. I
    know I will draw some heavy fire for some of these comments, but I
    sincerely believe that we have to turn around our thinking as
    consumers before the situation will change. We have both nurses and
    teachers in fair quantity in our family, so I have seen this lack of
    appreciation in those fields. We have been volunteer firefighters
    and have seen the trouble getting any respect from the public in that
    job. 

    Ok, Ok, enough of my rant. Just getting frustrated trying to make a
    living, I guess, and still looking at many options for making it
    better. 

Jim
http://www.forrest-design.com
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