I dont know what to do anymore...

[fabulousmexo]

So I dont know if this goes in this section or the hair section but i need advise. Ive been working for a rental stylist for 6 months and for 6 months ive been struggling. I get paid $100/wk. Thats $2.50/hr. At first I agreed because i was supposed to be getting classes for free 2x a month but ive had 2 classes. Ive tried to take to her and she says assisting is hard and anyone who is self motivated would do this for free but I cant afford it. And ive been doing makeup when the makeup artist is out and ive come to realize I LOVE doing makeup way more than I love doing hair. I dont know what to do anymore but I do know that i need to make more money. Please give me your advise

 

[AmiS4ys]

Honestly, I would have to attempt to get another job. The assumption that "If you really wanted to do this, you'd do it for free", is a bit unrealistic. You have bills, payments, a life! You may need to look elsewhere and consider this only as experience.

 

[anita22]

Well I'm not in the industry (or even close to it) but I find it unbelievable that anyone could expect you to go on working for so long for so little money and so few benefits. Yes in some cases you might work for free or almost nothing to get experience, but as you rightly pointed out you were expecting some kind of benefit in return (in terms of both training and experience). The fact that she is unwilling to honour your initial arrangement regarding classes definitely rings warning bells for me, it sounds like she is taking advantage of you. And also that you now have 6 months experience behind you, yet you are still expected to work for almost nothing?? How are you supposed to progress if you are not learning the right skills? Or does she want you to work for basically nothing forever? In any job, there should be SOME plan for you to develop your skills so that you can move up, so that even if you start out on a low wage, there is still an opportunity to move up.

If it were me I'd definitely be out of there, have you thought about freelancing at all? If you're doing makeup for people already, see if you can use that to build up a client base or even a portfolio of some sort.

Alternatively if you have a written employment agreement of some sort, I'd be looking for ways to hold her to it.

 

[Bgirl17lovesMAC]

Is this a full time position?? $100.00 a week?? No way!! You definitely have to start doing something else, or stay with that and do the makeup thing on the side. I was assising at a hair salon also and I was making about $250.00 a week and that was way too little for me, I did like the fact that I was getting some experience and a little bit of training but I couldn't do it I definitely needed more money so I ended up with a receptionist job in a small office and it has nothing to do with hair I need the extra money now epecially being that I am a single mother who doesn't get any child support at all. I mean I am sure you will get the experience but that salary is wayyyy tooo low..

 

[gildedangel]

It sounds like you are getting used. Use this as experience on your resume and start looking for a new job, you do not deserve being treated like this!

 

[joey444]

$100 a week??? I would die! I agree, you are getting used BIG TIME. I guess if something positive came out of it, it's that you discovered that you actually love doing makeup more than what you originally signed up for so now get out there and pursue that!!

Best of luck to you.

 

[TISH1124]

Ok these falls well below the legal state (any state) minimum wage....There is something terribly wrong here....I would def get the heck out of there asap but not before filing a unfair labor dispute on my way out the door. They shoud be made to pay you back pay for all the hours you have worked. $100 a wk...are they kidding!!! I pay my babsitter more than that and he is my stepson living in my house eating my food....Oh this pisses me off!

 

[MxAxC-_ATTACK]

I was offered a similar position after getting my cosmo License. She said I would make something like 25 cents on each wash I did, and various other bits of change for other services. I had to turn that down because it was just not worth it. Seriously, I just spent 10 grand on school, I have a license, I Know you have to work your way up but working for literally Pennies a day is CRAZY!!! If you want to do makeup, DO IT!

 

[sweatpea559]

This sounds totally illegal. Unless it is an internship or volunteer work you should be making at least $8.50 per hour. *If it is volunteer work (sounds like it isn't) you should be making nothing, If it is an internship, you either get paid minimum or higher, or you don't get paid at all*. There is no in between. Sounds like this lady is using you for cheap labor and should be turned in!

 

[TISH1124]

^^ Actually I did get paid for doing my Intern work (Business Mgmt)....This is my states law

What is an internship?

An internship is an on-site work experience that is either directly related to a student's field of study or career interest.
What are the benefits of having an intern?

Highly motivated students
Quality work
Cost-effective staffing
Development of talent



Do interns get paid?
Generally minimum-wage law requires pay for most positions. Academic credit is not a substitute for pay. Salaries should reflect the nature of the work performed and vary from one field to another.

 

[sweatpea559]

I got paid for an internship too... just totally not required (at least in CA). I should have phrased it differently.

 

[fabulousmexo]

I think im going to start looking for another job... the check she wrote me bounced so i dont have money this week.

Wish me luck on job hunting!

 

[TISH1124]

^^^WTF!!!!! you have got to be kidding!!!! Check bounced!!! Yeah I would be bouncing too!!

 

[Strawberrymold]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabulousmexo So I dont know if this goes in this section or the hair section but i need advise. Ive been working for a rental stylist for 6 months and for 6 months ive been struggling. I get paid $100/wk. Thats $2.50/hr. At first I agreed because i was supposed to be getting classes for free 2x a month but ive had 2 classes. Ive tried to take to her and she says assisting is hard and anyone who is self motivated would do this for free but I cant afford it. And ive been doing makeup when the makeup artist is out and ive come to realize I LOVE doing makeup way more than I love doing hair. I dont know what to do anymore but I do know that i need to make more money. Please give me your advise

If you are good at hair and makeup, you could do a lot (and get paid for it). Makeup artists who can also do hair are very sought after for weddings & proms. I would start getting your name out there, what with all the spring weddings and all now is a perfect time! Get yourself some biz cards, and start handing them out! Great placed to network are photography studios and nail salons. Also doing prom makeup and hair can be a good way too start freelancing, (the clients are usually way less demanding seeing as they are 17 and just want to look hot). For every client you have make sure that keeping a headshot is is your contract, this is a nice free way to build up your portflio.
If you have good word of mouth you can make a pretty good living of of freelancing. Granted it is not always a cake walk, but the more clients you build the easier it becomes to find work on a regular basis.

$100 an week is (pardon the potty mouth) bullshit. You could be making $100 an hour easy.

It takes a lot of work, but if you love what you do it is worth it.

hope that helps

 

[NernersHuman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1127 ^^^WTF!!!!! you have got to be kidding!!!! Check bounced!!! Yeah I would be bouncing too!!

Damn straight. Sounds like this person has no clue how to run a business. Get out before she goes under.

 

[MiCHiE]

I would definitely step. What was the original agreement, as far as compensation? I can understand throwing in some free classes, but working for $100/week (especially if this is a FT gig) is not going to cut it. I'm sure there are reputable spas in your area. Perhaps you can get on with them and actually be a stylist/MUA and build your resume.

 

[CandiGirl21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fabulousmexo So I dont know if this goes in this section or the hair section but i need advise. Ive been working for a rental stylist for 6 months and for 6 months ive been struggling. I get paid $100/wk. Thats $2.50/hr. At first I agreed because i was supposed to be getting classes for free 2x a month but ive had 2 classes. Ive tried to take to her and she says assisting is hard and anyone who is self motivated would do this for free but I cant afford it. And ive been doing makeup when the makeup artist is out and ive come to realize I LOVE doing makeup way more than I love doing hair. I dont know what to do anymore but I do know that i need to make more money. Please give me your advise

I've been confused lately about career choices as well. I've wanted to be a counselor and real estate agent to manicurist and working a normal 9 to 5. Although I'm very excited about the manicurist idea, sometimes I just wish I could relax and NOT work at all... The way the economy is, I HAVE to work. That is if I can find one...

All I can tell you is to hang in there and continue to earn that little amount that you're earning. Think long and hard about what you want to do, because too many people THOUGHT they had their career paths mapped out only to waste years of their valuable time on something they're not happy with...

 

[Chikky]

Yeah, that's too little money. Our assistants make at least minimum wage. I'd get out, especially now since the check bounced. This could mean one week you won't get paid at all, and never will for that week, if she goes under or something. Plus, not getting your classes?

I understand what she's trying to pull over you, and why you want to hang in there. But know that there are many salons where you can be an assistant and take free classes and gain a clientele before you even get on the floor and still make some good money.