I want to interrupt the Fix CPI posts to ask a question. We've already discussed how at SPS, there's plenty of opportunities to move up in position since people quit so often and we discussed how my DM was someone who went from seasonal help to district manager in about 2 years.
But on the other hand, I don't know if you've looked at the company newsletter ever, but every once in a while, there would be someone in the newsletter where it would be something like this: "Congratulations to Ms. Person who, after nine years with the company, has been promoted to Studio Manager."
How do people last that long? Is it related to what some posters have said: how things used to be enjoyable at CPI and now are not (making those first nine years a breeze relative to the stuff they're about to have to endure)? I know that for some, working with the cute babies is enough to help them endure all the bad stuff, but nothing could make me endure for nine years.
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5 comments:
I only stay because i LOVE the photography. Im working towards it being how i make my actual living, not just some extra $$.
Im an asst Manager so i make diddly squat. But i just love the photo and bonding witht he lil ones.
It only took me 5mos before i was offered my Position, but it took another 6mos before i actually got the raise.
ive been here 7 years. it took 4 years to get the promotion. i worked 10 hour shift supplementing with another job till the other job closed down. then i was doing all the work of an assistant without the title or pay so i quit then got offered a promotion. it was a lot of fun in the beginning. more people were hired my first cmas season and we bounced off each other helping each other with a real team effort. then i found a smooth rythym that worked for me in the camera room. it made it more than a job. the big toothy smile and hugs and high fives made anything else worth it. now i can hardly think about because im too busy trying to count all the poses i just took to make sure i have 12 to 15 and if my prs is too low another week i might get canned.
I'v worked with C.P.I for 20 years. It didn't start as a career, but rather like most of you as a part time gig to supplement income.
I went from associate to asst. manager to manager and then to training manager. I started when it was 70 mil. camera's, then to the freeze frame system and trained 19 studios to shoot digital.
I'v read some of the messages left here, and to you new managers and staff, believe me when I tell you that C.P.I was not always this way.
Believe it or not, This company used to be one that you really believed appreciated their field employees. ( we even used to have X-mas bonases that had nothing to do with L/Y sales! )
There are and have been a lot of changes. It is not easy, and it is certanly not for the weak and discouraged easy kind of person!
"I'v worked with C.P.I for 20 years. It didn't start as a career, but rather like most of you as a part time gig to supplement income.
I went from associate to asst. manager to manager and then to training manager. I started when it was 70 mil. camera's, then to the freeze frame system and trained 19 studios to shoot digital."
You could be my twin. If I hadn't been canned last yr, this would be going on 20 yrs for me as well. And we progressed the exact same way, even down to the training of 19 studios to digital. I am in Cali and i completely agree that the company used to be almost awesome. Remember the BIG boxes of Christmas goodies? Enough for everyone at my then 18 employee, 4 camera room, studio.
~M~
I have worked in the photography industry with 3 companies for nearly 8 years (CPI my current, Olan Mills & PCA my past). When I 1st started working with the company, & up until about 2 months ago, this was the best company I have worked for so far. They honestly seemed to care for their associates, the benefits & incentives were insurmountable.
THEN...
This last couple months or so the company has turned to hell! Due to the strain of keeping our labor as low as possible, 2 of our associates quit because they weren't getting enough hours to make any money... That takes our studio, the busiest in our district & one of the busiest in our territory, down to 4 associates! That's right... 4... when we shoot twice as many sessions in a week as any other studio in our district! The 4 we have... my manager, me (the assistant manager), a key associate, & a part-time associate. THEN!! This morning on our conference call, our DM mentions that we need to get our outreach done because we're fully staffed!! What a joke! We're working single coverage & up to double coverage (2 camera room studio & open scheduling system!), with it being the wks leading to Easter, & it being Spring Break. When are we going to have a chance to do outreach when we're booked every 15 minutes on single coverage? That sure as hell doesn't give us a chance to sell, much less do outreach!
I love my job... Love Photography... love my manager & most of my staff (well, what's left of it)... but now, it's all not worth it since the paperwork alone has got me so stressed out that I'm losing sleep at night!
Has anyone else noticed an increase in the paperwork they're requiring us to do? I'm wondering if it is just our district manager or territory manager that has started this influx of stress-inducing paperwork...
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