First off, they have a C rating with the better business bureau. Why? Because they have no…read morecompetition. Schools make note, they are not in your best interest. You are basically stuck using them. Lifetouch is not much better. With that said. Take them for what they are worth. It's a round peg in a round hole job. You will learn nothing. The company likes to hire weak and insecure individuals, keeps them in their place makes management seem superior. They violate EEOC rules under the guise that you are a seasonal temporary employee. There is no maturity in management to elevate you to be a better photographer except for that which benefits Dean Stewart Photography. If you have nothing to do for a year and want to work, take the paycheck but move on ASAP if you want to get more out of life and your abilities. They give you 42 cents a mile when the national standard is 56. Why? Because they can. Your car interior will get torn up and damaged hauling their gear in and out. You will not know your work schedule till basically the day before you start the next week. You are owned, and your "down" time from your workweek diminishes your hourly rate considerably since you can't plan for anything else. If you need a day off you will be removed from the schedule, there are a dozen others waiting to be hired. Again, they give the seasonal excuse, that's 10 months of service. Employees have been known to get so sick and an ambulance has to be called because they are afraid to ask for a day off. In time you will discover, maybe, that you have something to offer. And, after your first year, you are just as skilled as those that are training you. Sadly, they do not know how to utilize that. Probably because the supervisors are doing the work of two+ people and can't develop professional skills, afraid of the boss flying off the handle. He is a moody fellow. The staff is like insecure children that discover they really do not know much. They work with kids, it's a simple job, so their maturity gets diluted. They will throw you a dollar or so to motivate you and if $13 an hour is a good future for you. Ok. Because you won't make much more. No matter what you do. And what you "learn" will not better your future. You really won't know more than you did the day you walked in, your experience means nothing. That keeps supervisors feeling accomplished. Basically, you should outgrow them after your first season, to stay would drag your success down. I am really surprised there are no other options for the schools to choose from. Since Dean Stewart farms out their processing they have nothing special or different to offer. Their quality control was nothing special. Crank it out, make a buck. I suspect their overhead is so high because they always have to cut their prices with the schools, to keep the business. Then there is the boss's son. No one likes him, really. He is that stereotypical daddy's boy. Can't do wrong. Antisocial, unfriendly, and keeps with the immature tradition of not knowing how to elevate the staff. The boss is not much different, do not expect a hello from him unless you run into him. Remember, you are gone after your first season. They do seem to pride themselves on that process. No connection to the employees, no understanding of their value. You are a workhorse. Honest days work for an honest day's pay, barely. It's interesting how unprofessional a business can be and be profitable. I guess it comes from not having anything to compare to, except the occasional convention. Parents, help your kids find a better opportunity.
With all that said. If you have the time to discard and need some quick cash. Have at it. A life lesson is always learned.
