[Summerleft]

Well as you know i have a part time job to bring in soem pennies, its only 12 hrs a week on minimum wage but its to help get the tog business off the ground

Now i am supposed to work sat and cannot have time off, also i had a sat as a sick day the other week as i was and

So what comes up today but an opportunity for this Sat to assist at a show, the tog has on site printing and although wont pay huge I get my dinner and more than my four hours at work will pay but it would mean throwing a sicky

My OH and dad say go for it lol but my friends have said i have a duty to my 12 a week sales assistant job including uniform

I know you cant tell me what to do but i had something like this come up last month and i had to say no its not often 2 opportunites come up like this and i feel the experience would be invaluable and enjoyable

What would you do ?

Also Im a little worried my equipment will get laughed at! Ive only ever worked on my own and produced shots people are more than happy with but will they think Im not worthy without my 400 zoom and external flash (some classes are indoors but ill say i cant do those) lol!

I know its a bit of a silly post but i have to let them know well today! and i really could do with some pearls of wisdom

[P-E]

Are you prepared to run the risk of losing your job if you get found out your sicky was not really a sicky?

[Sparhawk]

Hi Summerleft
While I do not agree with anyone taking "a sicky" if I were in your position I think I would do it. I believe that you want to try and make your way in the field of photography and if you keep having to turn down jobs people will quickly get the idea that it is not worth asking you to take their photos then what chance will you have??
I worked for over 38 years and in that time I never took any false time off and was rewarded {at the age of 55} with redundancy and to date have not been able to find another job. You are young enough to try and go for what you want in life and given the chance {in retrospect} I wish that I had taken the "Bull by the horns" and done what I realy wanted to.
As for the equipment you have WHY WORRY!!! everyone has to start somewhere and {as we know from the photos on this site} it is NOT the camera it is the person behind it that makes the shot.
Go for it and enjoy the day, WHO KNOWS WHERE IT COULD LEAD!!!
Regards
Sparhawk

[Summerleft]

Thanks guys, OH said to me where do i want my career to go, the shop isnt my ambition, he also said the only reason Im doing the job is to facilitate something else not to do it forever

So i have said yes

[fionaB]

well it depends how much u need the job............ i know i wouldnt have an option, i would have to turn down the assist and go to work. But then i NEED my job and cant afford to lose it. BUt as you are working to get the photography off the groun its a shame to sacrifice photography to keep the job......... part time work is ten a penny for 12 hours a week so u would be able to get another job if worse came to worse, you may not get another chance to assist as quickly.

fi

[Sparhawk]

I am pleased that you have said yes Summerleft,
It is {as I stated "what you want out of life"} sometimes you need to take the chance when it comes, if you dont you could spend the rest of your life regretting it. I hope that you will post some of your photos on here.
To me life is too short for regrets, just remember that I will NOT back you when you plan to go out to "celebrate" and end up with the "Mother of all hangovers"
Regards
Sparhawk

[Summerleft]

pmsl thanks S,

Ive just got slated on another forum for even suggesting taking time off work for something so trivial as taking pictures! and by people i thought would have far more ambition

Anyway no matter what i want to be able to say i tried

[lcraft]

At least where I live, a minimum wage part time job is not exactly in short supply.

If I thought taking the photography job for the weekend would give me leads and open opportunities there instead of in sales I wouldn't need to think very long about it.

If it was a "real job" with benefits on the line I would probably decline.

[orangepeel]

Ah isn't if funny how our in our society our word no longer has any value? And we gripe and complain the UK is in the toilet.

I'm sorry but I think this is appauling behaviour. If it was me I'd be up front with the part time employer. If they want to let you go then fine. Find another job.

People tend to appreciate honesty.

[rodger1138]

every once in a while i get opportunities to help out short films, music videos and stuff. and i usually try and swap shifts or give my shift away to organize it

once or twice i just didnt show up, and got like 5 voice messages asking me to "get my ass to work" (my supervisor was kind of a friend of mine so i got away with that)

anyway~my point is. end of the day you know whats more important to you

[Summerleft]

Thanks to most of you lol
I do feel bad about it so will talk to them today, see if i can get time off, and take it from there.

[Ali]

Personally I couldn’t pull a sicky, never have, never will. I would to be honest and upfront. My decision would have to depend on how much I actually needed this particular paid job and how easy it will be to find another part time job that suits your needs. If you just want a job to provide an income to allow you to concentrate on your photography, surely anything goes - supermarket, bar work, waitressing?

I think would ask my employers for the time off, and if they were unable to accommodate I would either leave the job entirely (if viable) or forfeit the chance to assist.

Trouble with forfeiting the chance to assist, you might not get asked again.

[Dave]

OP hits it on the head. State how important it is for you , with the understanding if they don't support you, do you really want to work for a firm like that ? If you want to be successful in any business of yourown, sometimes you need to sacrifice something for the larger goal.

Let us know how you get on ?