Florist News

Hi there. How many of you students work in florists and who is doing floristry without work based experience. I would love to do a few hours in a florists to give me some hands on experience, but there are no positions advertised near to me and I am thinking of writing to all the local florists to see if they can use me. Should I do this work unpaid or will I get taken advantage of??! I'm not bothered about the money, I just want to get in there!!

What are your thoughts - comments from students and experienced florists welcomed!!

Hi Millimoo, I'm studying C&G level 2 (Saturdays) with the plan to open my own shop one day. To me shop experience is vital and thankfully I know someone who is willing to give that to me.

I wouldn't bother writing to florists, I'd go in, engage them in conversation get to know them a bit and tell them that you're studying and would like to get some part time work/ work experience etc.

Where are you based? Are there many florists near you? What are you studying?

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www.treesfloraldesign.co.uk

Good advice from Tree letters and CV's tend to get put on the back burner better to go in and speak to florist in person

A bit of advice I would give you is that when you are speaking to florists, concentrate on what you can do for them. We have a lot of people approach us for jobs but only seem interested in what they can gain from us (normally experience so they can start up their own business). You need to sell to them the benefits you can bring to their business. It doesn't bother me that someone wants to work for themselves after doing a few years of training, in fact, it shows to me that they are really keen. But if I get the impression they are only interested in the training they are going to get from me, I wouldn't consider them.

As for paid or unpaid, to be honest I wouldn't have someone working unpaid for me.


Flowerfool

Sometimes you do need to offer to do the unpaid just to get your foot in the door it would be very rare if the florist let you go without any renumeration

I agree with flowerfool but add I do accept unpaid help. There is no point paying someone untrained who cannot do the job of a florist, when I can have a florist. I will help anyone that is genuinely eager to learn floristry and gain experience, that is why I take on students.

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Sarah Creating Bespoke Wedding Flowers Cheshire

Am due to start tomorrow in florists for experience and offered to do unpaid to get in the door. Like you not that bothered about money as such just want the experience and tried 5-6 before i got lucky with this one so just hoping it works out and i don't do anything too stupid that puts her off before i even really get started
Perseverance is the name of the game and you do have to see them in person in order to put forward the best impression you can although the whole thing can be a bit daunting at first. I felt i needed the experience as i am only able to do one night a week at college city and guilds and i would need some sort of shop experience to help build up my skills knowledge and confidence i think.
Keep plugging away and you'll get there in the end

Very interesting replies guys - thanks.

I should have mentioned that I am a mature student (37), entering the world of floristry as a change from my accounting career. So I guess I could be helpful to a florist in that respect!! But I don't want to end up doing the books, I want to learn floristry!

In terms of floral work, obviously I don't have a lot to offer a florist at the moment, but if I can do a few hours when needed, I would be glad of the experience, then I could help out at busy periods, for instance, we have a lot of travellers up here, and at funerals thay have trailers and trailers of flowers, so I would be glad to help out in that circumstance (just as an example) and would value the experience too. So I look at it as reaping what I sow, I don't have a lot to offer so I am just happy to take the experience away rather than the wage, and the florist gets some unpaid help in return. Obviously if I could get paid, that would be even better but I am prepared to do what I have to do to get the experience. By the way - I used the funeral work as an example, as this is my passion.

Well done Lylee!! Congrats - I hope it works out for you!

you seem to have the same attitude as me, also a mature student of almost 38yr s ( in a few weeks!) just very keen to get the experience and trying to change from nursing into floristry. It just seems to be a bug that bites you and you can't shake it, so i have just surrendered to it and am doing my best to get there as best i can but it can be difficult. If you are keen enough and enthusiastic i think most florists will see that and value that you want to train properly and hopefully give you a go as when they are busy i would think any help, especially free would be hard to turn down!