Waste of time?

[pink4ever]

Hey everyone!
My mom's friend is a makeup artist/ hairstylist whom I contacted
to tell her that a friend and I were planning to start freelancing and
if she could give any tips and such. She replied by saying that
we might be too young (I'm sixteen turning seventeen) and offered me a job as an assistant to her bookings. Meaning I wouldn't be applying any makeup just fetching cotton balls, q-tips, wipes etc. for her. Do you think this is simply a waste of my time?

 

[buddleia]

I don't think so. I know nothing about the makeup industry, but I think this would be a good opportunity for you to see how a professional works. You can learn a lot in a position like this, like what it's like to hold down a job, being on time, treating your employer with respect, treating your clients with respect, how to be a professional... A job isn't about just the skills you use in your craft; it's also the relationships you have with people and how you conduct yourself. This might be a really good experience for you - I think a lot of aspiring MUAs your age would love to have an opportunity like this - how lucky that your friend's mom is an MUA!

Try it out, learn a few things, if you don't like it, you can stop. Also, all the bigwigs in their field have to start somewhere, like fetching cotton balls and mopping the floors. This is one step on your way up - and who knows, your next step might be having your friend's mom teach you how to apply makeup on a client, and then have you do it all your own... it can snowball from there, you know? So just try it out.

 

[obscuria]

In my opinion, it's not a waste of time. You have to pay your dues so to speak when it comes to jumping into any career, MUA included. It'll be a good experience. Yeah, you'll do remedial work, but it'll help you gain useful knowledge from her and watch how she does makeup and once you do it'll help you on your quest to doing freelance work.

 

[Strawberrymold]

I am a full time MUA and I would jump at this chance! Unless you are Dick freakin' Page you are going work! Jobs won't come to you, you will need to network. Getting to work beside someone who is already established in your local business (reguardless of what you are doing for her) could help you establish some valuable contacts and give you an idea of how to interact and attract clients.

Quite honestly... your accual talent as a MUA (although important) really doesn't help you as much as one would hope if you can't get a job in the first place.

I can't stress the importance of networking enough if you want to get into the makeup artistry field.

Take every chance you get to learn.

I would go for it in a heartbeat!

Hope that helps!

 

[pink4ever]

Wow I never thought of that way. I don't know much about the industry so I think this would help me see how a client treats an MUA with demands and stuff and just how the whole system works in general. Thanks ladies for all the wonderful thoughts and opinions!

 

[kaliraksha]

I would jump at the chance as well! There is a lot more to learn about being a profitable and successful makeup artist than applying makeup. You will learn so much about the business and how to run it and you get it to do it not on your own dime and under someone else's name. You can also make contacts and if she gets too busy in the future she might pass on a few clients.

Don't look at it as fetching job, but take it as an opportunity to watch and learn. I think that's what all interns are intended do, as opposed to the idea of being content with fetching coffee and making copies.

 

[LC]

this is a great opportunity for you. it will let you see how its really done, and what to expect for your future career

 

[KimmyAnn_678]

Personally, I wish I knew a freelance MUA so I could assist or intern with them

Good luck and have fun... you're very lucky

 

[LRMakeup]

I am a full time makeup artist and I still jump at the chance to assist! Recently, I have been assisting Kim K's makeup artist and have never once applied makeup. Watching him work, organizing his kit and just being in that environment, has taught me SO much.

Assisting is one of the best ways to learn. At this point, you might not even be ready to do makeup. Watching this artist work will give you so much on-set knowledge it will be totally worth it!

 

[pink4ever]

I understand now what a great oportunity it is I just thought that with having a job and doing the assisting on the weekends it would leave me with so much work and I wouldn't even be getting paid. Now I realize that this is my PASSION and if I have to sacrifice some sleep and "fun" time then I'll do it.

 

[LC]

trust me, assisting WILL be "fun time"!

 

[LC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KimmyAnn_678 Personally, I wish I knew a freelance MUA so I could assist or intern with them Good luck and have fun... you're very lucky

i wish i had an assistant!

 

[pink4ever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LC trust me, assisting WILL be "fun time"!

I sure hope so! No but really, you're right it will be.

 

[jrose614]

You have to start somewhere. Why not learn...you may apply make-up well but the tricks of running a business will likely help u

 

[LorraineER]

Am I the only one who comes across threads like these and wonders what the outcome was? I'm a curious cat and I hope it's OK to do this but Pink4ever, I'd love to know how it turned out- if you took the assistant gig and how it's working out..?

 

[pink4ever]

I did take the job and it has been a great learning experience! It is a little boring cleaning out brushes, containers and storage cases, I'm not going to lie, but I also learned a bunch of new techniques in color use and shapes. Daysha truly is a good MUA, she knows exactly what to use on each different skin tone and allergic reaction, which made me realize I have a bunch to learn. I probably would've been completely lost if I had gone straight to freelance on my own. I'm glad I got this gift because when I turn eighteen she is going to help me start my own business which is more than I could ask for. Thanks for asking me to share my experience LorraineER it means a lot.

 

[LorraineER]

I did take the job and it has been a great learning experience! It is a little boring cleaning out brushes, containers and storage cases, I'm not going to lie, but I also learned a bunch of new techniques in color use and shapes. Daysha truly is a good MUA, she knows exactly what to use on each different skin tone and allergic reaction, which made me realize I have a bunch to learn. I probably would've been completely lost if I had gone straight to freelance on my own. I'm glad I got this gift because when I turn eighteen she is going to help me start my own business which is more than I could ask for. Thanks for asking me to share my experience LorraineER it means a lot.

Wow! I am so glad to hear that, girl. It sounds like you're learning a lot and things are falling into place as far as what you want to do for work so that's really cool. Thanks for coming back and updating us