professional or not???

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Permalink Reply by Jen Montalto on April 25, 2012 at 10:15am

wish i could help. same boat here. how do you know when you are justified in calling yourself a professional? yeah, i guess i do a pretty good job self-taught, but i feel like i have so much to learn still! every cake i try or learn something new!

Also... do people find that the schooled "professionals" (some with plenty of knowledge but not so much talent) have issues respecting those of us who worked so hard through tears and pure exhaustion to figure it out at 4 a.m.? or who come to the same result in an unconventional ingenuitive manor?

i am in a situation where we have no cottage laws (CT) and i can't really expand my business without funding and opening somewhere. i need to go get a job, but what do i put on a resume? "learned baking at mommy's elbow"?

hope you and i can find some answers... good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Katy Nott on April 25, 2012 at 10:21am

My understanding of the meaning of professional is if you get paid for doing something.  So, imo, if you they pay you, you are a professional............

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Permalink Reply by Patricia Soto on April 25, 2012 at 4:10pm

I agree with katy 100%. If you get paid for your work you are a professional.

 

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Permalink Reply by Rosemary Galpin on April 25, 2012 at 6:36pm

Karla and Jen,

Please do not sell yourselves short! I agree with Katy and Patricia. You are a "paid professional". I too am self taught other than the basic Wilton classes, a few day classes and attending several demos. I have no formal baking or decorating degrees but I definitely consider myself a professional. 

I think the respect of fellow professionals is like in any other field. You reap what you sow. If you act in a positive, professional way you will generally be treated in kind. I've met and become friends with lots of "real professionals", many of them famous, in the four years I've been in the cake world. I am continually amazed at how kind and helpful they are regardless of their fame or education. A good example would be the time I asked Michelle Bommarito if I could email her should I have questions after a day of sharing demo. She told me she wasn't good with email and promptly gave me her cell number and said to call anytime!

I encourage you to believe in your abilities. Keep working toward your goal to be the best "professional" you can regardless of education and don't forget to have fun along the way!

Rosemary Galpin

www.memorymakerscakes.smugmug.com

 

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Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on April 25, 2012 at 7:12pm

The confusion is not uncommon in this industry and it is because there is no formal training to take you from beginner's level through professional level. Everyone is self-taught to some extent.

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Permalink Reply by karla ward on April 30, 2012 at 7:20am

Thank you for your help ladies :) It is a tricky area but i guess, as you say, if you are paid for doing something then your customers must regard you as a proffessional!? I am glad its not just me! xxx

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Permalink Reply by Lynette Dlamini on May 8, 2012 at 11:09am

This was such a great discussion to read. I too am not certain whether I am a professional or not. For now, I'd like to say not as I;ve had my business for 2 yrs and there is still so much more that I want to do! I am also my worst critique! It's what keeps me in the kitchen until ungodly hours trying to perfect things! I am hoing to go to school sometime this year to perfect the skill, but with a full time job and studying, I am not sure if I will be able to! It's the plan though!!

Good luck to everyone and thanks for sharing your experiences! :)

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Permalink Reply by Karen J. MacFadyen on June 1, 2012 at 6:36am

I think if you are being paid and selling a product - then this classes as professional.  Otherwise how do you determine when a hobby turns into a business - where is the dividing line?

www.facebook.com/CakeCoachOnline

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