Pros
It's a paying job in a bad economy. Many of the employees are very kind. There is the dream that we give lasting memories to families, whether or not this is a reality. A glance at the BBB shows that many of the customer complaints could be alleviated with a better system of training employees.
Cons
Training: Inadequate to almost non-existent. There is no training manual and training days may be interrupted by actual work. As a newly hired photographer you will be sent into the field with very little training or understanding of the equipment. Much of what you learn will be in the field and will depend on the background and knowledge of the other photographers. Equipment: old and uncared for. Photographers are issued up to 200 pounds of equipment and shoddy carts to carry it all. Equipment must be loaded an unloaded daily. Management does not perform maintenance checks on the equipment that would be required by other companies to make sure that all electrical parts are safe and in good working condition. Equipment malfuction on the job is very common and causes delays. Hours: fluctuates between too short to be considered even a part time job and too long to allow you a normal life. You will not know your schedule until the week before, or in some departments, the day before. It is easy to see why Lifetouch employees just up and quit when they are unable to schedule time off for other things such as doctor appointments and job interviews. There is no requirement or expectation for lunch breaks or bathroom breaks as the job must be completed before the children go home at the end of the day. Environment: Anywhere the school has room. You will not have control over the noise or the thermostat even if heat or noise reach levels recognized as unhealthy and unsuitable work conditions. You will be crammed into sometimes dirty and tiny storage rooms. Upward Mobility: This is important to for new hires to learn as Lifetouch claims that all of its office staff are former photographers. There is little to no opportunities for career advancement. As a photographer, you can simply become a team leader. This will involve longer hours and more paperwork, and you will recieve for this about 50 cents extra each hour. Long time employees make the same wage or perhaps a dollar more than new hires. As for the office jobs, you will be waiting for one of them to retire or perhaps quit because they do not make very much either and also have nowhere to advance. Bottom Line: This is a dead end job and a company that does not take care of its people.
