How did everyone get started in Optics

[Rich R]

I saw Steve and some of the other Optiboarders post how they got started in the Optical field. It would be interesting to hear from other Optiboarders how they got into the business. I myself came from working in the Car Wash back in 1968 when I was detailing a new Cadilac for this gentleman and he asked me how would I like a job with a better future, better pay, and no weekend work. Being a newlywed for about 2 weeks it sounded great. Surprising how things have changed from that time, changing over to a retail environment I now work weekends and evenings, still beats washing cars for a living. Rich R.

[John R]

Well when time come to leave school I didnt really know what i wanted to do, but saw this add for a job in local paper that sounded ok. Well the pay wasnt too bad at the time £16.00 a week (25 years ago) it was a small set up just 6 folks and the 2 bosses, seemed like a good job not to hard. Well in the 25 years i have lost count of the number of staff who have come and gone watched the number grow to over 60 and shrink back to 30 now but there is a hard core of us who have been there over 15 years now. Think this is a trade where you either stay and stick it out or think after a week or to this is not for me. which is why my sig is.....


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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk

[Jackie L]

19 years for me. My mother owned an independent dispensary and she had a sore throat one week and could not answer the phone. I had just moved back to Maine, in 1981, after living in Florida and helped her out on a part-time basis. Next thing I know I am studying for the ABO exam and became licensed and still love the profession enough to continue when I make my move to Virginia Beach.

Jackie O

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Still a Maina for now

[JRS]

1965 for me! My paternal grandfather owned a lab, my maternal grandfather was an OD, as was my uncle. When my father took over the lab, and then sold it, and I got married - went to work there. Was there for 17 years in various management positions before I left. Worked a little retail, but didn't much care for it. Also did a brief (3 years) stint as a police officer - thought getting out of the lab business was a good idea at the time. Lousy pay, but mostly a worried wife, drove me back to optical and I worked as a consultant for a software company (optical) for 12 years. Did some freebie teaching at a community college (optics) for a few semesters in my spare time. Went back into lab management for a couple of years after that. Then as a Technical Manager (current) for Essilor.

Seen a few changes in my time. Met a lot of really great people over the years in this business.

[EyeManFla]

Somebody told me this was a great profession to make lots of money and meet great chicks........
I was a music student at the University of Maryland. I had taken on a part time job at the Opticianry of a friend's Dad when I was in High School.
I decided that being an Optician was better than directing Church Choirs the rest of my life..........
When my son finishes college and comes to me and says that he wants to blow four years of schooling to get into a profession that is willing to hire strippers and used car salesmen and call them Opticians (not that I have anything against strippers,mind you), I'll just shoot him on the spot and save him the misery!
Other than that, I've had fun.........

[Pete Hanlin]

First, let me say that I was BORN in 1968! ;)...

Really, though, I was fresh outta college (working for my dad's drywall company) and my wife started work as a receptionist at a small chain of opticals. Well, I had to pick her up one day and she wasn't ready ... so I hung out with some of the dudes in the lab. They told me about the wonders of working in a lab (listen to whatever music you want, wear white lab coats, watch the girls go by in the mall, and so on ). Mostly though, it looked like a fairly easy job, and it was air conditioned! So.... I quit my $13/hour job as a union carpenter (my dad LOVED that move ), and applied for the lab at $5 and change an hour (fortunately, the minimum wage has gone up, so I now make at least $5.35/ hour ;) ).

I remember my first day (29 August, 1989)... "Well, boy, you use the black pad, then the blue pad, then the white pad-- black, blue, white." Happily enough, I was managing a lab within the year (THAT's a funny story too, but I had to learn a lot fast, so it was a good thing).

Soon enough, they noticed I liked to talk, so they made me try out sales ("You mean we charge $95 for these SV lenses, but they only cost us $___!!! I had a lot to learn about sales...). After awhile, I would just take care of the "trouble" dispenses rather than spending all day selling, so I eventually ended up a manager... Guess the old saying is true- "Those who can't do, manage!" Since then, the lab equipment I've worked with (e.g., Gerber SGX, Santinelli edgers, etc.) have proven to me that the lab can now pretty much run itself (kinda sad, really). I like our old Coburn style generator- it still has manual settings and everything...

Sorry to ramble,
Pete "1989, it was a very good year..." Hanlin

[This message has been edited by Pete Hanlin (edited 07-13-2000).]

[Suzy W]

I've been in the business a little over 6 years and had no idea what an optician really was. I had gotten back from vacation and went to check the schedule at my retail job (assistant manager at a fabric/craft store) when I got a phone call there. I had been a patient of this Dr.'s ( and OD ) for a few years... and the lady who called me used to help babysit me. Of course I snagged the job thinking that it would be 9 t0 5 and that was wonderful after working retail. Little did I know those few short years ago. Since then, we have built a new office, I'm the office manager ( so the boss tells me ) and have a bigger patient load than ever. I know that I am now addicted to this business! It's amazing how you can help people lives. Everyday there is someone who didn't know about transitions or ar. This industry also gives someone the chance to learn and grow as much as they want. I never knew what I wanted as a lifelong job... but I think that I have found it.

Suzy..."sorry I went on for so long" Welch

[Dave Nelson]

In /78 I lived and breathed skydiving. I did'nt really care what I did for a living, as long as I got weekends off and made enough to pay the rent and skydive. I spent a year or so delivering pizza (I was 18) then a jump-buddy told me they had an opening at the AO lab where he worked. It paid $4 an hour: $1 more than minimum wage. At the interview I was asked if I had any mechanical aptitude, and I said no, wondering what the heck working on cars had to do with glasses. (serious) Anyway, I got the job, mostly cause no-one else wanted it. I showed up the first day in a suit... then got put to work in the surfacing lab... as pete said, blue pad, white pad ect. After I finished a 4 year apprenticeship, I signed up for the NAIT dispensing course, took a leave from skydiving to do the course, next married, kids, mortgage, and my wife wont let me skydive anymore...

[JRS]

Wow! Where did all that big money come from - 4+ $/hr.... Man when I started it was ONE WHOLE DOLLAR /hr. Of course, electricity had just become popular too.

[karen]

My dad is an optometrist (as was my grnadfather) and when I was 13 he put me to work cleaning the office on Saturdays. From there I graduated to filing, data entry and recalls. Worked part time after school pre-screening patients (and got my pay cut in half to 2.50 an hour twice...once for "innapropriate attire" and once for not showing up to work when my parents were out of town. Did I mention my mom is the office manager?) and when I was 18 they handed me a PD stick and shoved me into optical. I was going to college to be a teacher but my parents threw me out and I had no other sellable skills so...worked for an another OD for a while and then went back to Daddy. Left him almost 6 years ago to sell high end optical in Newport Beach, switched to frame sales so I could have weekends off with my son and then a year and a half ago went to work for a wholesale lab as a sales consultant.

Funny, it looks way more impressive than that on my resume :)

[Blake]

I had just started engineering school after getting out of the air force. After not working at all for a couple of months, money was running low, so anything that paid was looking good. My Sunday school teacher at church was also the lab manager at the place where I now work. He suggested I fill out an application, and as soon as I did I was hired!
I started out in retail (and never really left), and was originally content to learn as little as possible - after all, I was going to school full time. But that didn't work, because I had to go to someone else for every little problem. So I started reading everything I could get my hands on, hanging out in the lab, and of course visiting the OptiBoard! After 18 months, I took the ABO and passed it, which resulted in a pay raise.
Working in optical has certainly been interesting. I had worn glasses most of my childhood, but never realized how much went into making them. It's certainly been interesting...

Blake

[Clive Noble]

When I left school in the late 50s, it was smart to go into banking, all my friends were doing it, so I joined them.

My parents didn't like this, they wanted me to be a Brain Surgeon or at least something in the medical profession.

I didn't make it to Brain College, or even Regular Doctor College, Vetinery school was also out of the question, as was Dentistry.

"Ahhh" they said "of course, there's Ophthalmic Optics" but again, I didn't have the right qualifications to register, and as I didn't wish to study more before I started, I decided to take up Dispensing.... which I always wanted to do anyway.....

Next time round, however, it's gonna be plumming.... I just had a guy round to unblock the exit pipe of our Accura... ten minutes work.... $50...but if you want a receipt, it'll be $60.

I went for the 'receipt' to his dismay

Now THAT'S what I call a profession!

[Shwing]

Ah, how did I get into optics? I am still trying to purge those thoughts and memories...(kidding)

I joined the industry at the age of 19, in 1989. I had just moved back to Calgary, newly pregnant wife in tow. Needed a job.

I had applied at the local grocery store as a bag dude. Mom pointed out an ad in the paper a day later, for a lab tech @ Lenscrafters. I applied (thanks mom).

Lenscrafters called me back 7 hours before the food dudes. The rest is history...

One year in the lab, cleaning, surfacing, cleaning, finishing, cleaning, maintenance, cleaning, (did I mention cleaning?).

I learned a lot. Back to a previous post, I feel that the knowledge potentially gained is multiplied by the abilities of the instructor. I can still replace the chuck on a mx- 113 Coburn generator, and can still give the appropriate base curve for a given rx before the 'puter can spit it out...

Thank you, Mosh and especially Brian.

I love my job.

After I had learned all I felt I could in the lab, I transferred to the retail floor. Two years later, I was (am) a Licensed Optician.

Two additional years, and I am a Licensed Contact Lens Fitter.

I love my job (oh, did I mention that?).

Dad is an international banker. He is exceptionally proud of what WE do.

Any one can refract. Only WE can adapt a prescription; alter a persons image; create a new form of self- esteem; are responsible for the ocular health of my family, friends, and customers.

I love my job.

I now have 2 licenses; am on both national and provincial boards; instruct; and love my job (did I mention that?)

Taoism. Period. Don't fight it, go with the flow, so to speak.

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Shwing;-}

[This message has been edited by Shwing (edited 07-13-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Shwing (edited 07-13-2000).]

[JennyP]

I had been an out-of-work podiatric assistant for about 6 months when the secretary of the spina bifida clinic my daughter uses told me her daughter was trying to hire someone to answer phones during a big "50% off promotion" ...about 6 weeks worth of work. I went in, got hired on the basis of my wonderful personality, a basic computer familiarity, and the fact that I could start immediately (at minimum wage). Gee, this is fun! I was selling in 3 days (I know, I know!! But I did have some good people trying to watch over me while I learned how to measure pds and segs.) After a few weeks, when I asked again how long the job would last...I was told, "you're not getting away that easy". Soon I realized that Opticians were getting more pay than I, or at least they were driving cars that definitely were better than mine...so I thought awhile about apprenticeship. Meanwhile, I became a trainer, ta-da! Moved around a bit in my chain, helped open a new store, decided I want my own store one day, took the ABO, NCLE, and state practical, finished the 3 year apprenticeship...and got my license. Along the way, discovered what fun conventions are ...got a pay raise...can afford to go to said conventions occasionally...and discovered optiboard. As a lady with nearly grown children, six years into the profession, I'm glad I lucked into this special corner of the medical world (even tho' I still drive the same car as I did at minimum wage).

[Mikol]

Wow what a great topic.....

back in 1986 I used to turn a wrench in a local garage.....and at the time my neighbor was running a company called "Custom Color Frame" out of his garage. I was working on his car and became very interested in his business of hand painting and customizing eyeglass frames.......He offered me a job and said he would teach me the tricks of the trade. Well he and his wife had some marital problems and the company was dissolved. I made contact with the OSA company that had set up a lab called Frame Tech and was hired to run this new venture that they were needing at the time. I moved to Phoenix and took up the position......Unfortunately many frame manufacturers started to introduce colors in their collections. I began to work in the "lab" under the direct supervision of fellow optiboarder Jerry Thornhill. At this time I learned as much as I could about optics.......my employ was dismissed and have been working as the manager of a mom and pop organization that insists on 40 hour weeks and vacations every year! With now my 13 plus years in the Biz I can honestly say that I love what I do and that to help people on a daily basis is what makes me get to work every day.......I still miss the bottle under the door Jerry!!!

Take care my fellow optiboarders....

By the way Karen in Rancho Cucamonga do you have a brother named Danny? married to a Dannielle? Just Curious?


Mikol

[This message has been edited by Mikol (edited 07-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Mikol (edited 07-14-2000).]

[Judy Canty]

Back in 1972, I was a recently divorced, single Mom with 2 years of college as a Secondary Music Education major. I needed a job! Believing that I was at least smart enough to count change, I applied at a local bank. The branch manager didn't need me but his brother (maybe brother-in-law, I don't remember) managed an optical wholesale lab in Norfolk, VA and he did need someone. Since then I've worked for an OD, an MD, a small local retail chain, 2 very large retail chains, the Navy Exchange, and now MYSELF. I teach a little, do a little "flag-waving" for Opticianry, and try to have a little fun every day!

[Texas Ranger]

in '65, my dad retired from the military and moved to my step-moms home, where her brother owned an optical co. after some other jobs, i went to work with my cousin in the lab; assembling frames, handling the in-town deliveries, packaging the mail, pulling lens stock, learning to use the ceramic bowl edgers( while trying to remember to not cut 2 right eye lenses), got drafted, went in the navy as a corpsman, where i got to work with the ophthalmologist at the naval academy, and attend audiometry school. when i came back from vietnam in '69, I chilled out for a while then went back to work for my uncle, went into business for myself in '77, and i wouldn't trade any of it. Al.

[Darris Chambless]

Hello Rich,

I started out as a child and worked my way up to teen teenager a few years later. I started working at a local amusement park for $1.10 an hour at the ripe old age of 12 (they weren't suppose to hire me but because I was prompt and courteous they felt I would make a good worker and figured out a way around it) I helped the owners nephew rebuild all the railroad tracks for the little kiddy train that ran all around the park (hard work and I had to do all the lifting ;-) From there I started mowing lawns, then progressed to moving furniture and loading steel pipe for an electric company (I guess I was doomed to get the lifting bug :-)

All this outdoor labor in the summer heat of Texas began to take its toll on me even at an early age. I worked at a restaurant for a little while in the kitchen and finally had enough of that.

Since I have bad eyes anyway, I went in for an appointment with my optometrist (pre-therapeutic days ;-) While I was there I asked my doctor if he knew of any office that might be willing to give me a chance at tending to the dispensing end of their practice. He didn't know of anyone.

About a week later one of his receptionists left a message for me to call. I thought my glasses were ready so I go down to the office and they tell me the doc wants to talk to me. I'm feeling really out of place at this point because I had just wanted to pop in, pick up my glasses and go since I was pretty dirty from working that day. I walk into his lane not really knowing what it was that he needed to see me about and said "Hey! Dr. M (a nickname I had for him) What's on your mind?"

One of his receptionists was pregnant and fixing to leave, the other was moving to Dallas for school, his lab tech was moving to Kingsville and the lady they hired to replace her couldn't get along with the junior doctor and had put in her notice. That left a part time student to run a two doctor office including prescreening and a finish lab. The doctor looked at me and said "I'll have to talk it over with the junior doctor, but we have to have someone so when can you start?" I had almost a week of training and then the lab was mine whether I wanted it or not. The rest is history, if you will. It wasn't easy, but anything worth while is never easy :-)

The University of Hard Knocks is a good school to attend but it ain't for everyone.

Take care and tell us a little about yourself when you get a chance.

Darris C.

[Susan Henault]

My story is risque compared to most. I remember having TWO interviews that day in early 1986, back to back in fact ... The first one was for a job as a health club attendant making $7.00/hr plus commissions, and the other as a frame consultant for $4.00/hr. The "health club" turned out to be a cheesy massage parlor - the shock of that interview ... "well, the topless massage involves you being topless of course, and the topless combination allows time for the customer to ..." Enough of that, as I'm sure you get the picture . Still reeling from the first interview, I went on to meet with the owner of Total Vision Care in Lancaster, PA who hired me on the spot :). (You should have heard me try to explain to my boyfriend , WHY I turned down the $7.00/hr + commission job). Anyway, making only $4.00/hr, I had to wait tables at night to make ends meet. I've since done just about everything there is to do in this business, and like most of you, I have loved (nearly) every moment of it!

[This message has been edited by Sus (edited 07-14-2000).]

[karen]

By the way Karen in Rancho Cucamonga do you have a brother named Danny? married to a Dannielle? Just Curious?


Mikol

[This message has been edited by Mikol (edited 07-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Mikol (edited 07-14-2000).][/I][/QUOTE]

Mikol-tried ot email you but it did not work- Do not have a brother named Danny but did work for OSA for almost 3 years so we have that in common-we should swap stories someday :)

[Cateye88]

I moved to Florida in 1987 from New York City, six months after my parents had retired there. They got into the flea market business selling OTC sunglasses and readers and I joined them.
I became intriqued with the business and decided to change careers for the 5th time. After apprenticing for Wally World and the like I opted for formal ED. I have been licensed for 2 years now and opened my second location 9 months ago. One of which is in the flea market, since I had amassed 12 years of clientele. Things are going great, but now I need an OD, although Al doesn't seem to think so. I love this Optiboard but most of all I love this business. Thanks for reading, Optically Yours(my company name), Cathy

[Cindy Hamlin]

My story seems somewhat atypical. I was employed by Phar-Mor and HATED my job. I went to the optical store where I bought my glasses in the mall across the parking lot and while I was getting an adjustment asked if they were hiring. They were, I interviewed and PRESTO, I was an optical tech! I have since left that company and state for greener pastures, but will always remember how I got into optics by looking for a way out. I had no other reason or inclination toward optics. By the way, that was 11 years ago and since then I have pursued my state license.

[This message has been edited by cah2020 (edited 07-15-2000).]

[PAkev]

As a photography buff, I had a friend who took me to a guy that custom made us colored filters for our cameras..... Plano + tint. My fascination for optics was born with my love of photography but I soon developed an interest in eyecare and found myself working in an optical lab part time during college. Upon graduating college in 1986 I also took and passed the ABO exam. Shortly thereafter, I was offered and accepted a management position with a large chain retailer. I was there for 8 years until the location was franchised. At that time I was also out of a job as the new folks had their own ideas of management which by the way caused them to go belly up within two years.

At this time I began a mobile optical service and currently service 21 nursing homes, health care facilities, and retirement communities, as well as making house calls. I only sell 2-3 RX's per day but I have been able to make a decent living at it for the past 6 years.

Recently, an ophthalmologist asked me to offer my services to his patients as an added service and I am VERY busy. I enjoy my work and believe this is what I do until I retire.

[C-Red]

Straight out of high-school I went to secretarial school; after completion, I held several positions as receptionist, filing clerk (at Revenue Canada even the filing clerks in the dungeon made a good living),and eventually steno for the local welfare office(where the employees envied the recipients for their benefits). Finally, I took a position as receptionist for an optical dispensary in the town I had just moved to. No more than six months passed before I realized that I wanted to become involved in the dispensary from the other side of the desk; my employer and fellow staff members were more than gracious in all the knowledge they were willing to pass along to me.(Here I'd like to give special thanx to a certain D.N., you know who you are-- the walking and talking optical textbook). I enrolled in the distance-delivery education program for dispensing two years later (at that time B.C. was not a regulated province) and completed the program 2 years later. Today, 12 years after entering the optical industry, I still work for the same company (and unfortunately because I know the clerical side of the office so damn well along with my opticianry skills I STILL do all of the paper pushing). I am now involved in the council of our provincial opticians' association as well.
If I were to leave the optical industry? I'd go back to school: culinary arts school. (Rather novel concept to make ones living from feeding others as a hobby, isn't it?)

[This message has been edited by C-Red (edited 07-20-2000).]

[Mike Fretto]

I actually got started in the business back in 1972, at the age of 16, part time for my Grandfather who had his own Wholsale Lab. It was called B&M Optical which was eventually bought by Milton Roy then became Omega and finally closed back in the late 70's. We actually have pictures of myself at 5 years old sitting at the bench putting temples on frames, Granpa was a real slave driver LOL. Its really been interesting to watch the indusrty evolve the way it has, Computers have made it all so much simpler. I sure miss those exploding photogrey lenses in the generator, that will wake you up first thing in the morning.