How do I find a Mentor?

[dirty hairy]

I learn best from a person, and I really want to find a person to work for who will teach me and give me feedback and generally mentor me. I have been grooming on my own for 2 years now but I feel my skills have stagnated, and are even going downhill. I would love to be somebody's apprentice, even though that would (probably) mean starting from the ground up because so many of my skills have been picked up on the fly.
I have tried going from door-to-door and have gotten jobs that way, but none have turned out to be the apprenticeship I thought they would be. In the mean time I have books, videos, and many conferences to feed the need to learn.
Any suggestions on how to find someone willing to take on an apprentice?

[edderland]

What part of the country? It helps to have an area.

[BIG M]

Do you expect to be paid?

What exactly do you mean by mentor and being an apprentice?

[dirty hairy]

forgot to add...

What part of the country? It helps to have an area.

Sorry, forgot that part. I am in Massachusetts, just west of Boston. I am 41 yrs old, btw, this is a 2nd career for me. Graduated grooming school in '07.

[pooh13]

This is how I found first grooming job.I went through the phone book called every single grooming salon that was listed in my county I was toold No by all until I got to the letter T the very last listing in the book I was given a chance to be a bather as well as learn to groom .after 2 years I became manager and helped teach other bathers to groom .the rest is history

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

Well, I would consider myself fortunate to be on the East coast, as that is where a lot of grooming shows are, seminars too. Jodi Murphy just had one somewhere that direction, New Jersey I assume, and of course in DE is Sarah Hawks, and you've got all kinds of groomers getting together on that side of the country. It might be worth a drive and a night at a hotel to attend a seminar or two.

I love going to seminars, they really give me a boost, and I always learn something! PLUS, it's nice getting together with others who have something in common with you.

Tammy in Utah

[Debbiedogs]

Maybe...

Maybe you could be looking for someone just one day a week that you could go in and groom and have your skills "tweaked" for a while.

Or maybe you could pay someone for a couple of hours every month or every two weeks to be there while you do a dog (their client or yours) and give you pointers.

There are several ways to get more skills, and you already have a LOT, so it seems that maybe you just need to be around someone with more experience to get some other ideas and pointers. That certainly doesn't have to be full-time.

And my favorite thing - go to a dog show (AKC conformation) and watch the grooming and absorb the look of the groomed dogs. You WILL get visuals to improve your grooming, and you can see many techniques while the dogs are being groomed, and many people will share information if you ask a question and they aren't in a terrible rush. That's what helped me immensely years ago.

Good luck with your quest. You will find someone since you have so much background already and have so many options as to how to go about it.

[mylady]

I love going to seminars, they really give me a boost, and I always learn something! PLUS, it's nice getting together with others who have something in common with you.

Tammy in Utah

I hope Jenn doesn't mind me speaking for her LOL. Going to seminars ARE great and I know she goes to as many as she can. I know cuz we have shared a couple hotel rooms LOL. I think she's looking for more of a hands on experience on a regular basis where she can have some one on one training with someone. Jenn has to be one of the nicest people I have ever had the honor of knowing. I really wish I lived closer as I would love to have her come around with me in the mobile. We'd have a blast. I certainly don't know everything, just have a few more years in the field. I think she's hoping maybe someone here is either closeor knows someone who is that could help. I think she's probably like me, a very visual learner and learns better watching and then doing.

[Helly]

I'd suggest you join your local kennel club. Get to know folks in the club and ask them for pointers on their particular breed or breeds. I did that, many years ago. And I ended up with an apprenticeship with a professional handler. And let me tell you, I learned a LOT from her.

[workingchihuahua]

how far are you willing to travel. i know someone in the danbury area who is a phenomenal groomer and is looking for help.

[pinkgroomer]

The Purcells are amazing groomers and they live just outside of boston i believe. I hear CHeryl is a sweetheart and a hlaf. Maybe if you got a hold of her she would be willing to help out. I think Anne Francis is from Mass to and Lori Vincent. They all seem very nice. Try talking to them. See what they think or how they can help. I love doing hands on workshops. Nothing makes me feel better than that

[dirty hairy]

Keep 'em coming!

You all are so helpful, I am glad I posted. I just found out that I am being laid off as of the first of the year so I will have more time that I had anticipated to work with someone. I go to as many shows as possible, have "Notes.." and have recently invested in 2 videos, but there is nothing like someone next to you whom you can ask "does this leg look alright?" or "what on earth can I do with this dogs 3 lb head that will balance it with it's 300lb body?" (lol, you know the type...). Every day a million of these pop into my head and I just WISH I worked with someone who had the knowledge and was willing to share it with me (when there is time.)

Big M: as you can probably tell from the above, my ideal situation is to find a place to work where I can participate. I would expect to get paid for my time bathing, prepping, and for any dogs I do start to finish, but not for the ones I start and the boss finishes, as in doing the finish work on a poodle or something. That is my ideal, but I am loving all of the alternatives being offered. Options are good!

Helly - I never would have thought to join the local kennel club, good idea. I have gone to dog shows and lost hours of my life watching grooming. Once the owner of a bichon I was watching for a LONG time actually came over to me and asked if I was ok.

[dirty hairy]

What? more than one boss?

Maybe you could be looking for someone just one day a week that you could go in and groom and have your skills "tweaked" for a while.

There are several ways to get more skills, and you already have a LOT, so it seems that maybe you just need to be around someone with more experience to get some other ideas and pointers. That certainly doesn't have to be full-time.

Aw shucks, Debbi, you flatter me. Hey, part time?!! I am like a loyal puppy, (loyal but slightly brain damaged.. ) Obvious as it seems, I didn't think of working part time at more than one place. I am used to giving one pack leader 110%. Only thing that scares me about that is that everyone does things differently, and it may be confusing doing something one way at shop A on Tuesdays and doing it another way at shop B on Fridays. I have heard people talk about how they needed to re-train groomers out of bad habits, wouldn't this just get two people frustrated with me?

[kputman]

You also might want to join NEPGP. This would give you the opportunity to meet and mingle with some of the top groomers in the area. There are a LOT of really great groomers and quite a few industry leaders in your area.

[dirty hairy]

Who else is in the area?

There are a LOT of really great groomers and quite a few industry leaders in your area.

I introduced myself to Christine DiFilipo (sp?) at the last NEPGP and she said I could come in and observe, which I plan to do starting after the holiday rush (I don't want to be in the way.) Who else is in the area? I want NAMES, people! (that was said in my best t.v. cop voice, lol)
But seriously, who else in in the vicinity of Boston/ Metro-West?