Experience DETAILED - Events

Open Day Assistant, Goldsmiths College, London. http://www.gold.ac.uk/opendays/http://www.ndssltd.co.uk/

I was recruited to work at several open days for prospective students and their parents. My responsibilities included setting up the hall; erecting display stands, distributing information material, putting up signs, laying out chairs, packing up at the end etc., welcoming and providing information to visitors, being available to answer any questions or queries, monitoring visitor numbers, assisting visitors with their registration, checking registration upon entry, providing tours of the campus, ensuring security of the building and more as necessary.

I received training for successful tour-guiding, and enhanced my tour providing skills through practise. I was encouraged to develop marketing skills in order to promote the college, whilst remaining honest about my experiences and views. I also gained an insight into the successful running of events, including aspects of preparation, time-management and interaction with/ assistance provided to visitors.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Meeting new people who were interested in similar things to me, and hearing about what they want to do.

What I enjoyed least about the job: When providing tours of the campus, I would often bump into someone I knew who would listen in and smile; it could be slightly embarrassing!

Unlicensed Event Steward, NDSS Ltd. Various Music Festivals. http://www.ndssltd.co.uk/

As an unlicensed steward, my job whilst working at various music festivals (including Download, Sonisphere and V festival) were to assist the SIA security staff to provide a safe, secure environment for all festival-goers. My responsibilities included: checking tickets/wristbands upon entry, supervising dangerous/ restricted areas, checking for banned substances, patrolling areas, working on look out towers, staying in regular contact with my manager via radio and providing regular feedback of issues etc. I worked a 12-hour on, 12-hour off shift pattern for the duration of the festivals.

The work itself was very physical, including staying on your feet for 12 hours; doing a lot of walking or standing still on a look out tower. I gained physical stamina, and disciplining skills. I was required to be assertive, yet friendly with festival-goers. Our ethos was that we wanted to provide a safe, secure environment for all, but we were to remain aware that people paid a lot of money to have fun and enjoy their 'holiday'. I learned how to deal with difficult situations, problem solving, and how to use my initiative in emergency situations. I also gained confidence, and found myself being less vulnerable and sensitive.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Chatting with friendly people at the festival, and observing people being amusing.

What I enjoyed least about the job: Working on a mobile position on night shifts, because it was very cold!

Young Volunteer, Volunteer Centre Greenwich, London. http://www.volunteerscentregreenwich.org.uk/

I acted as a Fund-raising and Events Assistant as part of the European Volunteering Project that ran for the first time in 2004. I contributed to the team by assisting with; organising and running fund-raising events in the local community in order to raise the funds to volunteer abroad; at a donkey sanctuary in Cyprus. This included applying for government and other funding, booking locations, organising staff, marketing and the smooth running of events for all ages in the community including: themed parties, dinner parties, carnivals, pamper sessions, children's workshops, etc. I also volunteered locally in an elderly home, community centre and nursery.

The skills I gained include planning, budgeting and organisational skills. In addition to team-working, interpersonal and communication skills and an ability to work with people from all walks of life whilst actively promoting equal opportunities. I also became quite adept at face-painting for children, and working with children in general.

What I enjoyed most about the job: The satisfaction of helping others in the community.

What I enjoyed least about the job: This is difficult as I thoroughly enjoyed the job, but perhaps it'd be the occasional times when our funding applications were turned down.

I have also done aspects of events work in several other of my roles: as a museum assistant, front of house staff in a gallery, hospitality staff at events, organisation of exhibitions as an artist, and other voluntary work including assisting at events at the Royal Court Theatre, helping to distribute water to London marathon runners etc.

Experience DETAILED - Customer Service/ Catering

Catering Assistant, Tasty Toasty Mobile Catering Unit.
http://www.facebook.com/update_security_info.php?wizard=1#!/group.php?gid=132463363432651

(Please Note: I also created and maintained this promotional group)

Tasty toasty is a mobile catering unit that serves a variety of hot toasted sandwiches, hot and cold drinks and snacks at various festivals and events in the UK. My responsibilities on the trailer included: preparing ingredients, cleaning and maintaining the inside and outside of the trailer, cleaning utensils, making toasted sandwiches on an industrial machine, counter service, cash handling and vending, stock rotation/ re-stocking, cleaning machines such as coffee and toasty machines and any other jobs as necessary. I was required to work to a strict cleaning schedule, and comply to all health and safety/hygiene rules, as well as undergoing training in heavy lifting and Safe food Hygiene.

I was required to work under pressure in a consistently busy, compact environment. I developed team-working skills, and helped to train new members of staff and supervise whilst the manager was off-duty. Our ethos was to provide a fast, friendly service to make customers want to return. I gained many customer service skills including the ability to keep a smile on my face whilst working in difficult, challenging conditions.I was complimented by my employer for my hard work, efficient skills working on the industrial machine and sense of humour/personality that I brought to the job, she has offered me work next summer.

What I enjoyed most about the job: The fact that we moved around and got to visit lots of different places meant every shift was different and I got to experience some new things.

What I enjoyed least about the job: Sometimes I would have to work 18 hour shifts, and this was very difficult when not getting much sleep at a noisy festival!

Fine Dining Waitress, The Chamberlain Hotel, London. http://www.fullershotels.com/rte.asp?id=13

I was recruited for the early morning breakfast/lunch shift in the restaurant at this luxury hotel. My responsibilities included: preparing the restaurant for customer's arrival, food and beverage preparation for the continental buffet, welcoming and seating guests, taking orders, using the till/cash handling, serving food and drinks, re-stocking the buffet and communicating with kitchen when items were running low, dealing with queries and complaints, efficiently clearing and resetting tables to a high standard of presentation, preparing napkins etc. and cleaning and maintenance of Kitchen and Front of House areas including; cleaning surfaces, cleaning floors, polishing cutlery, cleaning machines such as coffee machine, hoovering, cleaning fridges, wiping menus etc. whilst adhering to a cleaning schedule. In the lunch period, I was responsible for increasing the standards of service to a Fine Dining level (for which I was trained) whilst seating customers, offering and serving drinks, removing unused glasses from tables, taking orders, serving food with the correct cutlery and condiments, checking back on the table, removing plates when all were finished and offering coffees/desserts before closing the bill. I also worked with the bar during this time; collecting glasses, serving drinks etc.

The most significant skills I gained in this position were problem solving skills and the ability to remain calm whilst working in very stressful conditions. To be honest, the restaurant was ill-equipped (with crockery, etc.) to deal with the amount of visitors, and the high standards which were expected. This meant that I had to contribute ideas to improve the smooth running of the breakfast period. I also gained bar experience, cleaning experience and increased appreciation for team work. I was praised by the managers for my team-working skills, and my friendly, outgoing approach towards staff and customers alike.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Most of the visitors were friendly, and I enjoyed delivering excellent customer service.

What I enjoyed least about the job: I felt that the management were very unprofessional and unaware of how to run a successful restaurant; for example the manager hired and kept on a friend's son who was incapable of doing the job.

Hospitality Staff, Admiral Recruitment, London E1 7HP. http://www.admiralgroup.com/

Admiral Group are Hospitality Recruitment Specialists based in East London. I worked as part of their team of high quality hospitality staff at local business offices, catering departments, events and functions. My responsibilities varied depending on each location.

Some of the positions I worked in involved working independently in the catering department of large office buildings; preparing and delivering food and hot & cold beverages to various offices around the building according to a schedule of meetings/conferences, serving hot and cold food (Silver Service) at conferences and clearing away promptly for the next meetings etc. This also required taking bookings, managing time correctly, and ensuring the correct standards of presentation were adhered to. On several occasions I was requested personally by offices, as I was able to settle in quickly and work efficiently.

I also regularly worked at events and functions; serving a variety of food and cold drinks including wine, champagne etc., canapes, and finger foods. I was required to maintain high standards of personal presentation, a formal, polite attitude and a pro-active, efficient manner of working. I also had to be willing to offer help in all areas often including packing up tables/chairs after events etc.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Every shift was different, and it was interesting to go to a variety of events and offices. I particularly enjoyed working in offices, as I was able to keep busy and input my creativity into ensuring high standards of presentation were met.

What I enjoyed least about the job: There wasn't much opportunity to build a good team-relationship as I moved around a lot.

General Assistant, Palace Bingo Clubs, Elephant and Castle, London. http://www.thepalaces.co.uk/london.php

As a general assistant I was hired on a flexible basis to work in various areas around the bingo club; varying each day.

I ran the snacks kiosk, whereby I opened and closed up, re-stocked and rotated the products, ordered in new products that were needed, took orders and used the till, prepared ice-creams, took deliveries, counted cash for the casino and ensured the area was kept clean and tidy. I also implemented strategies for pest control.

In the kitchen area, I was responsible for operating the till, handling cash, re-stocking snacks, condiments etc. serving food to customers and FOH and BOH cleaning. I was also required to serve people at their tables, collect bingo tickets and ensure all areas were kept clean and tidy.

I developed the ability to work on a flexible basis, and adapt to new roles quickly. I improved my customer service skills as I was able to build relationships with regular customers, and gained experience working to increase sales; by implementing POS advertising, up-selling, and good presentation of products on display.

What I enjoyed most about the job: The fact that I was given so much responsibility, and was able to run the kiosk alone.

What I enjoyed least about the job: The nature of bingo meant that you'd get rushes and lulls of people, and they could be very impatient.

Waitress, The Fox under the Hill, Shooters Hill Road, London. http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/fox-under-the-hill-review-29170.html

I worked as part of a team of waiting staff at this family pub/restaurant. My responsibilities included: welcoming and seating guests, basic food preparation, serving food with correct side dishes/condiments etc, dealing with queries and complaints, clearing tables, cleaning and maintaining kitchen area, front of house and customer toilets. I was trained in Customer Service Excellence, Level 1 – 3 and received certificates.

This was my first paid job, and where I gained my first experience in customer service. I learned how to deal with difficult situations, work well under pressure, use my initiative and problem solving skills and work efficiently and accurately. I also learnt about POS advertising, up-selling, and using efforts to maximise sales.

What I enjoyed most about the job: I enjoyed the training and learning aspect of this experience, as I love to learn new things.

What I enjoyed least about the job: The chefs and managers could become very aggressive and intimidating, and I was very young and vulnerable at the time.

Experience DETAILED - Arts and Heritage

Museum Intern, Slovak National Museum, Martin, Slovakia. September 2010 - November 2010.  http://www.snm.sk/?home

I was chosen for an EU funded Internship to work in 4 museums that fall under the Slovak National Museum; including the Ethnography Museum, Museum of the Slovak Village (open-air), the Museum of Roma Culture in Slovakia and the Andrej Kmet' Museum. I worked and gained training in several departments across these museums.

• Marketing and Education Dept.: assisted with the organisation and running of events (the winter festival, private viewing of new exhibition), helped to faciliate and run children's workshops using basic Slovak, wrote evaluative reports of visitor experience from a non-Slovak point of view and implemented strategies such as improved use of signage in the English language, researched and wrote new educational material in basic English, and updated/ edited the English sections of the museum website.
• Archiving Dept.: I was familiarised with the catalogue/storage system and became involved in cataloguing objects, updating objects onto the computer database (ESEZ4G), archiving, packing, logging and moving art objects into storage.
• Exhibitions Dept.: researched and wrote new tour guide material in the English language, conducted tours to English speaking visitors, trained the tour guide to lead tours in English including producing a recording of the written tour, and helped to prepare museum for exhibition opening etc.
• Administration: I assisted with the smooth running of the office; completing tasks such as photocopying, proof reading documents and correcting mistakes, printing, filing, updating the computer database (ESEZ4g) and writing letters in the English language.
• I was also responsible for holding weekly meetings and giving presentations to members of staff about my experience of museums in the UK, and ideas for improving the facilities in these museums. I also provided a vocabulary list, in order to aid staff with their learning of the English Language, and spoke in basic Slovak with staff.

The most beneficial skills I took from this experience were enhanced communication skills,; both verbal and written and the ability to research, interpret and relay information to various audiences. I was able to take initiative and work well independently or collaboratively, and developed my interpersonal skills when working with children, other members of staff and the public. I was recognised by my supervisor for my enthusiasm, willingness and ideas to improve the museum and help staff, and my professional, mature attitude at work.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Learning about the history and traditions of Slovak Culture, and observing how the operation of the museums differ from museums in the UK.

What I least enjoyed about the job: There was a slight language barrier that meant communication could only be had on a basic level.

Front of House Assistant, Camden Arts Centre, London. June 2009 - August 2010. http://www.camdenartscentre.org/home/

I worked as part of a team in this established gallery, whose mission is to provide a welcoming, attractive, accessible, healthy, safe and stimulating environment for visitors and staff. My key tasks and responsibilities included: welcoming visitors to the gallery and assisting them towards full use of the services available, ensuring the gallery was well presented at all times; including numerous housekeeping duties, undertaking tours and talks of the gallery as and when required, opening and closing the exhibition according to instructions provided by the gallery manager, supporting the Public Programme Coordinator with the delivery of public programme activities on and off site and supporting the Studio Technician with setting up education classes, whilst welcoming people into these classes.

It also involved: assisting with special events, pre-views, press-views, gallery tours and private hires, assisting Office Staff with general administrative duties (such as dealing with telephone enquiries, photocopying, sending mail outs, drafting press releases, filing etc.), keeping an accurate record of visitor attendance, demographics and satisfaction levels; and relaying all findings to the Press and Marketing Manager. As well as: providing security for the art works at all times, offering visitors assistance and information whilst responding to any queries in a timely and informed manner, reporting visitor views to the gallery manager and adhering to the complaints procedure, acting as the first point of contact in an emergency; remaining in radio contact with the gallery manager at all times, dealing with incidents and reporting faults to the gallery manager as they arose, monitoring the safety of visitors in the Garden in line with health and safety policy, reporting any security or heath and safety matters to the gallery manager and being prepared to deal with evacuation procedures according to the health and safety policy. It was also required that I updated and informed myself of Camden Arts Centre's activities including upcoming exhibitions, current education courses and public programme events and undertaking any other duties when necessary. I was also trained in Art Handling.

I gained many skills from this experience including increased communication skills when providing tours, researching and analytical skills and ability to write effectively about art/exhibitions, attention to detail and observational skills, customer service skills and the knowlegde of when to approach visitors offering help or information. I also gained valuable administrative skills that I can carry into any organisational role. I was recognised by my employer for my team-working skills, willingness to cover shifts to ensure all areas were covered and my polite, friendly treatment towards visitors.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Working in an Arts environment, and interacting with visitors about the artworks/viewing their response to artworks and comparing their views to my own critical responses.

What I enjoyed least about the job: Observing and having to instruct lazy parents/teachers who let children in their supervision run amock and touch things in the gallery.

Arts and Crafts Facilitator, Unicorn Theatre, London. June 2007 - August 2008. http://www.unicorntheatre.com/

The Society of London Theatre ran Arts and Crafts sessions to encourage young children to visit and enjoy the Theatre. I was responsible for delivering these sessions at events, to groups of twenty 4-10 year old children often accompanied by their parents. This included, planning sessions and divising activities, budgeting for materials, dividing and distributing materials for each session, explaining activities and how they related to the Theatre, assisting individual children with difficult tasks (such as using scissors etc.) and clearing away rubbish as it was produced. It also included working with a brief, running a show and tell aspect to the session, communicating with parents about future events and liasing with organisers about the successes and any concerns of each session. Activities in the sessions included tasks such as puppet making, sticker design, colouring in, developing pictures of characters, sculpting, model making and more.

I was able to engage the children, whilst teaching them new techniques and communicating the fun that can be had at the Theatre. I also increased my planning, budgeting and organisational skills when preparing for each session. I was able to adapt my tone and vocabulary, as well as content to different age groups. I demonstrated a patient, nurturing and friendly attitude towards the children, and was able to keep to a time-limit. I was complimented for my contribution to the success of the projects, which have been developed into a continuing programme for young people. 

What I enjoyed most about the job: Combining my love for art, and working with people. I gained real satisfaction from helping others to enjoy art as much as I do.

What I enjoyed least about the job: I thoroughly enjoyed the job so it is difficult to say, but I guess the clearing up part was the worst; children can be very messy!

Painter and Decorator's Assistant, Duncan Copeland. June 2007 - August 2007.

My Grandfather is a Painter and Decorator who works on a freelance/private/self-employed basis decorating houses before new tenants move in. I worked as his personal assistant during the summer, helping to buy equipment, prepare surfaces- sanding, filling holes etc, paint using a roller/brush, apply wallpaper, paint skirting boards etc. I gained precision, and efficiency skills as I had to work quickly and accurately. I also acted as administration, taking bookings, organising our diary, arranging viewings etc. and gained many organisational and time-management skills.

What I enjoyed most about the job: Working in a private space meant we could listen to the radio and enjoy working systematically to get things done.

What I enjoyed least about the job: The aches and pains that come with a very physical job.

As a young volunteer (2004-2006) I also assisted with supervising arts and crafts sessions at my local community centre, and events such as carnival 365 and worked with children doing facepainting and other activities.

Hobbies and Interests

I enjoy going to Art Galleries and Museums as much as I possibly can. This is me at the National Gallery in Bratislava. My favourite art gallery is the National Portrait Gallery as I love seeing the brand new portraits that are painted each year (especially being a portrait artist myself). My favourite museum is the Sir John Soane Museum; because it is a unique, beautiful building to 'house' a museum and contains lots of hidden surprises and astounding pieces of art.

I absolutely Love good food; whether eating, making or even serving it. I enjoy eating out at social occassions, cooking for friends, having romantic meals, and trying new kinds of food from different cultures. Here I am enjoying some traditional Goulash; it may not look very apetising in the bowl; but trust me it was! My favourite kind of food is chinese; I enjoy the mixture of sweet and spicy flavours and the favouring of meat and seafood.

I adore travelling, and learning about new cultures and even languages. I love meeting new people, socialising and having friends from different walks of life. So far I have visited; Tunisia, France, Cyprus, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Austria, Slovakia, The Czech Republic, (Scotland and Wales) and Sardinia. In the future I would love to visit New York to see the art scene, Japan and China. The most beautiful place I have ever seen has to be Prague, pictured here. The architecture, atmosphere, design and style of the place radiated with gorgeousness! I couldn't put my camera away!

 Finally, I enjoy more creative passtimes such as painting, drawing, creative writing (plays, stories, reviews and poetry), sewing, graphic/digital design, editing music and videos and photography (see pic). 

Key Achievements

Achievements I am proud of:

• I was selected as one in ten out of 800 applicants, to undertake an EU funded internship in Slovakia.
• I was able to learn Basic Slovak during my 3 months in the country.
• Every employer/job that I have had to leave has asked me to stay, and have said that they are disappointed to lose such a hard working employee.
• I have sold art works including paintings and copies of my book '32 Memory Lane.'
• I have been awarded certificates for my involvement in voluntary work and mentoring.
• I was the only student to be awarded a Prize in 2 categories; 3D Design and Sculpture when attending Summer School at Camberwell Arts College, 2006. 
• I also recieved awards for my success in 2 GCSE subjects; Science and Design Technology, 2004.

Qualifications

2007 - 2010, University of London, Goldsmiths College
BA Fine Art and History of Art
Second Class Honours, Upper Division (2.1)

Modules included:

• Art Practise Level 1, 2 and 3.
• Introduction to Art History (3 modules in total)
• Framing Art: Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions
• Beckett and Aesthetics
• Social Movements and Sub-Cultures
• Self-lead Dissertation

Why I chose this course:
I have always been passionate about the arts and Design Technology and as a school leaver intended to pursue a career in Product Design. However, during my Foundation year, I made the shift from Design to Fine Art because I became more interested in writing, the use of text and concepts in my work. I chose this degree because I wanted to continue practising art, and develop my knowledge of Art History in order to improve my ability to do so. I was drawn to the idea of linking and contextualising my work within the frame of Art History, as well as learning ways of looking at art and critiquing as I aspire to write reviews and potentially be a critic in the future.

What did I gain from this course?
Goldsmiths is a college that is famous in the art world for encouraging new ideas, whilst challenging and encouraging artists to explore concepts in their work. I learned a great deal about the importance of questionning every aspect of an idea in order to successfully communicate what you are trying to say. The skills I gained were observational, critical, development of artistic techniques, digital editing, Screen Printing, presentational, attention to detail, planning and more. The final year of my degree was the most substantial, as I created a final outcome and helped to fund-raise, market and produce a successful degree show and catalogue. This provided me with fund-raising, organisational, team-working, marketing, administrative, communication and leadership skills, as well as the ability to prepare a space for exhibition, and more specialised tasks such as drafting funding applications. In this year, I also wrote a self-lead dissertation based on a chosen topic: the affects of branding within art, and learned skills such as time-management, self-discipline, researching and analytical, IT, written communication and evaluation. I also gained many contacts in the art world, an increased knowledge of Art History, Contemporary Art Practise and an appreciation for debates, talks and discussions of the issues around Art.

2006 - 2007, Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication, Kent
Foundation Diploma Art and Design (Fine Art), PASS

Modules included:

• Life Drawing
• Printing
• Pathways: Fine Art, Sculpture, 3D Design, Spatial Design, Visual Communication, Graphic Design and Fashion
• Final Major Project: Fine Art

What did I gain from this course?
From exploring all pathways I discovered that I wanted to study Fine Art. (Sometimes I wonder whether my life would be better off if I stuck to design.) I learned the importance of individuality, and not conforming to certain ways of making art. I gained new appreciation for digital art, and although choosing Fine Art, developed Design skills that I can use in the future.

2004 - 2006, Negus Sixth Form Centre, Plumstead, London
A-Level:
Fine Art (B) -My final projects involved large paintings, and sculpture/installations. I successfully sold my piece at my exhibition and was a runner up in a portrait prize.

Design Technology: Product Design (B) -My Projects included designing and making a display stand, and a portable fold-out table for use at events. I was very successful in my coursework, and impressed my teacher with my unique ideas and commitment to producing functional objects.

Physics (D) -I have always enjoyed science and chose this subject to aid in my work as a designer. Although I achieved B's throughout my 2 years of study, I unfortunately failed the very difficult synoptic exam which brought down my grade. 100% of my class failed this exam and recieved the same grade, or less than me; it was written in very complex language. Although only achieving this grade, I have excellent knowledge of science and mathematics, and can think logically in all situations.

AS-Level:
English Literature (B) -Texts studied include: the Glass Menagerie, Birdsong, Enduring Love and Christina Rossetti's poetry. I have an excellent ability to write essays, and a passion for reading literature.

1999 - 2004, Plumstead Manor School, London
GCSEs:
Mathematics (A)
Double Science (AA)
English Language/ Literature (B/A*)
French (B)
Fine Art (A)
Design Technology (A)
Geography (B)
Religious Education (A*)

Experience SUMMARY

The following is a summary of my Employment/ Job titles:

September 2010 – November 2010: Museum Assistant, Slovak National Museum, Slovakia.

July 2009 – August 2010: Front of House Assistant, Camden Arts Centre, London.

May 2010 - August 2010: Catering Assistant, Tasty Toasty mobile catering unit, various locations.

August 2009 - May 2010: Fine Dining Waitress, Chamberlain Hotel, London.

June 2009 - August 2009: Hospitality Staff, Admiral Recruitment, London

June 2009 - June 2010: Open Day Assistant, Goldsmiths College, London

May 2009 - September 2009: Unlicensed Event Steward, NDSS, various music festivals.

January 2008 - January 2009: General Assistant, Palace Bingo Club, London.

June 2007- August 2008: Arts and Crafts Supervisor, Unicorn Theatre, London

June 2007 - August 2007: Painter and Decorator's Assistant, Duncan Copeland

September 2005 – December 2007: Waitress, Fox under the Hill Pub/Restaurant, London

June 2004 - September 2006: Young Volunteer, Greenwich Volunteers


Please note: I was in full-time education until July 2010, so most of these positions were full-time seasonal/or part-time during non-exam periods, hence they were short-term.