Floristry
Working as a florist can be a very satisfying job for those who are passionate about flowers, enjoy customer service and working with clients.
For the retailer much of the reward comes in seeing clients huge smiles when they receive a beautiful arrangement delivered to their door.
Florists usually start work early in the morning either going to the market to collect flowers for the day/ week or preparing flowers that have already been delivered to their door in the early hours. Some florists may also grow (at least some) flowers to use. Flowers need to be conditioned and prepared to ensure they remain in top condition for as long as possible. Some heavy lifting is involved with large bunches, sorting blooms and lifting buckets full of water. If the florist also sells pot plants these will need checking and watering too, to keep them in good condition.
A number of arrangements are usually made up before the store opens and this may be quite early in the day. The florist may still be at work in the store after many workers have arrived home at night. The shop needs to be well laid out, kept pristine and fresh, to create a top selling environment and buying experience for the customer.
Opportunities
There are a range of roles as a florist. You may be working in a retail florist store in a local shopping centre. Alternatively you may be operating out of a store on a large shopping complex and this can be a large shop selling gift items and cosmetics as well as floral arrangements, or it may be a mini store, selling largely already completed bouquets and gift boxes bought in from a florist wholesaler.
Some florists specialise in corporate work catering for large functions, conferences and weddings and these florists are usually located in large towns and centres.
For those not interested in retail work and customer service there are also opportunities working with wholesalers in large warehouses who spend their day making up bouquets and arrangements to sell at the smaller stores or to cater for online ordering. Some cut flower growers also have a florist to tie bunches and do some arranging and packaging of bouquets before they leave the farm.
Online ordering is responsible for a large number of sales in floristry. Customers view pictures and prices of items, order over the internet and the bouquet arrives at its destination usually that same day.
Casual positions as a florist come up regularly in job sites, often at peak times for florists which are Easter, Christmas, Mothers Day, St Valentines Day, when extra hands are needed. This is a good opportunity to get a start in the industry.
There are also possibilities for part time work, full time work, florist manager positions where you may be in charge of the whole store and overseeing one or more florists in the back of the store taking orders and making up arrangements or supervising a factory floor of florists making up arrangements.
With the diversity in retail there are also positions available in some nurseries, large gift shops and larger department stores for an ‘in house’ florist.
Some florists grow some of their own material to provide flowers and foliage for the store, a few florists start this way, as keen gardeners with a big garden and making up small bouquets, then opening up a shop.
Some florist shops also sell bunches of mixed fresh herbs in posies.
Risks and challenges
During times outside of peak season there may be limited work opportunities in floristry. You will need to bring something unique to your bouquets in order to develop a devoted client base.
Flowers may become damaged during delivery, or difficult to acquire in some seasons. You may be faced with challenges to ensure you have the flowers you need in stock.
Flowers will deteriorate, so if you buy too many, and do not sell them, you can be seeing profits dying in front of you. This is why it is critical to know the different varieties, their differing characteristics, and how to prolong the flower life.
How to become a Florist
Experience working in a florist shop or with flowers is a top basic requirement. A passion for working with people, work experience in retail/business customer service gives a good grounding. A knowledge of plants, cut flowers and how they grow and the basic plants used in floral arrangements is a useful. An eye for detail and design would be a great asset.
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