Professional Question

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thats right your a professional you dont need no stinking association to tell you anything

all i'll say is get caught doing the wrong thing when reported - dont say no one says anything lol

have a nice day all
 
Holy cow. Djs doing the photography :( probably undercutting what a true professional would charge. I guess this was the next thing for bottom feeders to throw in, since everyone and their mom is giving away uplighting, photobooths etc. Next is the cake
 
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SoftJock Rick said:
Nah, yer just a wannabe weenie... xf:D

Technical speak -- a professional is one who gets paid for doing something. But realistically, you actually have to be good at it, not just one time, but on a continuing basis.

For example:

I would consider myself a professional programmer. I've got degrees in it, and a whole boat load of experience. I've gotten paid lots of money for that job. I do it every day.

On the other hand, I can run a farm. But I have no formal training or degree. I have lots of experience, but have never been paid for it. So I couldn't consider myself a professional in that field of work (pun intended). Handy yes, professional no.

Boat Captain: I never renewed my license. Even though I had formal training, lots of experience, and got paid -- I can no longer consider myself a professional in that area, because it requires a license.


It's such a vague area, that unless you are doing something on a daily basis, I doubt you can call yourself a professional with any integrity...
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Technical speak is garbage. There is a very simple and practical method to evaluate a professional. You are a professional when you can DEMONSTRATE your credentials or VERIFY your experience and/or training. When the outcome of your effort can be reasonable and routinely PREDICTABLE as a success then you meet the qualifications of a professional.

I didn't renew my library card but, I can still read. By the same token you are still a "professional" boat Captain since your credentials don't just evaporate. You are currently not ACTIVE in that profession. Unless it's been decades there's probably very little you would need to do to renew the license.

Getting paid to run a farm has nothing to do with being a professional farmer. In fact, there's no such thing as a professional farmer... they are essentially business people and their business is agriculture or livestock. Like any business person they may or may not have unique training or experience - and the only way to evaluate their professionalism is through verifiable references and past performance.

Cesar would not be a professional photographer because he has no track record, no training, no credentials. There is no reasonable basis upon which one could predict a successful outcome. A few eye pleasing pictures is not enough - it takes a portfolio.

Money has nothing to do with it. Peopel get paid to do all kinds of things every day - none of which necessarily makes anyone a professional anything.
 
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Proformance said:
Technical speak is garbage. There is a very simple and practical method to evaluate a professional. You are a professional when you can DEMONSTRATE your credentials or VERIFY your experience and/or training. When the outcome of your effort can be reasonable and routinely PREDICTABLE as a success then you meet the qualifications of a professional.

I didn't renew my library card but, I can still read. By the same token you are still a "professional" boat Captain since your credentials don't just evaporate. You are currently not ACTIVE in that profession. Unless it's been decades there's probably very little you would need to do to renew the license.

Getting paid to run a farm has nothing to do with being a professional farmer. In fact, there's no such thing as a professional farmer... they are essentially business people and their business is agriculture or livestock. Like any business person they may or may not have unique training or experience - and the only way to evaluate their professionalism is through verifiable references and past performance.

Cesar would not be a professional photographer because he has no track record, no training, no credentials. There is no reasonable basis upon which one could predict a successful outcome. A few eye pleasing pictures is not enough - it takes a portfolio.

Money has nothing to do with it. Peopel get paid to do all kinds of things every day - none of which necessarily makes anyone a professional anything.
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We've gone through this before .. Money has everything to do with the definition. It's YOUR definition where it does not.

Wikipedia: 1st sentence: "A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialized set of tasks and to complete them for a fee."

Merriam-Webster (definition 2): "participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>"

Don't confuse "acting like a professional" with being one, the dictionaries don't. I don't disagree that what you espouse should be the definition, I'm just disagreeing that it is.
 
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Like many words, the literal meaning a word and the actual meaning of the sentence are often very different.

The reality is we all know very well the difference between a true professional anything and someone who got paid a few bucks to perform a task.

Anyone who is truly confused between the 2 is simply splitting hairs.
 
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As much as I hate regurgitating this thread...
there is a HUGE problem with the word "professional".
Because there are too many variables, and in the end, it's still a matter of opinion.
(in the eyes of people, not in the dictionary definition)
It's not like calling someone a DOCTOR...
they either ARE a doctor or they are not.
You can call yourself a PROFESSIONAL, without having to prove it.

Let's not forget the origin of the word.
PROFESSION
So, anyone who works at a PROFESSION could call themselves a PROFESSIONAL.
(and not have to prove it)
 
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cesar][COLOR=#333333]..there has to be a term to separate the full time wedding vendor that makes his living off the profession ... from the person that does it 10 times a year and get's paid for it.[/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333]What should that term be?[/COLOR][/quote][COLOR=#333333] [/COLOR] You just answered your own question - that term is "full-time." [COLOR="silver said:
- - - Updated - - -[/COLOR]

Ausumm said:
As much as I hate regurgitating this thread...
there is a HUGE problem with the word "professional".
Because there are too many variables, and in the end, it's still a matter of opinion.
(in the eyes of people, not in the dictionary definition)
It's not like calling someone a DOCTOR...
they either ARE a doctor or they are not.
You can call yourself a PROFESSIONAL, without having to prove it.

Let's not forget the origin of the word.
PROFESSION
So, anyone who works at a PROFESSION could call themselves a PROFESSIONAL.
(and not have to prove it)
Click to expand...

I don't see any problem with the term professional - just a lot of people who need to rationalize their own sense of self.

Most part time DJs are NOT professional - despite whatever professionalism they display on the job. There are also some professionals who lack the professionalism to really succeed beyond just scraping by.

The words are perfect - it's people who suck.
Click to expand...
 
I was always under the impression that a Professional gets paid for the performance, while the Amateur works for nothing. Even Doctors/Surgeons who have a certified title vary greatly in skill and performance. The Surgeon who botched by cancer operation was a total buffoon. My lawyer said: "Tom, all he did was pass a test somewhere.. that doesn't make him a good surgeon by any means." So saying you're certified, licensed, accredited, or a "professional" means nothing to me.. I will check past performance, references, and results from now on. Don't sweat on the title.. means nothing.
 
I have a Canon T3i. I bought that camera so i can finally get great pictures to use from events we've done to promote our business. I didn't buy it to become a professional photographer even though some people say why don't i start charging people to take a picture of them? What they are talking about is me going out to parties with my camera making money taking pictures and developing these pictures for people to pay me. That's not why i bought this camera and don't care to that.

I still would need to know what I'm doing so i don't make myself look like a fool and people getting pissed off at me.
 
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