the devil works at tractenberg & co.
You know what, people? When I tell you I need an image that is 300 dpi and 1500 pixels long, I need an image that is 300 dpi and 1500 pixels long. Not 72 dpi and 150 pixels long. Not 150 dpi and 238 pixels long. 300 dpi. 1500 pixels. If I don't get an image that is 300 dpi and 1500 pixels long, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN MY MAGAZINE. THAT IS RIGHT. FEEL MY POWER.
In addition to chasing down 300 dpi, 1500 pixel images, I've also been assigned to (a) track down some colorist to interview about growing out color, (b) bug the people at L'Oreal for less lame product shots, (c) get a photo of Kristian Alfonso from Avon, which is repped by Tractenberg, OF COURSE, so that is never going to happen, and (d) completely re-write the eighteen-year-old intern's piece on The Devil Wears Prada. (Um, can I add femslash to it?) The Boss was like, "Yeah, by the way, if you could just work on this a little. You know, she has a good style, but it's not quite what we needed."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "She doesn't really talk about the hair at all..."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "I'll get you the before-and-after shots. And also she never really mentions Meryl Streep or that other one..."
Me: "Emily!"
Boss: "So if you could just do something on the hair, like a paragraph..."
Me: "Okay.
Boss: "Maybe talk about Anne Hathaway."
Me: (looking at the intern's paragraph) "But keep this, right?"
Boss: "Well, no."
Me: "So, re-write the whole thing?"
Boss: "That would work."
Me: "Okay..."
(five minutes later)
Boss: "Oh, here, I got the pictures of Meryl Streep..."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "And that other one."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "You know, the bitch."
Me: (petulant) "I love Emily."
Ugh. I am doing at least as much work as everyone else in New York City today. What the hell?
In addition to chasing down 300 dpi, 1500 pixel images, I've also been assigned to (a) track down some colorist to interview about growing out color, (b) bug the people at L'Oreal for less lame product shots, (c) get a photo of Kristian Alfonso from Avon, which is repped by Tractenberg, OF COURSE, so that is never going to happen, and (d) completely re-write the eighteen-year-old intern's piece on The Devil Wears Prada. (Um, can I add femslash to it?) The Boss was like, "Yeah, by the way, if you could just work on this a little. You know, she has a good style, but it's not quite what we needed."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "She doesn't really talk about the hair at all..."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "I'll get you the before-and-after shots. And also she never really mentions Meryl Streep or that other one..."
Me: "Emily!"
Boss: "So if you could just do something on the hair, like a paragraph..."
Me: "Okay.
Boss: "Maybe talk about Anne Hathaway."
Me: (looking at the intern's paragraph) "But keep this, right?"
Boss: "Well, no."
Me: "So, re-write the whole thing?"
Boss: "That would work."
Me: "Okay..."
(five minutes later)
Boss: "Oh, here, I got the pictures of Meryl Streep..."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "And that other one."
Me: "Okay."
Boss: "You know, the bitch."
Me: (petulant) "I love Emily."
Ugh. I am doing at least as much work as everyone else in New York City today. What the hell?
posted by Nia at 11:13 AM
24 Comments:
is tractenberg a really hellish place?
Well, I imagine their reps are all locked in a rusty cage somewhere, because they're certainly never available to take calls.
I used to work there... YES.
i worked there 2..
i worked there. total sham. but somehow they get good clients... who i feel sorry for. if they only knew.
i worked there a few years ago and i didnt have enough time to pee, let alone return people's calls. don't even bother w/ the assistants. they are too busy drowning in slave labor. go straight to the director.
I used to work there...slave labor would be putting it nicely
i am going on an interview there tomorrow, is it really that bad? any particular reasons why
I have an internship interview coming up. What can I expect? Is it that bad?
I haven't worked at T&C for a few years but I will tell you something: At the time, I thought that it was insanity. I worked 80 hours a week, was asked to run around the city to drop something off here, pick something up there and oh, on your way back, I want starbucks. I have a strong work ethic and did was I was asked; in most industries, that is just how it is - you start from the ground up. Most of the jobs that I have held in recent years have been that extreme, so I was used to it. I gained a lot of experience at T&C and if asked, would you go back, I would say no. PR is not where my passion lies now. But if asked, did you get anything out of it, I would say yes. I got great experience, made some lifelong friends who understood what I was going through and wanted to toast a drink after work that we made it out alive, and got some amazing products that allowed me to save hundreds of dollars and yes, I still have them to this day. There are pros and cons to any job but you really have to know what you are getting in to when you interview for a new job. Bottom line, if you want to work in the fashion and beauty industry, it's not as glamorous as it may seem.
amen sister. the rest of you are whiners that shouldn't be in pr.
I work there now...and its not that bad...i mean yes it feels like hell sometimes lol but i think thats just cuz ppl that work there make it like that for themselves....everyone seems to hate it but then im like why are u here then? lol
I didn't work at this company but have worked in the entertainment industry for a few years and you just need to be prepared and expect an environment like this. That is the way it is. It is one of the most volatile and cutthrought industries but if you can survive and be successful most likely you can be successful anywhere. Most people who do survive and climb the ladder in these industries move on to really great positions be it in the beauty, PR or entertainment field or elsewhere. I agree with the poster. If you can't get me a real hi res picture that meets specs then you aren't serious about being in a magazine. There should be no question about this. It's pretty annoying to get a 72dpi image emailed to you when you asked for hi res.
that place is a disaster, a hellish nightmare. do NOT work there.
FROM THE OTHER SIDE of the FENCE. wow I DIDN'T realize it was so bad. i work from the other side and i'm NOT one of the mean biatches. BUT HERE IS WHAT I WANT TO SAY... THANK YOU TO ALL THE ASSISTANTS and I GUESS THE DIRECTORS, i don't know who;s who and i don't care. EVERYONE that i worked with there has always been efficient and nice. so even if it was hell for you guys, from my end, it is a positive difference and it's nice to work with professionals. fashion is no better ladies... i've seen lots of cell phones and screaming women.. :)
i meant to say CELL PHONES THROWN at people. and i'm not talking about the model...
i mean, is it good pay at least?
They pay VERY LITTLE. Horrible experience. I've worked in Fashion PR for years and have never had an experience like this. You will definitely regret it.
WOW. I just researched their client list and its HUGE. How do they keep their clients if they are such a horrible firm? Or is their client list fake too?
they keep the clients because they are a sweatshop. they suck the assistants in by going easy on them for the first few weeks, and then drown them in more tasks that can be physically accomplished in that time allotted. they are TERRIBLE to their employees
Tractenberg is an abomination, and it all stems from the top. They abuse employees verbally, and show a blatant disregard for their safety (for example, work was not cancelled on the second and worst day of Hurricane Sandy, despite the fact that at least half of her workforce commutes from New Jersey, which was hit hard by the storm). Do not work there, you will definitely regret it.
Screaming women and cell phones being thrown - they've got nothing on Tractenberg
What are you talking about? I worked there during Sandy and they were closed for a full week. It's tough because they demand a lot for the clients so it is a lot of work but people grow there so it is worth it to stick it out. Everyone starts somewhere. If you think working at a PR agency is glamourous and easy then you have no clue about PR.
2014 - Everyone knows working in PR is neither easy or well-paid. I own my own business and work 12-16 hour days, 7 days per week. I am no stranger to hard work, getting your hands dirty and working long hours. This place was HELL.
Working at Tractenberg & Co. was like being in the fieriest pits of hell. Out of 16 assistant executives, I was the only one left standing after 6 months because it was THAT BAD.
I quit after having a complete nervous breakdown (truly, I went to the hospital) from trying to accommodate the workload forced on me despite how many times I told the higher-ups that I was reaching a breaking point. When I quit, the response from management was that "I hope something is seriously wrong with you that you need to quite so suddenly" (gee, thanks.)
The pay for an assistant account exec was about the same as a manager at McDonald's (not that any amount of pay would have warranted the sweatshop work conditions here.)
For all you that claim those who commented on the atrocities of working at the hellish Tractenbrg & Co. are simply lazy or misguided, YOU have not worked there, and you do not know.
Girls, those of you right out of college, listen up. Internships are invaluable. A real assistant account executive is great. Get that "experience" anywhere else. And good luck.
Post a Comment
<< Home