Your first CT gig....feelings and advice
 

I was wondering about your personal experience from your first CT job. Please no names...but more about you. How did you feel? Was it a good experience? Did you enjoy it? Were you nervous? Didn't think you were "good enough"? Did you struggle to meet the guidelines? Best decision ever? Hooked? Advice for others?

That kinda thing. Just wanted to get your thoughts on being on a CT.

So tell me about your first experience......

Thanks!

Melinda

My first experience was for an individual designer. It was a great experience. I think in the long run it made me a better scrapper because I was able to talk to the other scrappers on the team about techniques they did. I loved having a deadline (I'm a structure kind of person) and loved using kits that made me step out of my comfort zone (theme-wise).

Overall...great time and just made me want to be a part of more CTs.

Hmm... My first CT was for an individual designer... I've forgotten how many teams I applied for and got the "no" answer... but I kept trying, it's not personal, my style is not what they were looking for at that time... and I true believe this. When I finally got my break, I was so excited!! Since I only apply for designers that I am totally in love with and know I can rock their kits, I wasn't nervous about not being good enough... the designer must think I rock, or I wouldn't have been invited, right?

It's the best decision for me... with leaving a corporate environment, I miss the team aspect so this helped fill the void for me. And I guess you can say I was hooked... at my highest point (this spring) I was apart of 16 teams. :blink: I believe that being on CTs pushed me to scrap better and faster... I really want the designer to shine on release day and I know it's my job to pull out my best for them every week. And like Tracy, it also helped me push my creative side with kits that I wouldn't have normally tried... like say, using pink and princess elements on a boy page... ;)

Still to this day, I treasure all the teams I have been apart of and have the great honor of being on today... when the time comes to say goodbye to a designer, that is defiantly the hardest part of being on a CT.

My first CT was a guest gig with an individual designer--and I met my closest digi-friend there! To this day I'll always be grateful for that gig. :) It got me excited to try out for other teams and flex my scrapping "muscles" so to speak. I'm also a wee bit chattier in CT forums because just like offline, I prefer smaller groups.

Like Rebecca I think being on CTs helps me scrap better and faster. Often, I think if not for CT assignments I would never get many of my photos scrapped!

Being on a CT exposes me to a whole range of scrapping styles AND designer aesthetics. I LOVE working with designers on how to market their kit or even have a hand in giving suggestions in making them. I love looking at team layouts--it's so awesome to see different takes on the same kit. I have a set of scrapping friends I am very close to, and I would never have "found" them if not for getting to "meet" them in the various CTs I've been a part of/am a part of :)

What the other ladies said is very similar for me, too. I was so excited to get my first gig and it was really inspiring to me, creatively, because I really wanted the kits (or templates or whatever they were/are) to shine. I WISH it had made me a faster scrapper, but so far it hasn't LOL. I think I'm the world's slowest scrapper.

The team aspect is also great. Some CTs are closer than others and more chatty. Like what the ladies' said, it's SO IMPORTANT to only CT for designers whose designs you love. It's really hard to scrap with something that you just don't feel is inspiring.

I got a guest gig that turned into a full time gig after I'd been scrapping for a couple of years. I was never in a hurry to get on a CT because I knew I wouldn't want to settle as far as quality went, and I knew I wasn't good enough for any of the designers I loved. I wanted to be on a team that inspired me.

I agree that my CT gigs push me to be more creative because there is more "pressure" to turn out a great page. I find that a minimal amount of teams is best for me so that I can really enjoy what I create and enjoy the process. After all, I can afford to buy the kits I really love, so being on teams isn't necessary for me to scrap. I just love being a part of what some awesome designers are doing and being able to promote something I truly love! {ok, and yes, I love the rush of a new kit in a CT forum, too, lol}

I was lucky in that my first few CT gigs were for designers that noticed my layouts in the galleries and asked me to join their teams. I was honestly so astounded at being asked that saying that I was excited seems like an understatement. :D I felt at home with them from the beginning because I felt like if they liked my layouts enough to notice them in the gallery, I must be doing something right with their products already! :)

One of those teams was not a good fit style-wise for me, and that was a tough gig. I struggled creating layouts each week and I said goodbye pretty quickly. The other two are teams that I am currently still on and those were great fits for me. For me, being on a CT is only fun if the product really inspires you and is something you would buy if you saw it in the store. If it's not, it becomes a job, and that's not what scrapping is all about for me.

The deadlines work for me since I'm one of those people who works better under a little bit of pressure. Of course, life sometimes gets in the way of those deadlines but I've always found that designers are very accommodating as long as you keep them informed about what's going on and why you're MIA. :)

It is definitely hard to open yourself up for the rejection of applying for a CT gig - no one wants to be told "no." But even those rejections can help you grow as a scrapper and strive to learn more. My biggest advice would be to find your own style, nurture it, hone it, and love it before you start applying for CT's. That way you know you're scrapping for you and not just for the outcome. :)

Mine was for an individual designer. I was soooo surprised she took me because looking back I really wasn't that good. She was super sweet and I learned a TON of information not just scrapping, but with computers. I don't think I have ever had a "bad" CT. It is usually one CT member that makes it bad. Not the designer. Becoming a CT member made me a better scrapper. Even trying out and being rejected made me try harder and improve techniques. I am still not where I want to be, but having to give my best every week to a designer pushes me there. :)

my first was a guest gig for an individual designer... I had just received a rejection letter from her the month before and she shared the things she looks for in a creative team... so I took what she said and worked my tail off to impress her during that guest gig, hoping that she would ask me on full-time. I also worked hard to get myself the guest gig in the first place... I really wanted to be on her team!!! LOL She did ask me on full-time :wub: and that push really helped me to improve my scrapping and find my style. She is pretty fast paced and the deadlines helped me to learn how to scrap quickly. I love being on her team and the relationship I've made with that designer. :)

I hate to say this but I do not think I remember who my first designer was that I CTed for. :( Eeeep.

In the beginning I CTed for the sake of CTing, got a little caught up in the fun of it, etc. That is definitely a bad approach to take I later learned. Now I only apply for a CT if I truly love what the designer makes because I take the time to help spread my love about them and their products. I love being in a team though for the ability to not only see behind the scenes but have a smaller group, work with deadlines which help keep my scrapping on track, learn tons of things, see so many different styles and be inspired! I do have to say though after beind turned down for an eternity in the beginning I have a bit of a complex and frequently worry if my stuff is good enough for some of the teams I am on. But that has helped me grow I think and keep wanting to be better, but better to my own standards. That is one reason I love commenting and receiving comments on LOs :)

so, definitely CT, but only for a product you are willing to stand behind and sell because that is what you are doing, and be willing to recognize it takes a commitment and work is involved :wub:

Well, I am in the middle of excitement about my first CT at the moment. It's for an individual designer too.

I have applied for two or three CT's the last few months. Only for Ct's from which I really loved the kits or templates....and I was really disappointed that I wasn't chosen. But in the end, there are a lot of people applying, so the chance is not so big. I even was angry at a few names I saw coming back in announcements. Pure jealousy of course. :p

Now that I am chosen it kinda overwhelmed me at first. Where could I find everything. What is it exactly that's expected of me....etc. This week my first designlayout will be released with the new kit.....I am excited!

I was extatic when I got chosen for my first CT! (I'm still the same way now!!) It was the first time I applied and it was for a group of 3 designers. It was an awesome team. I agree with everyone else: my pages and style got better as I wanted to really impress not only the designers, but also their customers.
It was a fast paced team as each designer released their own kits. But I wasn't on any other teams so I had no problems meeting the deadlines.
There were kits I liked less but I saw those as a challenge and I often ended up liking the pages I finally did a lot!

It hasn't turned me in a faster scrapper. I'm a perfectionist and I want each page to be the best I can make out of a kit. But I just don't join many teams at once, so that's never been a problem.

My advice would be: don't apply if you don't like at least 90% of the designer's products. Because you will be asked to scrap with the stuff you don't like too!

I had the same sort of experience as Tanyia for similar reasons. I applied to CTs just to be on a CT because it seemed you stood a better chance of getting on the 'dream teams' if you were already on a CT, more of a networking thing than anything else. Most were bad fits for me because I didn't love the designers stuff, I was just wanted to be able to say I was on a team

This was back in 05-06 & I can''t remember who most of those designers were. Many were brand new designers, some of whom took anyone who applied just to have a CT because it seemed you had to have a CT, just like it seemed you had to be on one.

I'd like to think we've all learned since then. :) After about 6 months or so I quit them all because it was so frustrating to work with stuff you don't love, producing layouts you don't love & then a couple months later I applied & got onto a team with a designer I loved, now retired. Now I only apply when I love the things a designer does.

I will admit......I applied to many many teams and always got the rejection email. I was down in the dumps and doubting my scrapping skills. Then I get an AWESOME private message from an individual designer. She totally made my day by inviting me to do a guest spot. I busted my bottom and was offered a full time gig. I will be FOREVER grateful to her. Not only did she encourage me with my scrapbooking but she was patient enough (along with the rest of the team) to show me the ropes on how to be a great CTM. It is a lot of hard work. It is not about getting free product. It has everything to do with helping that designer create more and get the word out. There was so much involved that I never knew about. I am so glad that she was willing to take a chance on me. I was with her for a year until she stopped designing.

When she stopped designing, I was devastated. I felt lost in the digi world and stop scrapping for a couple of months. It was like I lost part of my identity. I still refused to apply to calls because I didn't want anymore "no's". I finally applied to one a few months ago......I got a no but some great feed back from the designer. It was very encouraging. Then I got PM after PM from other designers. I am currently on 6 teams (4 full time and 2 guest spots). Yes, it is hard work but I love it. I really do love to help designers in the process of creating the kit and thinking of new creative ways to get sales for them.

I know that if that first designer wouldn't of taken a chance on me that the rest of this would of never happened. I will be forever grateful.

The biggest piece of advise I can give - scrap for you. Scrap what you love and learn more and more about it as you go. Your love for your creativity and for who you create for with shine through your pages. I never believed it when people said this until I figured out it was the truth. When I stopped caring about applying to teams and just started scrapping......that is when I got noticed. Also, if there is a designer that you totally adore.....just PM them and let them know. Let them know that you are available if they need an extra set of hands. They may not need you right then but they may keep a list of interested people to invite by PM from time to time. :)

i absolutely LOVE being on ct's and the whole experience that comes with it.

i love having deadlines, i love meeting people i probably wouldn't meet if we weren't on a team together, i love getting to know the designers i love on a personal level and i'm forever grateful for the lessons i've learned.

do NOT ever ct for someone you don't love and wouldn't buy product from anyway. to me, ct-ing is an honor and if it's not something (or a page) i love, what's the point in doing it?

Yes!!!!! Perfectly said!

Hmm, well my first CT experiences were a bit different in that I went from being on no CTs to being on several of my dream CTs in the course of a day thanks to a "dream CT" thread someone started in the first week DigiShopTalk was open.

I don't remember it being stressful but CT requirements were SO much more laid back back then because the industry was much less competitive. There were only a handful of big stores and it was rare that you came across a designer you didn't know. So it was more "use what you want, when you want" compared to the "scrap within two days" type of deadlines that exist now.

I do think the toughest part of those early CTs and even CTs in general really, is that every product isn't always going to be your dream product. There are times when you have to scrap with something that maybe isn't totally "you" and it can be tough when you're just starting out and still trying to find your own style. But I do know I learned a lot, both good and bad, by being on different CTs over the years so it's definitely something that's worth going for if you feel it's a good fit for you.

My first CT was about 4 years ago for a designer who is now retired. I was so excited to be chosen for her team - I'd just started scrapping and really wasn't that great, but she took me under her wing and I'm very grateful for that!

I have been on a number of teams since then, and have loved every minute of it. The hardest part is saying goodbye when circumstances make it necessary to move on. I've developed a lot of friendships and have learned so much about scrapbooking and photography over the last 4 years, and much of it is because of the teams I've been on.

It's a wonderful experience, a fantastic creative outlet, and just a lot of fun!

Wanna know how long I've been digi-scrapping? I was on one of the first CTs ever. I'm pretty sure it was the first "big name" CT. It was a designer who looked at what paper companies were doing and decided to try the same thing in digital. I'm lucky enough that I'm still friends with some of those girls. It was an amazing time. We'd chat and share layouts and just have so much fun creating. I loved every minute of it.

It's been so interesting to watch digital scrapbooking develop as a hobby. Never would have guessed where it would go when I started 7 years ago (this weekend!).

My first CT was an individual designer as well. I remember getting no after no after no which can be so deflating but then someone finally took a chance on me! It was so exciting. I was definitely scared to start with. Just something about it felt kinda like a first job or some such. It was super exciting though and I will always be grateful for those designers that took me in when I was brand new to scrapping!

I loooove CT teams and honestly at this point in time there are only one or two I would apply for. You definitely have to love the products of whoever you are applying for but for me it's also the community from the team or where the designer sells that is a big seller for me. :) I have made soooo many really great friends from my CT teams. people that I love like family and have helped me through some difficult times and people I hope know they can count on me. In digi scrapping that is what has become the most important thing to me. I know it's a business and all that, but I think if you like the people you are "working with" or for you do better work and you are better at promoting their stuff. :)

My first CT was a store and the owner asked me to be on the team, so no, I wasn't nervous, lol! To be honest, it is a store I loved and where I participated in the blog, comments and gallery. I felt very much a part of the community and then to be on the CT was just a dream come true because I really respect the owner and her vision.

My very first CT was for a site CT and it was amazing. There were some really big(ger) named designers there at first and I really loved it. A lot of those designers moved on to other places very shortly after that and then the drama began and that's when I left. I just can't deal with drama.

Now, I am so very fortunate to CT for some of my absolute most favorite designers in all of digi-land. I love the designers themselves, not just for their designs, but as people too. I adore my fellow-CT'ers and I love scrapping for them because it fits in scrapping for myself as well. I love that being on a creative team motivates me to scrap more and the deadline just means that I'm going to get those pages done. All of those pages mean more in my album, more stories and memories to share with my family.

You've gotten lots of great responses, but I wanted to add that - most importantly - don't lose site of scrapping for YOU (just like Tara said!). I got a bit caught up in worrying that all my pages were "good enough" for my designer that scrapping became not fun for me for a while, particularly when I had multiple CTs going on.

The other issue I had was that some of my first CTs were for designers whom I didn't love every single kit they produced, and using the ones I didn't love was very hard for me.

The designer you CT for, and her team, need to fit you like a glove. You have to love all her stuff, she has to love your style and your personality, and the girls on the team all have to get along. (oh, the drama sometimes, LOL!).

So my advice - don't rush it. Take time to figure out what your style is, find those designers whom you love the most, and focus on creating layouts to fill your gallery that represent YOU.

good luck!!

Well, I only ever went for template CTs, so I'm not sure my experiences are 100% comparable. While you sometimes do struggle with a template, you have way more freedom which photos to scrap.

I got into my first CT by doing a challenge of that template designer. She liked my layout and edged me on to apply in her going on CT call. LOL I felt super duper flattered. I haven't been scrapping long then and it was only my second time with a template. Man, I thought I had real talent, getting asked so quickly.

Well, one of the most gracious and talented scrappers that time was on the team. I had one look at her first CT layout and went into a slight panic. Thinking I had no talent at all!
But it all balanced out quickly. I still love seeing people from that team around digi world and the designer became a good friend. She actually set me up with my BF and we visited her just this summer. So for me it has been a great experience!

I agree with everyone else. Work for people you love. And not just their work, but their personality as well. If you think a CT call announcement sounds super strict and snobby, then most likely the designer isn't a very laid back person. Apply to be with people you are drawn to. Forget the rest.

I havent ever been on a CT (or tried for that matter LOL) but love reading about everyone's experiences!! Maybe one day I will get organised enough to try it :p

my 1st CT was a store CT {and I just so happen to still be here}....but I abolutely LOVED it...I love the tema feel and it made me LEARN more than what I already knew how to do...it also encouraged me to expand my photography skills and I took a photogrphay class at the local community college.....whatver you do, DO NOT take on a CT that you do NOT love that designers designs....I think when you LOVE that designer {or stre} you make them shine and give them 110% instead of just making a LO for the sake of meeting CT requirements. I try to make every LO or hybrid I do for ME and that is all that matters :)