We all have heard of side hustles, part time jobs that help us make ends meet or make extra money.  Often they are called “gigs” and the people who work them are called “gig-workers”. Being a brand ambassador or event staffer is exactly that!  According to a recent Experian report, more than 37% of U.S. adults and more than 50% of millennials have a side hustle. A job that adds dollars to the bank account and ensures that the household bills are paid on time. This supplemental income can be very beneficial, and in this article we discuss five ways to implement event work into your schedule. 

Becoming a brand ambassador can enhance your resume and create new opportunities! Brand ambassadors stand to gain valuable skills and experience that they may not be getting in their day job which makes them worth more to employers. The more work you accrue over time, the more your experience and resume will become valuable for larger events, higher paying brands, and even moving into management opportunities with marketing companies. 

So how can you begin your journey to becoming a brand ambassador? If you have never worked as a brand ambassador for an event or company there are many things you can do to set yourself apart from other applications. Let’s go over several things you can do to start:

 1. Create a Promotional Resume - What this means is draft a resume specifically for applications to event work. This resume should include your personal information, contact information, educational history. If you are currently a student, and are looking for part-time work include your current academic status. Companies will look at what your intended major is or course of study and ask you questions about it during the interview. For applicants who have no history of event work, include any customer service, gig-work, retail experience, or relevant experience. In your introduction include attributes of your personality and experience that are relevant. Save this document on your computer and title it “Promotional Resume” so when applying for work you know this is the resume for that work. 

2. Update Promotional Photos - When applying for a brand ambassador position you may be required to provide recent photos of yourself. These photos are often required so the brand t can diversify its team, assimilate staff to the provided wardrobe or costume, and can be used for promotional decks that are sent by the agency to the client for them to select candidates. Your application photos should include at least one head shot. If you have not had a recent headshot photo taken, it would be a strong suggestion to do so. Other photos often include full-length event work photos—if you have not worked an event yet you will not have these. Our suggestion would be to dress in a business casual, outdoor setting and have a friend or family member take a photo of you. Let your personality shine in your third photo! Have a hobby or outdoor interest? Send a photo with you and your horse, your ATV, or hiking to give the agency insight into your personality. 

3. Update Your Location - The key to finding work is to keep where you live up to date in that agency database. If you have moved to a new area of the country, be sure to update your address in the system/portal that you apply for work on. Each location, or market, has different activations based on the demographic of the area.  If you live near a city there may be more types of retail activations (because of how many people live there and the amount of places to shop) while more rural areas may host larger agricultural shows or conferences that meet annually. The key is to not only update your address, but to set time aside each week to check these portals for work. With this industry events can be added days or weeks before their date of execution (when they happen) so being aware of the events will give you a first chance to apply for them.

4. Prepare For Your Interview -  Once your application has been received by an agency and it is your first time working for them, they may ask you for an interview. This most likely will be a phone call however it may be a video call. Make sure you are on time and prepared for your call. If it is a video call, make sure the lighting at your desk is appropriate, you have a business appropriate appearance, and that you are energetic! The interviewer will ask you questions to see if you are an ideal candidate for the event, yet at the end be sure to ask them any questions you have about the agency, the scope of work, their work history, or more about the details they have shared with you. Think of the interview as a time to not only let them get to know you but also for you to learn more about the work that they do as well!

5. Organize Your Calendar - Event work can come at a moment’s notice, so the best opportunity you can give yourself is to organize your calendar!  When someone from an agency contacts you, you’ll know your schedule and if you are available for the hours/date they need brand ambassadors. We suggest using a calendar on your phone or computer so you can look at each date and know your availability. Once you are booked for event work be sure to put the hours into that calendar date(s) so you can be prepared ahead of time for the day. The organization of your calendar will not only bring you peace of mind, it will help you be prepared for the work ahead!

We encourage everyone interested in event work to pursue the suggested steps above, and to keep your eyes on our Backwoods Promotions event calendar on Popbookings. If you are new to our system please fill this application out to be considered for events near you as well. We strive to continually offer our clients the best brand ambassadors related to their industry, and you could be the perfect fit for one of our events!