Are you ready to start hiring booth tenders for your business? Whether you are hiring your first employee, or are just wanting to improve your hiring process, this article is for you. We are going to discuss how to get clear on how to attract quality individuals, and create a detailed outline for what to really look for in a prospective employee. Be sure to have this article handy when preparing to conduct your interview. You can even use it as a checklist.
The first thing we really need to do is nail down the job description. This will be different for every business obviously, but here is a general outline of where we recommend to start:
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Must have excellent communication skills.
This is a position where the employee will be interacting with a ton of people. You want to look for someone who is warm, kind, and helpful. Watch out for people who are too self-conscious or reserved. In order for someone to really thrive as a booth tender and make sure your customers are thrilled enough to leave you outstanding reviews, you need someone who communicates effectively and confidently. Make sure that they are great with communicating with both children, adults, and drunk adults.
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Be outgoing and reliable.
This is an industry where it really pays to go the extra mile. It takes a person who is willing to do what it takes to make things work out, and who feels as if your success means something to them personally. Reliability is obviously also huge, because your booth tender’s reliability has everything to do with your brand’s image.
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Be eager and willing to learn.
There is going to be a learning curve with every new hire, that is unavoidable. What can really reduce that curve is the attitude of the person you hire. If they are excited about the opportunity and eager to become autonomous, they will learn as fast as they can. Look for people who value being competent. Stay away from people who seem lost.
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Must have a flexible work schedule.
Make this clear up-front. Be sure that they are good with working nights, weekends, and all hours in between.
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Physical ability to lift at least 50 pounds.
This is a job where sometimes things happen. Sometimes the elevator is out, and the photo booth still needs to make it to the third floor.
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Reliable transportation big enough to transport the equiptment.
If your company does not have a business vehicle(s), the prospect is going to need something big enough to pack all the required equipment to the venue. Make sure that they have a license (get a copy) and insurance.
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It is expected of them to interact with the guests in a fun-loving way.
Watch their reaction to this when you mention it. Look for hesitation or fear, these are both warning signs. If someone gets excited when you mention this, that is what you want. A person with a temper, or someone who is prejudiced is not a good candidate. Test them on these points because sometimes guests can be drunk and possibly belligerent.
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This is a somewhat technical business. Make sure that a prospective employee is tech savvy enough to troubleshoot a photo booth if it goes down.
Yes, you are going to give them training, but if you have been in this business for any amount of time you know from experience that things do happen. You need someone who will begin to figure out the situation with confidence, and who doesn’t shut down mentally when things get a little stressful. Look for a can-do attitude.
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Emphasize the rules on etiquette and attire.
Make sure the person matches what your brand stands for, and keep in mind how your customers will respond to the prospect you are interviewing. No cursing, or being negative. You want a positive individual that makes people feel good to be around. Charisma is key.
Obviously, you are going to have to add certain questions if you have a DJ business or other photo booth business model variations.
So, after you know what the job is, how do you find quality individuals?
The easiest answer for most people is craigslist. The nice thing is that it is free, it is popular, and most importantly it is effective. You will get applications right away. Another good resource is indeed.com. The only downside with them, and other job listing sites is that there are far fewer eyeballs looking at their site than are looking at craigslist. You can also try putting an ad in the local paper as well, but that really isn’t recommended anymore since most people do their job searching online.
As far as compensation goes, make sure you are getting the margins that you need first and foremost. Think to yourself, how much do I really need to make here? Adjust your prices, and your level of compensation accordingly. Remember though, you want to attract and KEEP quality individuals. Check and see what your competitors are paying their employees and try to at least match that. Good people won’t stick around for very long with a company who doesn’t treat them great.
How to treat employees.
That leads us to our last point. Treat your employees with respect, and gratitude. They are going to be providing you with your bread and butter while you are doing the things that are most important to you. Treat them as if they are your family, and they will be far more diligent, and really go the extra mile for you. A little bit of appreciation goes a long way when it comes to employees. Remember to be supportive of their needs. No one is perfect.
Do your best to anticipate any problems that might come up ahead of time by brainstorming. Then plan out what you will handle them intelligently so you are never caught off guard, and always know what to do. This will save you a ton of stress when you are trying to have dinner with your family and you receive a call about something that requires your assistance. Even better yet, add these contingency plans to your Standard Operating Procedures and training so that you never receive the call in the first place.
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