With Mystery Shopping Expert Melanie Jordan
Author of
The Perfect Work-At-Home Job: Mystery Shopping
How To Finally Make Money As A Mystery Shopper
The Quick And Easy Guide To Making Money
As A Merchandiser
Award-Winning Publisher of
Perfect Work-At-Home Job Update E-zine
Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
One of the common complaints I hear from shoppers is "I keep applying for shop X and I never get it, what can I do?" While I get lots of shops offered directly to me, or I receive the job leads before they are broadcast to the entire internet world because I have worked hard to get in the schedulers' databases and build my reputation, sometimes the competition can be fierce--especially when it's a popular "fun" shop, like for a restaurant, where you are working for love, not money.
What I do is simply keep trying, as well as do my best to raise my profile a little. First, too many shoppers give up after one or two tries. You've got to persevere, but not be obnoxious. Next, do your best to be memorable in a professional way. If you are presenting yourself correctly, you should have a business--like way that you "pitch" yourself when you first apply for the assignment and do the same when the opportunity presents itself to follow-up. If you don't know how to do this for yourself, I teach my readers and coaching clients how, as well as lots of additional ways to market yourself that get you noticed in a positive way.
You still may take awhile to get the assignment if others are quicker with their e-mail trigger-fingers, but guess who stands out with the scheduler and goes on the "A" list to get called in if a rush job or cancellation occurs. That's right, it's you--the patient, professional shopper who took a few extra minutes to say in essence "I'm serious, professional and you can count on me" by their words and actions.
Here's how it worked recently for me. Remember the popular salad buffet restaurant chain shop that I mentioned in my April "Coach's Diary" piece "The Nametag Challenge"? Well I was able to get my initial assignment with that scheduler because my job lead response was so good, it stuck out in her mind, and she even told me when she awarded me the assignment "with such a nice write-up, how could I refuse you?"
However, I kept getting locked out of the location that was five blocks from me which was very frustrating. But each time I got rejected, I kept trying and politely stayed in touch with the scheduler. Finally, I hit pay dirt--I got called by the scheduler when another shopper cancelled! Wait, it gets better. I even got offered my choice of locations for the next batch of shops when I turned in my report for the shop I got from the cancelled location. That's how I knew I made the "A" list. Good things do come to those who wait--and politely persevere.
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