The success of any event depends on the staff and their interaction with your audience. Your employees are the face of your event and will build, as well as strengthen, relationships with your customers. That’s why it’s important to pay careful attention to who you hire.
The staff who execute your event interact with the attendees throughout the event. These interactions will set the tone and have a major impact on the final impressions and could determine the success of your event.
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CHECK LIST FOR EVENT STAFFING:
- Determine total number of staff needed – web based event planning software
- Create profiles and responsibilities for each position, how many people needed for each position
- Staffing considerations
- Internal vs. external
- Quality interactions/impressions
- Require control of staff personalities/traits
- Budgetary considerations
- Internal employees vs. external agencies
- Existing knowledge base vs. promotional interaction experience
- Choosing external agency that understands goals of events
- Interview agency owner/principle
- Request interview of possible candidate for position profiles with high levels of anticipated interaction/higher responsibility
CAREFULLY SCREEN CANDIDATES BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
- Depth of experience in the special events industry.
- Exposure and involvement in a wide range of event tasks and trade show jobs.
- Excellent communication skills and presentation abilities in a trade show setting.
- Strong track record of successful project management, organisational skills and multi-tasking abilities.
- High level of professionalism and a polished appearance.
- Exemplary reputation and strong references that speak to the individual’s dependability, expertise and trustworthiness.
Make an estimate of the requirements of your event Make a clear estimate on the size, duration, and audience of your event; this will help you determine the exact number of event staff needed including their age, gender, experience and cultural diversity.
Create a list of skills, knowledge and attitudes Make a list of what an ideal exhibit staff member should possess. No one will meet this list of requirements 100%, but with some pre-show training and coaching you can choose better staff members. Some ideas of what to look for:
- A can-do attitude
- Enthusiasm
- Won’t take rejection personally
- Understands the sales process of exhibiting
- Understand the consultative approach
- Product and company knowledge
- Can work a crowd
Interviewing event staff Ensure they have the right skills that match the exact needs that your event has. The staff should fit in well with your product or service.
Request their CV It is never a bad idea to request for up-to-date Curriculum Vitae with a photograph. This will assist you in assessing if the experience, looks and training of the candidate will fit in with your brand and company.
Make sure that the employee fits in with your brand Event Event staff are the face of your event or promotion. Therefore keep the image of your brand in mind and only hire staff that project this image.
Cost How much is it going to cost for you to bring in a few temporary employees? the cost should include training them, any certifications required to work in the environment they will be stationed in, etc. Know what similar positions are paying in your area (both full time and temp) and price your position accordingly. Some of what you pay will be going to the temp agency the person is working through, so be sure that is reflected in the rate you pay.
Know your Attendees Some events require more formal service and you will therefore need to hire more professional event staff. Other events may not need such formal event staff, particularly if the event is attended solely by company employees. They may prefer a more relaxed and informal atmosphere. Sit and think about who will be attending the event and what their expectations may be. Always keep your attendee list in mind when hiring event staff.
Mix It Up Mobile teams spend a lot of time together so pay attention to creating a balance of personalities.
Make sure it’s a good mix of leaders but not all strong personalities.
References Before offering a position to any candidate (including internal candidates), a minimum of two references must be checked by the hiring manager.
Find a venue with a built-in staff This may be one of the easiest and quickest ways to assure that your event is well run. If your event takes place at a conference center or hotel, chances are that there is an on-site event manager who can take charge of your event and provide a staff to deal with details such as catering, accommodations for guests, etc.
