5 Tips On Hiring Event Staff

Hiring Event Staff?

If you’re like most event organizers, you’re going to use both your core team and temporary staff for large events. For many companies, associations and nonprofits, this is a key reason they work with event planners like Plan Ahead Events — we have the team and the experience to scale a team when the time comes.

But if you’re looking to hire your own staff, keep these tips in mind:

1. Remember the brand’s image. Each event, each audience and each brand have their own feel. You must keep that in mind when considering who to hire and what their roles will be. Make sure the image you put forward with staffing choices is in line with the brand’s image.

2. Be sure you all can work together. Your core team is an important part of your success. You work closely together, and probably feel like a well-oiled machine at times. But when you have a large event and hire temporary staff to help manage the workload, there can be a clash of personalities and communication styles. Don’t make these decisions without consulting your teammates. After all, they’re the ones who will most likely be working side-by-side with them during the stress of the event itself.

3. Conduct an interview. Even if you’ll only be hiring this person for one event, it’s important to spend the time interviewing them to make sure they are a good fit. It’s well worth the few extra minutes it takes to ask a few questions. And you can do it in person, via Skype or even by phone.

4. You get what you pay for. Don’t cheap out on the cost of hiring staff. While it might seem like a great way to save on the budget by hiring your nephew’s girlfriend or someone from the classifieds, you might be setting yourself (and your event) up for failure before you even begin! Experienced and knowledgeable staff are often worth the extra expense.

5. Be honest about the job. Tell applicants (and especially new hires) what exactly their job involves. The good and the bad. If they know up front what they’re expected to handle, they can be prepared and ready themselves for the highs and lows of the event. Treat them like professionals, and they will reward you by giving you their best effort.

Once you find staff who know how to work and work together, keep their contact information on hand! The power of an experienced team can be the difference between a great, smooth-running event and a big mess of stress.