Traveling...

Greetings all!

I plan on driving to Oklahoma for my annual let-the-kids-be-spoiled-by-Grandma trip, and I was wondering a few things:

1) Is there a best way (or is it necessary) to notify various companies of my schedule? I plan to be in Oklahoma for 2-3 weeks, and would definitely appreciate some time out of the house... er... um assisting companies with their shopping needs

2) Is there a best time to start finding jobs in the month ahead? It seems most of what I can find right now is June posts only. When might the next month arrive?

Thanks in advance for and of your ideas, suggestions and information.

Silver Certified - and, on occasion, Certifiable

To Live ~ To Learn ~ To Grow ~ To Share

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You will note that some companies allow you to search other areas. It is pretty obvious with SASSIE companies--just put in the state or the zip with a distance. On Prophet there is the 'search outside my area' or some such. Companies with proprietary software vary in how out of areas are handled, but it is available with most companies.

By now you should be getting the hang of when your companies post. Some start posting jobs for the next month as early as the middle of the month, some start during the last week, some start during the first week of the month of the shops. Keep in mind that some of the companies with whom you have registered but who have nothing in your area may have shops at your destination.

Have fun!

@Flash - Thanks for the input. I'm not finding many companies that have posted any July posts, but I suspect that will likely change in the next week or so.

And, thanks for the info re: using the search criteria. I already do that, as well as putting the (non-)local area code in my profile (in profiles that ask you to list which area codes you would be willing to search) to hopefully get some postings to appear sooner rather than later too.

Do schedulers tend to handle things on a regional basis (eg Southeast vs Midwest) or more on a client basis? Would communicating directly with local schedulers (on either end) help in any way? For instance, in my case, I would think someone who usually schedules Oklahoma wouldn't recognize me from Adam, and would hesitate to use me... but, then again, maybe scores and such would speak for themselves?

Silver Certified - and, on occasion, Certifiable

To Live ~ To Learn ~ To Grow ~ To Share

There is a lot of variation between companies. Some scheduler have regions, others have clients. Some companies are small enough that everything just overlaps

If you have developed relationships with schedulers don't hesitate to contact them. They will really be happy if your route takes you near some hard to fill locations. Once you get to OK they may have a need for some new eyes on several clients. If "your" scheduler doesn't handle that area he/she will be more than happy to refer you to one who does.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

I live very close to the WA/ID stateline. I have one MSC where the scheduler for WA is different than the one from ID - and I'm less than 10 miles from any of them! I agree with previous postings - contact as many schedulers as you know. They will either find out for you or send you to someone who does. Since you'll likely be traveling through some out-of-the-way places, you could score some hard to fill spots that may even pay a bonus! I plan to try to score some airport shops the next time I fly to DFW - unless someone has feedback on the difficulty and/or low pay for those....?

I have tried giving "heads up" to some companies when I travel for business, when I'm going to be at a particular airport, etc. and have not gotten anywhere that way.

When I took my son to Charleston for the weekend last month, I did as Flash suggested, went on a whole bunch of websites looking, and had quite a bit of success, albeit that was a completely manual process, and now unfortunately some of those MSC companies still send me offers of jobs for Charleston!

My primary recommendation when taking shops on road trips is the same as when you're at home: to make sure you're taking a shop really worth your time and effort. I just did a buffet shop tonight for full reimbursement, which is worth it. Driving 10 miles off the interstate to do a sandwich shop for limited reimbursement is probably not.

Silver Certified
Upstate, SC

I would email or call some schedulers at companies where you have a track record and tell them that you will be traveling and wonder if you could help them out (naming towns along the way).

In my experience, many schedulers are geographically challeneged, so you are going to have to help them in order to get them to really help you. (To a scheduler sitting in Texas, even looking at a map, my home near DC looks really close to Boston. Worse, I am offered Boston shops when I am headed from DC to North Carolina.)

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

One line should be changed. It should not be hard to fill spots that MAY pay a bonus, if they are hard to fill the OP should expect a bonus

Lisa4984 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I live very close to the WA/ID stateline. I have
> one MSC where the scheduler for WA is different
> than the one from ID - and I'm less than 10 miles
> from any of them! I agree with previous postings -
> contact as many schedulers as you know. They will
> either find out for you or send you to someone who
> does. Since you'll likely be traveling through
> some out-of-the-way places, you could score some
> hard to fill spots that may even pay a bonus! I
> plan to try to score some airport shops the next
> time I fly to DFW - unless someone has feedback on
> the difficulty and/or low pay for those....?

I have one company I write to ahead and ask to let me know when a certain job is available, in the town I travel too...they are great, and I always get a nice restaurant for two, they email me before it hits the boards....this can be done if you have a good relationship with a company, well worth it, find an
MSC with jobs you want to do while traveling, and let them know your a responsible shopper, it works.

Live consciously....

Some companies allow you to put two or more addresses in your profile. I have both a Florida and Chicago address in my profile when I am allowed to do so. So, I get e-mails for shops in both locations. Also, some send e-mails that list shops in multiple states and wish all of the MSCs did that. Would make the lives of people who frequently travel easier and may even help the MSCs fill some of those shops. Right now I am manually seeking shops on my route between Chicago and Florida which I will be traveling in two weeks.

@avitoots - Travel safe and let me know if you want to get together for a Diet Coke and a side of shop talk

Silver Certified - and, on occasion, Certifiable

To Live ~ To Learn ~ To Grow ~ To Share

Thanks. Will do.

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