@barbage wrote:

Jenny, I love your phone note ideal... I think I'll steal that!

@Rhondabryant wrote:

That’s awesome, Jenny! Thank you!! ????

This is probably the first time anyone on this forum has appreciated one of my contributions - the positive feedback is so nice to hear! Especially since I've been shopping for less than a year. Glad I could help.

I've made mistakes here and there. I have had a couple of shops that were never accepted and I didn't get paid for when I was first starting out because I wasn't as good at remembering details. But those companies did not ban me or anything. The only company that got mad at me and sent me a sternly worded email was a certain high-end shopping company and it was because I canceled some shops at the last minute, which is understandable on their part. I explained what had happened (there was a blowup in my personal life I had to deal with) and they didn't deactivate me, but I actually stopped shopping for a while after that time and haven't applied for one from them yet again since I started back up, so I don't know what would have happened if I had tried to get an assignment from them again.

1. Keep doing what you're doing in terms of studying the guidelines carefully and preparing for your shops.
2. Whenever feasible, try to do a shop earlier rather than later (within your shop window). For certain shops, you may have the luxury of re-shopping if necessary.
3. Communicate with your schedulers and MSCs if possible and when necessary. Don't be shy about asking for help or clarification - hopefully BEFORE a shop.
4. While companies and schedulers would love perfection from shoppers, smart ones know we are all human and WILL make mistakes. Be honest and own up to any mistake. Try to take feedback as constructive criticism. Learn and improve.
5. Engage in a mental exercise before a shop if you're stressed about actually performing the shop. Imagine doing the shop. Go through each step.
6. Just do it. The more successful shops you have under your belt, the more confident you will be (and, hopefully, less stressed, too).

Good luck.

Great advise

To the extent that you can, run through the shop in your head as part of your prep. You can't anticipate everything but every shop has pivot points where it could go one way or another. Imagine how it will probably go and try to think of where it could go another way and what you might do in response. However you do it, the key is preparation.

If you are just starting do shops that you enjoy. It is imperative that you read the directions carefully and if there is anything that you are unsure about always send an email immediately for clarity Check your spelling and grammar. Re and reread the question prior to doing the assignment. Create a scenario in your head that aligns with the information that you are attempting to ascertain.
When you are out doing errands or out for a social event have fun and be observant. Get your eyes and ears use to noticing or remembering events, faces, sequences ...etc.
It is like pretending that you are MONK or COLUMBO (Detective TV shows).

If all else fails only a spa or restaurant assignment at a location where you would go anyway. If it is rejected immediately ask for input for the editor, for example, the first assignment I received a 6/10 grade. I immediately sent an email stating that I was eager to do another assignment but would love to know what I could have done in the 6/10 report to have made it a 10/10. I received immediate input and positive reassurance that I would get better and to feel free to reach out at any time.

Another thing that I do is that if it is a narrative I always cut and paste my response and put it into Google drive, which helps me when I get feedback, edits, ​and correction.