The Waiting Game
Jason Patterson - Regional ProStaff Director for Mossy Oak's Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Team
On this segment of Becoming A ProStaffer, we are going to discuss what to do after your application has been submitted. Hopefully you filled out the application completely and sent the ProStaff manager a bio as well. At this point is where prospective ProStaffers become a bit impatient. The way our staff works is we look for certain areas of the country that need someone to help promote in stores and at events. I get applications all the time, and sometimes we just don't need any help in those areas because the positions are filled. It does not mean you are not qualified. I always contact my applicants and tell them either way. If I do feel they will be good additions to our team, I will look to other managers and see if they need help in these regions. If not, I put them in a folder and will contact them later when positions come available. It takes a few weeks to determine the need, so be patient. You will be contacted one way or another.
As a manager, I spend time researching the applicant and then make a phone call to talk to them personally, especially if I know nothing about them. I am lucky that a lot of the staffers I already have give me several good leads on applicants. I hire 70 percent of my new staffers from referrals. I am looking for staffers within a reasonable distance to major retailers and events, because that is where most of your promotion will come from. You will be asked to go into stores and promote Mossy Oak and our partners. We cover mostly all outdoor related events, youth promotional events, calling contests and banquets. Mossy Oak is involved in just about everything outdoors. My staffers have plenty of opportunities to get there quota of events every year. We also look to see if you are involved in the outfitting business or promotional media like outdoor writing, TV, and so forth. Promotion covers a broad range; it’s not all about being a great hunter, there is a lot more to it than that. You are going to be the eyes and ears of Mossy Oak all over the country and provide us with a boots-on-the-ground approach to spreading the word for Mossy Oak.
Bottom line, I need staffers that will do what they say and stay in constant communication with me. We need monthly reports of every event that you do, pictures from your hunts, at events and good info from your retailers of what we need to work on or how we can get more promotion. Being professional and promoting a good image is mandatory and expected of every staffer. With social media’s ease of interaction and “word of mouth” marketing, it is in your best interest to be kind and professional. When you post a picture or story, potentially millions of eyes see it. You wouldn't believe the number of staffers I have to cut loose every year because of them “acting up” in a forum or posting a picture that should have never been posted in the first place. We will see it and it will be dealt with. Like I said in the beginning, you are hired to promote Mossy Oak. It’s a pretty simple idea, but some just fall short of realizing how powerful the social media market is. At Mossy Oak, we live the outdoors life 365 days a year. it’s a family and our staffers are expected to uphold to the same ideals.
On our last segment we will discuss how to be a good ProStaffer and what your responsibilities will consist of. See you then!
Part 2: Submitting and Application
Jason Patterson is the Regional ProStaff
Director for the Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl
Team for Mossy Oak. He handles 70 plus
staffers from Minnesota down to Louisiana.
He resides in Jackson TN.
