My last post answered the question - How do you become a Secret Shopper? I discussed the value in being a Secret Shopper, the role you would play, and how you go about finding companies that need Secret Shoppers. Also, I exposed the big myth about what secret shopping really is.
Now that we know to look for secret shopping jobs by targeting secret shopping companies and agencies, we can begin applying. What you want to know as you learn how to apply to be a Mystery Shopper, aka Secret Shopper, is that you want to apply to as many opportunities as you can. The more applications you fill out to get started as a Mystery Shopper, the better your chances are of lining something up. Every application form is different. Some companies like their potential Mystery Shoppers to fill out the bare minimum, i.e. your contact details, availability, desired locations, while other companies go more in-depth. For instance, some application forms even ask you to write out a sample narrative report, based on a customer service experience of your own. I've filled out a few Mystery Shopper application forms that either had me write a short sample narrative report, or just talk about what great customer service means. This makes sense for them to ask, since they won't be talking to me in an interview. Also, it lets them know if I even "get" the whole concept of what it takes to be a good Mystery Shopper. Thus, if you can't fill out this section properly, then they would be hesitant to take you on as someone doing customer service market research! Here are 3 tips you must follow, if you truly care about getting jobs as a Mystery Shopper! Tip #1 What is important to remember is to keep very organized. However you choose to do this is up to you, but I recommend that you document all your progress. You include the company where you applied to, how you heard about them, the date, any contact info., the types of shops, etc. This way should a mystery shopping company contact you for an opportunity, you can be confident knowing that you are not lost with what's going on. Plus, you'll feel good when you see how much progress you've made in getting mystery shopping work. Tip #2 When you seek to answer the how, in how to apply to be a Mystery Shopper, it's always important to read between the lines. It's like this for any job you wish to obtain. And mystery shopping positions are no exception to being great for putting on your resume. If you really want an opportunity, you must, MUST, fill out the application completely. If something doesn't apply to you, you put N/A which means 'not applicable', or 'not available'. By leaving a space blank, they may think that you forgot to fill that section out. You don't want that impression made. Worse, they'll think that you don't really care to work there, or are just lazy. They will think your shops and reports will reflect the same energy, or the lack thereof. Tip #3 Don't underestimate the importance of proper spelling and grammar in your applications. You will be doing reports for their clients and it is important that these are professionally filled out. During the hiring process, if someone doesn't know you personally, they will take what they can from how you came across. When applying for secret shopping companies, they could be based nationally or internationally, and not ever see you in person. This is why you must remain vigilant with your typed work. So you are someone they could trust to do a QUALITY job once taken on board. Following these 3 tips when you think, how best to apply to be a Mystery Shopper, will do wonders when it comes to getting those emails or calls to get started as a Mystery Shopper! I am telling you from my own experience as a Mystery Shopper and Career Consultant what works well, not just something I happened to read on the Internet somewhere! I have a sample narrative report of what I wrote on an application form that asked me to recount a time I experienced good or not so good customer service. I will share this in my next post... Have a great day! -Kat
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If you've asked yourself this very same question - How Do I Become A Secret Shopper? - you will be pleased to know that I have the answer for you.
Secret shopping, aka mystery shopping, is a type of market research designed for businesses to improve their operations. The company is able to implement changes to compete within their niche market, or continue doing what is working, by engaging in customer feedback. As a Secret Shopper, you are the eyes and ears of a 'customer' that provides this valuable insight to them. The reward for you is you get to earn extra income doing something you have to do, or enjoy doing, already. Best of all, doing work as a Secret Shopper, provides for a flexible, work-at-home schedule. As a Mystery Shopper, you only take the assignments that appeal to you, and if you need a week, month, or even a year off, it's okay. As long as you do good work, there will always be companies that need your opinion. All kinds of businesses get mystery-shopped - Apartment buildings, restaurants, banks, retail stores, movie theaters, self-storage facilities, cell phone retailers, daycare centers, car rental companies, postal services, grocery stores, golf ranges, hotels, amusement parks, websites, online retailers, health care providers, and more! Meet Bethany Mooradian. She has been Mystery Shopping since 1999 and has worked as a Secret Shopper, Scheduler, Editor, Mystery Shopping Company Owner, and she teaches classes on how to find legitimate work-from-home jobs and avoid scams through her business, Queen of the Random Job. With her wealth of experience in the field of secret shopping, she produced a great book and interactive training program that just came out in January. This guide will answer all the thoughts you have about 'How do I become a Secret Shopper?'. Not only will you be provided with a list of over 170 legitimate mystery shopping companies and resources, you will also gain information on what companies expect, how to keep track of your business, tools of the trade, the different types of mystery shops, writing reports, sample forms, breaking the myths, what to do if you get caught, what to do when shops go horribly wrong, how to start your own Mystery Shopping company, scams to avoid, and other types of market research. Check out what Barbara, who completed the Mystery Shopping Training Program, had to say:
"This is an outstanding training program. I had an interest in Mystery Shopping, but trying to get the facts, especially since I lived in a state that had different requirements than other states, was impossible. Lots of myths out there about this type of work. Bethany nailed it with simple, easy to understand information--and above all factual. The material is easy to understand, quick to absorb, full of valuable insights that are not available anywhere else. Get the Program--and you will be working in a few days. Thank you Bethany--no one else has been able to deliver like you have. I am highly recommending this program to anyone that is interested in really working as a Mystery Shopper. You can't find a better program."
If you've decided for yourself that now is the best time to branch out and successfully get into mystery shopping then Bethany's training program is for you. Or if you've tried, unsuccessfully, to get paid to shop and dine, this training program will show you the right way to go about things. It will provide you with companies looking for Secret shoppers, enhance your application forms, give you insight on how to do the secret shops, what to put in your written reports, and how to ensure that you get call backs to do more shops! After all, you don't want to go shopping once, you want it to be a job! :) -Kat Greetings! I just read an article in which employers prefer job seekers who are currently employed over those that are unemployed. This isn't a new concept. But, this still makes it difficult for job seekers to get a grasp in the labor market, by attracting employers' interest. All because you are not currently working, does not mean there is something wrong with you! You could be unemployed for any number of reasons that doesn't include having been fired. So try telling employers this! And you will, in your job interview (to an extent, of course). But what gets you to the interview is your resume. (And how you go about your job search too, of course.) That article, and my experience as an Employment Counselor, prompted me to discuss the broader ramifications of getting involved in secret shopping, by applying for jobs as a Secret Shopper. Maybe you don't plan to have an employer anytime soon, 'cause being your own boss is working for you. You have what you need in terms of finances, and that's awesome. However, for many of us, working at home is also combined with a job out of the house. Or the need for more hours. Even if this means getting back out there in the job market. Some of us may be feeling daunted 'cause we have been out of the job market for some time. Maybe you have been unemployed, or working odd jobs for yourself. And that's the thing. Do not discount casual hours in your job search! Any employment you get working for yourself, or working for someone else, should go on your resume. Not if you got fired, or if things ended badly, of course. But for most of us, this is what we want on our resume to boost it up. It gives a current month and year on the resume to appease the employers' concerns. The same goes with also putting any volunteer or training gigs you've partaken in. Any Mystery shopper positions you get should go on your resume under your Work Experience (I'm not too fond of calling it 'Employment History') section. So what if you've only done it once? So what if you're working from home? So what if you haven't gotten paid for it yet? You treated it like a 'real' job, 'cause it is. It is legitimate. You are reporting to superiors. You acted professionally and got the work down. You were and are a Mystery (or Secret) Shopper! You can use this job title on your resume, or you can use Market Researcher. Have confidence in your experience, and let it show in an interview. Highlight what you did in your job role that was of benefit to the mystery shopping company and the client they needed the shop done for. This shows the employer that you are able to be innovative when it comes to finding ideas to stay employed. That is appealing. They think you will be just as savvy on the job. So don't discount your casual employment opportunities, including your Mystery Shopper positions. Who knows, you may just be paving the way for that great career! -Kat P.S. Please leave your comments at anytime. I would love to hear your thoughts!
Although it does sound too good to be true to many, secret shopping IS a legitimate job. As discussed previously, you can definitely put the Secret Shopper positions you've done on your resume. Why not? All because you are working for yourself from home, it doesn't discount your valuable experience.
If you ask what the role of a Secret Shopper is, most people would think it to be an aim to get people fired. But this common misconception couldn't be further from the truth. It wouldn't take the services of secret shopping for a Manager to figure out if someone is not worthy of being with the company any longer. Your role as a Secret Shopper, aka Mystery Shopper, is to see what the company is doing right, and how they can improve. You are not out to "get" any particular employee. You remain an objective observer that points out the facts. Your biases don't come into play, nor do your opinions on how you think they should have done things. The honest reporting of your experience goes on to help the business build better customer service relations, increase employee satisfaction, and improve productivity within the workplace. Employers are actually seeking to reward their employees, not punish them! So how do you become a Secret Shopper anyway? What's important to know, before you even start looking for secret shopping jobs is that individual companies do not hire Secret Shoppers. It wouldn't really make sense for a company to hire its own staff to do the secret shopping. Everyone would recognize their coworker coming into the store! Even if the management hired someone from outside of the company to come in, they would have to be sneaky not to reveal the identity of the Secret Shopper. Kind of hard if that person were to show up for an interview. ;) Companies look for Secret Shoppers by contacting an external company, such as a secret shopping agency. Or secret shopping companies contact hotels, restaurants, stores, etc. to see if they would like to hire their market research firm, specializing in secret shopping services. Thus, if you are looking to get involved in secret shopping, you need to know who hires Secret Shoppers. You have two choices for where to go to get secret shopping work. 1. You can contact an individual mystery shopping company, by either checking out their website or contacting them by phone. You would register with them, and they would contact you for assignments in your area. Or, you would check your email and their website to select which shops you are available for and interested in doing 2. You sign-up with a mystery shopping agency which provides you with a whole database of companies that are looking for Secret Shoppers. This way when secret shopping opportunities arise, you are not just limited to one company. You have the privilege of being registered with a variety of different companies which means more work for you. Whether you choose to do option 1 or option 2 is up to you. I would recommend doing both. In the world of mystery shopping, the more companies that know you are available for assignments, the better. You don't have to keep it a secret that you are working with more than one mystery shopping company. Companies understand that you have to make ends meet financially, and it's completely okay to have several options on the go. What stands out for me in writing this is that you have to be organized. You should carry around a personal organizer with you whether it's a book, or on a Smart phone. This way you won't miss assignments, or double-book yourself. You will also be more efficient this way 'cause you can then schedule yourself for multiple assignments in one day. Again, remember, you do not have to pay to get an assignment handed to you, nor should you ever cash in any checks. Bethany, aka The Queen of the Random Job, does a great job of helping you avoid job scams. Also, all the opportunities I post on my blog and site are legitimate. Know of any friends who would want to become a Secret Shopper themselves? Feel free to share this post with them on your Facebook, Twitter, email, etc. Til next time! -Kat
Happy new year to you! :)
So I was reading up on blogs related to Jobs as a Secret Shopper, as I like to do to keep current in the field. And I came across a blog post by Beyond Hello titled, "Have You Been a Naughty or Nice Shopper This Year?" Well, as this was over the holidays, the title naturally caught my eye. I was curious. This company works with Secret Shoppers and companies looking for secret shopping services, and they had wrote what "things" they've appreciated the most from their Shoppers. Now their list is exactly what identifies a great Secret Shopper from a not-so-great one. This was a great way for them to reiterate the qualities they appreciated in their Secret Shoppers, while at the same time letting the rest know how to step it up. Thus, here you have 3 super tips on how to be a great Secret Shopper: Keep these in mind as you get into secret shopping. 1. Complete assigned shops and Inform your Scheduler if you are not able to complete your assigned shop - BEFORE it is due. Now this is very important. As you can imagine, your shopping evaluation reports need to be completed by a certain deadline. The secret shopping company is relying on you to get the shop done well, and on time. But more crucial is that their clients are expecting quality findings completed by a certain date. So if you don't complete a shop for whatever reason, and don't notify the Scheduler that the shop needs to be re-scheduled, not only do you frustrate the secret shopping company - but the client also. Since the image of the secret shopping company is dependent on YOU, they would be hesitant to assign you to shops in the future. Great Shoppers will rarely cancel a shop assigned to them 'cause they know that this could effect their ability to get more shops in the future. Of course, things come up like illness, and the Secret Shopping company would understand this. Try and give as much notice as possible, so that they can find a back-up and still have the report completed on time. 2. Read all the instructions and directions so you are well-prepared for a shop The secret shopping company will have expectations that will be provided to you on how to do a quality shop and report. They will have guidelines on what you need to observe, ask, and look out for on your shop. You WILL know the reporting questions and answers required of you, prior to doing a shop. The more you familiarize yourself with the process, the better your shop evaluation will be, and subsequently, the better your report will turn out. Be sure to contact the secret shopping company if you have any questions, PRIOR to doing the shop. It's better to do this than guess, and have an invalid report. Don't hesitate to bring a draft of your report to complete after a shop, while the details are still fresh in your mind. Complete the draft out of site of the shop you evaluated. You never know who could be walking by from that shop, on the way to their lunch break. 3. Pick up last-minute shops and those out of your geographical area Just as there are Secret Shoppers that have to cancel a shop that was assigned to them, there needs to be Secret Shoppers that can take these shops last-minute. Also, the secret shopping company you do work for often have clients all over the country, or even based internationally. It's a good idea to check in with the secret shopping companies to ASK if they happen to need someone in the area in which you are going. Further, Schedulers often have a harder time recruiting Shoppers for shops that are in remote areas. If you can do this for them, they often will pay the transportation costs. As for those last-minute shops, consider that bonus money is added on the shop. Not to mention, you will be in the good books - or should I say great books. ;) Completing those shops that you've agreed to take on, doing a quality and thorough shop evaluation and report, and trying to take any hard to fill shops will impress the Scheduler enough to assign you more shops. Also, it's a great way to get promoted to a Scheduler role yourself, in the future. -Kat
I came across a short video on the BBC news site entitled 'More Mystery Shoppers Among Us'. It's from last year, but not much has changed.
The story is from the UK, but we can surely relate to it in North America. The recession is encouraging more companies to use Mystery Shoppers, as a way to increase business through positive customer experience. If a company runs their operations at top quality then they can maintain and build customer relations. Thus, getting a foot hold up to the level, or surpassing that, of their competition. Also, more people are looking to work as a Mystery Shopper. There are plenty of opportunities available to get into mystery shopping, as this form of market research will only become more popular with businesses. It is a great way for companies to improve their customer service image, using an unbiased opinion from someone believed to be an average shopper. No matter where you live, mystery shopping is a viable work option for you. In this video, Working Lunch Reporter Rob Pittam chats with undercover Shopper Janet. He also speaks to Julian Chamberlain from Retail Active, and Sharon Matton from Center Parcs. What do you think about what they said? -Kat Though it happened a long time ago, and has never been brought up since, I still remember the scam that my family fell for. Back in those days, before the World Wide Web, telemarketing calls were probably at an all time high. You probably couldn't go a day without having the phone ring and the person on the other end wanting your opinion, your time, your money, your donations, or wanting you to claim a prize. Speaking of claiming a prize, imagine my mom's excitement when she received a call that she won a $300 camera. I can't remember how much it was exactly, but back in the 80's it would have been quite the camera. The catch was we would have to go to Washington state to claim our prize. We were living in a smaller city in British Columbia, so we had to trek over the border. So it was 3.5 hours to Vancouver, and then there was the highway border process, and then another drive to get to our destination. I remember my family, and our relatives that journeyed with us, arriving to our destination, only to become circumvented by the handful of coupons we left with. No camera. No expensive camera. No win. Scam. Joy. In this day and age, what has shifted away from telemarketing scams has maneuvered into online scams. There is an abundance of junk we get in our email, on the sites that we visit, on the pop-ups we try and close. Trying to sift through what a legit win is versus a scam can leave anyone scratching their head. Secret shopping isn't immune from the scams that are out there. There have been reports of scammers using the names of actual legitimate companies to get what they want - your money. So no wonder it's confusing and daunting when we want to start out secret shopping, but don't know which way to go. We want to avoid getting scammed, but we also want to go for the money opportunity. Trying to get one while avoiding the other is not an easy task. Luckily, my secret shopping journey has been devoid of scams. But others have not been so lucky. There are various forms of secrets shoppers scams out there. Unfortunately, this has given the secret shopping field of market research a bad rap. You constantly here that secret shopping is nothing but a scam. It's frustrating to hear this, 'cause I'm a Secret Shopper. How am I getting those secret shopping jobs, if secret shopping is nothing but a scam? Does it mean that I'm a Scammer too? I hope not. I mean, my integrity wouldn't allow me to pursue such avenues. I assure you not all secret shopping jobs are scams. So what is and what is not a valid secret shopping opportunity? Meet Bethany. Bethany has had more jobs than you can count on two hands and two feet. Also known as "Queen of the Random Job", she has encountered enough lessons to know how to identify scams and find legitimate work. Her excellent guide "I Got Scammed So You Don't Have To! - How to Find Legitimate Work at Home and Random Jobs in a Scamming Economy", is the go-to guide for identifying scams and finding legitimate work.
The book covers 4 essential areas:
Techniques of Scammers and Common Scams: A behind-the-scenes look at Internet marketing essential for anyone who uses the Web and email. Here you'll learn not only the common scams, but also the tools needed to research companies and job offers on your own. Making Money : Over 170 companies, ideas, and resources to create your own business or side income from your talents, skills, and assets. Get a Random Job : Over 140 legitimate companies that offer flexible work environments, or hire at-home workers. Creating a Business: We can no longer trust our employers to take care of us! Now, non-entrepreneurs can develop a new mindset and open their hearts to the joy of small business ownership. This section goes over marketing tips, small business brainstorming, and provides resources to help get you started on the right track. Here are some positive accolades this book has received: "...breaks down scam information like I have never seen before." "...gives a LOT of companies to work for, either as an employee or independent contractor." "...probably one of the most informed and well written books for the up and coming entrepreneur I have read lately." "I've been writing and freelancing online for years, but I found many tips and tricks in this book that were new to me." I highly recommend her products to you, as she is a highly valuable and reputable secret shopping resource! -Kat I've always been a big believer in doing the type of work that makes you happy. After all, if you are happy on the job, you will be happy at home too. Often times you can figure out what type of work interests you, based on what does not interest you. Same goes when thinking about what you are good at (your skills) and what is important to you (your values). Just like not every job out there is best suited to our interests, skills, or values, same goes with secret shopping. I would not recommend becoming a Secret Shopper if any of the following 5 "You Enjoys" apply to you: You Enjoy: You are considering secret shopping as a full-time job that you can rely on to pay for your rent or mortgage, to cover all those bills, and still put money in your savings account. Heck, it would be nice to strike it rich! Reality Is: -Secret shopping is for anyone that understands they cannot rely on being a Secret Shopper as their only source of income. You will have to think of secret shopping as something you do part-time, perhaps as a second or third source of extra income, or even as a hobby. There is nothing about secret shopping that will get you rich.
You Enjoy:
You really enjoy routine, you like knowing what time your shift starts and what time it ends, ahead of time. You like doing the same tasks and knowing what to expect. Predictability makes you feel good! Reality Is: -With mystery shopping, you never know what you're going to get. You may be asked to shop at a certain time of day, or you may be asked to take a shop last-minute. You are essentially working "on-call", on an as-needed basis. No two shops are ever alike, so you have to be open-minded to doing a variety of shops, and different reports (especially if you are a Mystery Shopper with more than one company).
You Enjoy:
It's important for you to get a job done quickly, 'cause you feel the more you take action, the better off things will be. You feel that details slow things down. It's all about quantity over quality for you. You're a believer in getting things done, as opposed to planning in advance. The Reality: When you think of why companies trust Secret Shoppers to evaluate their customer service, it's because Secret Shoppers bring value to their observations and reports. Secret shopping is NOT about how you feel the store did, rather you are reporting EXACTLY what happened. It's up to management to then compare your observations with their goals, 'cause they know how they want to excel. You don't. This is why being very observant and detailed is important. You Enjoy: Having a boss available for your every question and having coworkers around makes you most at ease. You love the interaction of working with colleagues, and best of all you like having Supervisors that do the boring "financial stuff" and other paperwork. The Reality: When you're working as a Secret Shopper, most likely you will be an Independent Contractor. This is the same as saying you're self-employed. When you are working for yourself, you have to know to save for taxes, deduct expenses, and keep track of whatever details the "tax men" need. Also, you are doing reports alone from home, and have limited interaction with those you report to.
You Enjoy:
Everything but running errands and shopping. The Reality: Secret shopping is like running errands and shopping. And of course, there are many more things you enjoy, just like there is much more to the reality of secret shopping. I feel I have provided the main things to consider if you want to get applying for Secret Shopper employment. -Kat
There are different reasons why people take on the jobs that they do.
The people that truly find the right fit with their career will tell you that it doesn't even feel like they are going to work. They love it that much. Even money mogul Donald Trump explains how he triumphantly gets up at some crazy hour like 3am, simply 'cause he loves doing the work he does. You will not need to wake up at some ridiculous hour for secret shopping, but it just goes to show you that people are drawn to certain jobs for different reasons. Often times we think that money is what people choose first when deciding upon a career route. However, when you consider how many jobs don't even pay well, but are staffed with all sorts of folks, you understand that there a bunch of reasons for doing what we do. Everyone has different values. What is important for me to be happy in a job is going to be different than what makes you happy on the job. The best workers are those that are passionate in their line of work. With some self-exploration you too can discover work that makes you happy. 'Til next time.... -Kat
Secret shopping is not just for women. Guys can secret shop too!
Although most Secret Shoppers are women, around 80%, guys account for about 20% of Secret Shoppers. Males are needed in secret shopping assignments, 'cause men also shop! It wouldn't be fair to just have women completing evaluations and report-outcomes, 'cause secret shopper work couldn't discriminate against men. It wouldn't be ethically or legally allowed. However, some assignments do request a certain gender if it ties into a product. For instance, a store with all male clothing would naturally want a male Secret Shopper going in to try out the clothing. If you are a male already taking advantage of secret shopping jobs, fair to say that you perhaps get a good choice of assignments, 'cause you have less competition. However, it still depends on your work performance and ability to meet deadlines. So go ahead guys, don't let the idea that secret shopping is for women stop you from being a great Secret Shopper also. Sure, many women love to shop, but so do many guys! -Kat |
start secret shopping blogWelcome to my blog on the information and advice you need to know to get started as a Secret Shopper! I love this work and would like to share my experience with you. :)
-Kat
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