Parade - "Position requires heavy guest interaction"

[Fewski]

Just started and been going through the extra hours hotline a bit, always seeing jobs with parade stuff. Under the special training box it says "Position requires heavy guest interactio", I'm guessing the last word is interaction. Is this actually a trained position, or just telling everyone it is heavy guess interaction? I'm a lifeguard, start my on the job training next week, but wouldn't mind picking a shift up or two working the parade, if possible. I'll ask my leader next week, but just wondering if I even have a chance..

Thanks

 

[aznshents]

You don't NEED to be trained to do parade, but it takes a thick skin to do it right. On night parade, once the parade starts it is hell on earth in certain positions trying to get people standing where they should and moving through where they shouldn't. And if you don't do your job right, it messes up traffic everywhere.

That being said, it's a lot of fun, but there are some people who can't quite handle it. If you can get past the "kind of being a jerk" part, you can do it.

 

[progroupie]

A lot of shifts will have a little blurb in the training section but it doesn't mean actual training, just exectations of the position so to speak. So you don't need any training but they want you to be prepared.

 

[taigirl87]

You don't NEED to be trained to do parade, but it takes a thick skin to do it right. On night parade, once the parade starts it is hell on earth in certain positions trying to get people standing where they should and moving through where they shouldn't. And if you don't do your job right, it messes up traffic everywhere.

That being said, it's a lot of fun, but there are some people who can't quite handle it. If you can get past the "kind of being a jerk" part, you can do it.

This is exactly what I would have said. Doing parade audience control(PAC) isn't for everyone, because of the "being a jerk" part, but besides that it is a lot of fun! there IS a lot of guest interaction. A huge part of PAC is doing PACtivities(jump roping, hula hooping, hop scotch, ring toss, getting the crowd to yell things back to you, lots of fun stuff lol). I loved that part of the role!

Biggest thing to remember is that you aren't there to watch the parade, you are there to watch the guests. You're there for the safety of the guests, and to keep walkways clear. If you pick up a shift, they won't put you somewhere that is too difficult, those positions are for the trained cm's, because some of the positions do need some training. Give it a try though! It's one of the best roles I think, but I am biased

 

[alby87a]

The coodinators know who is statused and whos not so you'll be fine. Usually the ones that are statused are given the harder positions because they actually work there. I'm statused pac but barely do it because I'm working park greeter most of the time. The positions they give you are fairly easy. Its just the guests that make it harder well that is another story. But most can handle it, some can't. If you don't know your position just stay behind at the meeting before the parade and the coodinator will gladly explain to you what to do. When you get your carts out and everything to set up theres a cheat sheet available in your cart that has your position layout. Ask your fellow CMs if you don't know how to set it up and what to do! We don't care if you don't know because we want a nice smooth evening! Anyways the most important thing, HAVE FUN!

 

[aznshents]

Sometimes they put non-statused 1st-time ICP EHHers on really bad positions though. Like Hub Gazebo at night. And sometimes THAT just makes you wonder.

Also, if any of you PAC-statuses folks ever see a giant energetic Asian... yoo hoo.

 

[alby87a]

Sometimes they put non-statused 1st-time ICP EHHers on really bad positions though. Like Hub Gazebo at night. And sometimes THAT just makes you wonder.

Also, if any of you PAC-statuses folks ever see a giant energetic Asian... yoo hoo.

well most of the time EHHers are given the easier roles. As I said earlier ask an experienced CM if you don't know what to do. Coordinators or managers hate people who just stand there not knowing what to do! Thats all really!