Host Management

• Finding Hosts
• Recruiting Resources and Strategy
• Reviewing Applications
• Conducting Host Interviews
• Extending the Offer
• Training and Onboarding
• Hiring Process
• Paperwork

Finding Hosts

Recruiting Resources and Strategy

Internal Posting

Putting it on Slack

Social Media

Organic

Paid Ads

Reviewing Applications

Some best practices for reviewing applications as they come in:

• Simply did they answer all the necessary questions completely?
• Quality of answers (did they spend time with our application? Bonus points if you can tell they had fun filling it out and didn't use the first joke or trivia fact that comes up on Google)
• Location of work and home (is it close to somewhere we need a host?)
• Have played trivia before (again bonus points if they've played with us)
• Public speaking experience evident
• Experience in bars or restaurant is nice but not totally necessary
• Good reason for why they'd be a great host (beyond just "I'd make a good one")

Conducting Host Interviews

Host interviews should take about 30-45 minutes, and can be scheduled on Google Meet or Zoom. 

Link to Interview Template.

• Usually best to save template as a copy and title with the name of the candidate and date of interview.
• Save to shared interviews folder in Google Drive.
• Jot down any overall thoughts in the Interview Notes section on the applicant's profile in Staff Master on Air Table
• Enter interview date in the applicant's profile
• Select how you felt about the interview from the drop down menu

Green, Yellow, and Red Flags when Interviewing:

• Green Flags (Have proven to be attributes of hosts who have done well and stayed with the company for awhile)
  • Has played trivia before. Bonus points if they have played Trivia Mafia trivia or IGL with us specifically
  • Relevant public speaking/ presentation experience
  • Experience with A/V systems and troubleshooting
  • Have good, thought out answers to the situational questions suggesting good instincts or the ability/ care to problem solve
  • Flexible or really reliable schedule for when they could host
  • Flexible or really clear on where they are able to host
  • Interested in the idea of subbing, theme nights, private events or training
• Yellow Flags (proceed with some caution)
  • Schedule that isn't very flexible or reliable from week to week
  • Say they are ok with driving a certain distance but the site we have in mind is really pushing that to the limit or is over their desired distance
  • Very specific about the location they get or the kind of place they are looking to host at
  • Not a ton of experience with A/V but express they are quick to learn
• Red Flags (have proven to be difficult obstacles to overcome for hosts)
  • Driving times that are 30 minutes + from them, especially in more remote locations
  • Very inflexible/unreliable schedule or it sounds like major life changes are on the horizon (new jobs, moves, family milestones)
  • Never played trivia of any kind anywhere
    
  • Poorly thought out answers to situational questions that seem overly harsh, overly lax or just seem generally confused by what's being asked.

 

Explaining "next steps" for candidates

• If we have quite a few we are interviewing for one spot I tell them approximately when I will wrap up interviews so they have an idea of when they may hear back. Always encourage them to reach out in the meantime if questions come up for them.
• If we only have one person interviewing for a location, I still tell them that I'd like to touch base with my team to discuss and then I'll be back in touch with them in a business day or two. Oddly we've found that offering in the interview takes them a bit by surprise and sometimes they say yes before really thinking the opportunity through.

Extending the Offer

Once interviews have been completed, interview notes are reviewed and a candidate is selected for a particular location, Mary Kate extends the offer via email. This email lists the location we have in mind, day of the week (and if it's weekly, monthly etc,) and time of events. It also lists a proposed start date.

If the host accepts this offer, we move forward with onboarding steps.

If the host does not accept, we reconvene for next offer (if applicable). 

Once a host for an open location has accepted, we let other hosts know we have made a selection for the immediate site need and that we will keep them in mind for other potential opportunities that may be a fit in the future.

Training and Onboarding

Hiring Process

Once we have decided which applicant to hire the staffing department takes the following action steps to officially hire and onboard:

Corrin's Steps

1.  Make the official offer via email to the candidate. Include proposed start date and details.
2.  Once they accept, send another email outlining the emails they can expect to receive as part of onboarding (Official Welcome, Training Email, Site Intro)
3.  Go into AirTable's Staff Master and find the applicant in "Interviewed-Positive" list
4. In the applicant's profile, select a start date and enter the location they've been hired for in "Scheduled Event" field
5.  In the applicant's profile now switch them from "Interviewed" to "Hired"
6.  If the site is a brand new site, go to Host Needed view in Sites Master, locate the site and enter host in the Host field. Switch site from "Host Needed" to "Trainer Needed"
7.  If the site is an existing site, go to the Life Cycle Events table in Sites Master, fill in the "New Host Here" form. Now go to the Host Needed view in the Schedule table, and change the site from "Host Needed" to "Trainer Needed"
8. Go to Host Google Calendar and make sure new host is listed for their site. Make sure to press "For this and all following events" to ensure it is a long-lasting calendar change!
9.  Check your drafts folder in your email inbox. This should now include the Official Welcome Email for your new host. Edit the pay schedule and date of week when they can expect first payment. Send email.
10. Go to Gusto and add them in so they get an invite to create a profile.
11. Go to play.triviamafia.com or play.initialsgamelive.com and search for an existing player profile. If there is one, give them staff status. If there is not, create a profile, give them staff status. Either way, email host to let them know they now have staff access.

Mary Kate's Steps

1. Post training shift in job opportunities page on Slack
2. Once a trainer is identified, go to the Life Cycle Events page in Sites Master, fill in the "New Hire Training Assignment Form". Now go to Host Needed page and change the site from "Trainer Needed" to "Good to Go"
3. Trainer email draft will go to Mary Kate's Gmail account. Once information is edited, that is sent out to new host, training host(s) with Mary Kate, Brenna, Corrin and the On-Call host on copy.
4. Go to Host Google Calendar and list trainer(s) on the correct dates for the site.

Paperwork

Here is a draft of the email we send to new hired part-time hosts in Minnesota. The only things we change when the site is not in Minnesota is the piece about the Minnesota state W4.

Action Items this email instructs them to complete:

• Read through hosting guides on Staff Kiosk
• Create a bio and photo and email to Mary Kate
• Complete state W4 and Employment Notification form
• Look for an email inviting them to Gusto (has come from Chuck) and when they receive it set up an account, complete federal tax forms and sign up for direct deposit.
• Fill out Vaccination Verification Form
• Join Slack (if they never have before) and join the Trivia Mafia Host Slack group
• Set up a profile on the Trivia Mafia app site if they don't already have a player account
• Submit the check-list to ensure we have a one-stop shop to see they've done everything

 

Here is a draft of the email we send to new hired contracted hosts. Mostly these folks are brought on for Private Events.

Action Items this email instructs them to complete:

• Read through hosting guides on Staff Kiosk
• Reminds them to fill in the W9 that they get emailed about separately
• Read through information about hosting on the app