The StuckForStaff.com Guide to working in Promotions & Field Marketing
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What to expect
Irregular work
Work will fluctuate, and is particularly seasonal. If you are registered with lots of agencies, it is possible that you might get continuous work. However, it
is more likely that you will get days off when you don't want them - when this happens, treat them as a holiday, or put them to productive use. Logging your
details on StuckForStaff.coms lastminute availability database will increase your chance of getting work on these days. It is important to be in good control of
your finances, so that you are well prepared for when you have quiet periods, so make sure you have contingency funds to cover this. Agencies will often take
up to 2 months to pay you after a job, so the first couple of months are the hardest, but stick with it and the cheques will soon come rolling in. The quietest
time for work tends to be late December to early February, and so this is the best time to take a holiday if you want to avoid missing work.
Employment Status
Technically speaking, agencies should deal with your tax and national insurance under the PAYE scheme. However, there is some exceptions to this rule. Depending
on the exact role you are carrying out, some agencies will treat you as a short-term employee for each campaign, and will tax you PAYE at source. Others will
treat you as a self-employed person, and require an invoice to pay you. Either way, you should think about employing an accountant to deal with these affairs,
as they can be extremely confusing, and you could end-up overpaying or underpaying your tax and national insurance contributions. To help you understand this
better, you should speak to your local tax office and ask for form IR56 which will explain the difference.
Pay
Pay can differ greatly between jobs, but is generally about £9 per hour or more. For event managers pay can reach up to £200 per
day - it purely depends on the client, agency and type of work. If you are staying away on a roadshow or tour, you may also get PDs (per diems) which is expenses
money for subsistence (food etc) whilst away from home. However, don’t expect to get paid quickly - most agencies pay wages at the end of the month, after the
month that you filed your claim - i.e. if you worked anytime in May, you would be paid at the end of June.
If you are asked to provide an invoice, make sure it is clear, professional and includes the following:
- your name
- your contact details
- your bank details (account number, name and sort-code) or payment info
- the client name (or brand)
- the date and hours that you worked
- a description of your role
- any reference that you were given by the agency
- the fee that was agreed and any agreed expenses (accompanied by receipts)
It is advisable to keep a close track of the work you have done, and exactly who owes you what, as you may find yourself, on occasions, chasing payments.
Keep copies of all invoices and wageslips, and all receipts for things such as parking, travel, haircuts etc - they are all relevant to your end-of-year
accounts, which your accountant will explain more about.
Perks
There are plenty of perks of working in this industry - the variety of work
and locations; meeting new people; and good wages. You may often find that your working day finishes earlier than expected, or that you may get to sample
some free products. You might be working at fun locations like festivals or events that you get to stay at afterwards. Some jobs can actually be quite glamorous
and land you smack-bang in the VIP enclosure of a concert with a free-booze pass. However, there are some negatives to consider...
Negatives
Irregular work, fluctuating pay, doing your accounts, working away from home, and working with people you don’t like is all par for the course, but stay above
these things in a confident and sensible manner and you’ll find it can be a very rewarding and fun time.
Rules and Etiquette
The following guidelines are good to follow in order to be successful in promotion work, and should be followed closely:
- Always be on time for a job.
- Always be well-groomed and presentable.
- Always complete relevant paperwork immediately after a job.
- Never discuss your wages with the client - only the agency that booked you.
- Enjoy the perks of the job, but don’t take the mick.
- Take some of the less-appealing jobs from time to time, and you will get more of the good ones.
- Be nice to people you are working with - it is a small industry and the person on your team for one job, may well be your team leader on the next.
- Be prepared to travel if you want regular work.
- GET OUT THERE AND HAVE SOME FUN!!!!