FanimeCon 2024 Forums

Staff Application website is now up (http://apps.fanime.com/2013/staffapply/).

[Edit by MPLe: Changed the thread to reflect that our Staff Application website is up. Still keeping this thread locked.]

• Are you 18 years-old (or older), or will you be before FanimeCon 2013?
• Are you willing to dedicate 24-hours at-Con to working for our department?
• Will you be able to make at least three training meetings before Con, and read through our training manual?
• Do you care about people, and their safety?
• Do you want to see the con while working?
• Do you want to know more about how FanimeCon works?

Then Rovers just might be the right department for you!

Who are the FanimeCon Rovers? What do they do?
This is the question most potential staffers ask themselves when they consider working for us. Who, exactly, are the Rovers? What do they do?

We are the face of FanimeCon staff. Though we are most well-known for peacebonding, there are many other things we do. We are at every event, in every exhibit hall, managing every line, and every crowd. We find missing children or parents, direct people to what they are looking for, and do our best to maintain order and safety.

To put it in shorter terms; we are Customer Service & Safety.

All of this requires a lot of walking, consideration for courtesy, and cheerfulness even when you're so exhausted you want to collapse where you are standing. Being a Rover is not always the easiest job, but it can be very fun, very funny, and very rewarding.

But.. why should I care?
Ever noticed that creepy guy who won't leave your friend alone? Remember how you got over the head by a sword that one year at that random con? Did you hear about person X who did Y to Z? What about that dude who lost his little sister?

We all have our con horror stories. Rovers are around to make sure as few of them involve physical pain or harassment as possible. We try to keep things going smoothly, people dressed properly, safe from as much harm as possible, and free from stalkers or other inappropriate behavior. When people misplace their friends, children, siblings, or parents, we help to locate them. We do our best to keep convention guests comfortable, from the most important Guest of Honor down to the end-of-my-bank-account-can't-really-afford-to-be-here guests.

Rovers is an opportunity for people who would like to be actively involved in helping shape the rules that govern our Members, whether it be for peacebonding, line control, or costume regulation. The Rovers Department gives you the opportunity to understand why the rules we have exist, and to help us redefine these rules so our Members have a better experience at FanimeCon.

After all, FanimeCon is "By Fans, For Fans."

TL;DR: Rovers is a Customer Service & Safety job. We go out and try to help people & keep things safe.

Requirements for Joining:

• Must be 18 years old by the time FanimeCon starts
• Willing to work three 7-hour shifts Fri/Sat/Sun, and an extra 3 hours on Thurs/Mon.
• Pass the Rovers exam by the time of the convention with an 80% or better.
• Able to make 3 pre-con meetings to acquire training before the convention.
  Some exceptions can be made for this requirement

What do I get for Staffing?
All "Staff" positions for FanimeCon are volunteer positions. We all donate our time to make this convention work, because we love it. The perks are limited, but often worthwhile if you have the right mindset.

• A free Staff Badge, as long as you work your 24-hours.
• A slightly discounted "Staff Room," as long as you room exclusively with convention staff and qualify for one.
• Small amounts of swag. (2012 had backpacks or wristbands, 2011 had pencil bags.)
• A chance to "give back" to the Convention.
  
• That warm-fuzzy feeling you get when you make someone feel better by helping them.
• Hugs from parents when you find their missing children.

How to Apply:
If you're still interested in Rovers after reading all of this, please email [email protected] with the following information:
Please have your subject line be "Rovers App for [Your Name]"

Full, Legal Name:
Nickname (if applicable):
Age & Date of Birth:

If you are a New Rover Applicant:
- Why do you wish to join the FanimeCon Rovers?
- What job experience do you have, if any?
- How did you hear about the Rovers department?
- If referred by a friend, what is their name?

If you are a Returning Rover:
- How long have you been a Rover (number of years)

You can also find Rovers at all the General Staff Meetings. Come up and talk to us if you have any questions.

I have a Question not answered above!

• I participate in Artist's Alley/Masquerade/Other Big Event, can I still work as a Rover?
  Actually, yes. We try to be flexible with our hours so our Staff can enjoy the convention while still working.
   
• I staff for another department, can I still work as a Rover?
  Unfortunately, we do not allow people to work for Rovers and another department at this time-- except in very special circumstances-- because of the time commitment required to be a good Rover.
   
• Does Convention Staff get paid?
  No. It's a volunteer position, and the best thing you get is a warm fuzzy feeling when you help someone. Seriously, the relief on someone's face when you fix their issue is awesome.
   
• I hear Rovers have an exam. What if I don't pass?
  Our exam is 50 questions long, and represents a bunch of hypothetical and policy questions. If you attend two training meetings before facing it, you are most likely going to pass. If you have common sense, you definitely will pass. Our average score is 94% and you only need 80% to pass. Only five people have ever failed, and all of them passed on their second try.
  
  Everyone gets one re-test, and if they cannot pass on the re-test, we address that issue with a conversation before turning them away.
  
  We do start testing before the stafflist locks, so there would be time to switch to another department.
   
• I want to help Clockwork Alchemy next year. Do you send Rovers there?
  We do not (except in cases of emergency staffing needs), but they actually have an equivalent department called "Bobbies." Their rules/regulations/recruitment is a little different, and I cannot speak for them.
  
  However, a query email to [email protected] to express interest would not be amiss.
   

Further questions should be posted in my thread (http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,17489.0.html), PMed to me, or emailed to [email protected] so I can address them promptly.

Are you detail-oriented? Do you love being up to date on the latest news? Enjoy the feel of being in a command center? Then Programming Operations needs you. "SCV good to go sir"
We are open 24-hours each day of the con. Shifts will be 6 hours long including late night shifts. We will coordinate with other departments all the updates to all the programming events happening during the con and relay that information to Info Desk. We also serve as the Info Desk backend answering live info questions over radio Info Desk may not have the answer on hand for.

Disclaimer: This post is subject to change as Fanime 2013 approaches, it is the responsibility of the applicant to stay updated before applying if they have not recently read this post.
                        If you are already accepted to our staff, you will be notified of changes via email.
Last Updated: June 3, 2012

Responsibilities:

• Monitor and respond to radio traffic
• Be able to work at least 24-hours at-Con for our department (up to 6 hours may be performed Pre-con)
• Update Info Desk with Programming changes
• Update social media head to push notifications to Twitter and Facebook
• Be main information source for all questions that Info Desk has
• Update Info Desk Digital Signage
• Coordinate with other departments to acquire information (Pre-Con and At-Con)

Requirements:

• 3+ years of convention staff or volunteer experience (from any convention)
• 18+ years of age preferred due to late night shifts and nature of duties
• Teamwork
• Professional attitude
• Good communication skills
• Event coordination and/or radio experience preferred
• Radio training will be provided for those that do not have prior radio experience
• Attend Staff meetings on a regular basis

Communication Requirements:

• Pre-Con: Email will be the primary method of communication; you are required to respond within a timely manner (to emails that require a response).
• At-Con: Phone / Texting will be the primary method of communication; if we are contacting you, you are required to respond within a timely manner.
• If you read this, please put in your app, "Frogops, I know secrets" at the very top or the very bottom of the application so we see.
• If we don't hear from you, you may be dropped from staff. (We are serious about this part.)  Exceptions/Accommodations may be granted on a case by case basis (Please let us know in advance).

What do I get for Staffing?
All "Staff" positions for FanimeCon are volunteer positions. We all donate our time to make this convention work, because we love it. The perks are limited, but often worthwhile if you have the right mindset.

• A free Staff Badge, as long as you work your 24-hours.
• A slightly discounted "Staff Room," as long as you room exclusively with convention staff and qualify for one.
• Small amounts of swag. (2012 had backpacks or wristbands, 2011 had pencil bags.)
• A chance to "give back" to the Convention.
  
• That warm-fuzzy feeling you get when you coordinate with other departments.

If you are interested in joining Programming Ops, please e-mail [email protected] with the following information with "Programming Ops app for [your name]" as the subject.

• Best Contact Email:
• Full Legal Name:
• Nickname (if preferred):
• Age:
• Best contact phone number:
• Convention experience:
• Why you want to join and relevant skills:

If you are a returning Programming Operations staff member:
- We will contact you with an invite code if you are selected to return with us for FanimeCon 2013.

Questions? Please post a reply in our thread (http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,17516.0.html) or PM me (http://forums.fanime.com/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=31553) and we will answer as best we can.

• Are you an AWESOME person?
• Will you be 16 years or older by the time FanimeCon 2013 rolls around?
• Are you able to dedicate a total of 24 hours at-con to work at Registration?
• Are you able to make our mandatory training session a few weeks before FanimeCon?
• Do you care about people?
• Do you want to join an awesome FanimeCon family?

WELL THEN.  You should join FanimeCon Registration!

WHAT DO WE DO, YOU ASK!?
           As FanimeCon's attendance has shot up over the years, we also need to expand our Registration Family so we can help keep lines short and running smoothly, and we would be excited to have you join us! Registration is the first department that comes into contact with attendees. We register attendee information into our database, handle transactions, and also give members their badges! And of course—there is always much, much more! We are the GUARDIANS OF FANIME. We have THE POWER of registering people for FanimeCon! We form an awesome Registration family and work together efficiently to register as many people as fast as we can!

WHAT DO WE REQUIRE, YOU ASK?!

• 16 years or older!
• Dedication. By signing up, you are contracting your soul to us for at least 24 hours during FanimeCon. We keep track of those that fail to show up or fail to work their full 24 hours and such slackers will be blacklisted. Registration is a high-manpower department so those that do make it to our ranks must be dedicated! And you will be loved in return :3
• Good teamwork
• Good communication skills
• Ability to commit at least 24 hours of your time during Fanime's Registration hours.
• A beautifully bright and positive attitude!
• Approval by a Registration Head at a staff meeting.

THAT'S GREAT- HOW DO I APPLY?!
If you're still interested or just want to know more about Registration in general, please e-mail [email protected] with the following information and with "Registration Staff App for [your name]"as the subject:

Full, Legal Name:
Age by Fanime 2013:
Customer Service Experience:
Previous Convention Staff/Volunteer Experience:
Relevant Skills:
Priority will be given to those who can commit to working Thursday, Friday, and early mornings of FanimeCon (registration morning hours  start at approx. 7am).


Thank you for taking an interest in the FanimeCon Registration Family!!!

What is FanimeCon Speed Dating? Who are they, and what do they do?

We, FanimeCon Speed Dating, are a new fresh face to FanimeCon spawning from the last few years. Our first inception was in 2011, and since then we have had hundreds of interested FanimeCon attendees wanting to participate in our Speed Dating events. Although FanimeCon is one, giant hangout session for all fans alike, we listened to our fans and saw a want and need in finding that romantic spark. So we are here to help our fans make it happen!

Speed Dating work starts before FanimeCon days as we start preparing for the event, schedule speed dating slots, and email confirmations. Besides prep work, at-con we are responsible for hosting the Speed Dating events and matching results of people's romantic choices. At the moment, we are still looking to recruit more Staff members to expand our Speed Dating events. We hope to successfully host Speed Dating for everyone again this year and enthusiastically looking forward to FanimeCon '13.

Information may change, so please check back often or email us about further inquiries.

FanimeCon Speed Dating Staff Requirements

• Must be 18 years old by the time FanimeCon starts.
• Must work minimum shifts as set per year.
• Must attend FanimeCon Staff Meetings.
• Must abide by the FanimeCon Member Code of Conduct and the FanimeCon Staff Code of Conduct at all times.

FanimeCon Speed Dating Responsibilities

Staff

• Aid Head and Second in general duties
• Assist in pre-registration and post-event duties
• Attend Staff Meetings (Last meeting is mandatory)
• Must work a minimum number of shifts for Speed Dating events
• Must be able to maintain professionalism and privacy
• Must be able to check emails and respond promptly

Benefits as a Speed Dating Staff

• Free Staff Badge, as long as you fulfill all Staff responsibilities as listed
• Discounted Staff Room in our affiliate hotels
• Free Staff souvenirs annually
• Opportunity to meet new staff and fans and help people connect
• Flexible work schedule as we go by number of shifts
• Small, personable group of supportive staff members
• Become an honorary cupid  ;)

SO What are you waiting for!? Email us NOW ASAP to join Speed Dating department as the most awesome staff member ever! Email us at [email protected] or reply on our official Speed Dating 2013 forum thread for more information. GO SPEED DATING!

What is Info Desk? Who are they, and what do they do?

Looking for information about schedule changes at Con? Trying to find out how to get from point A to point B at Con? Just have a random question or pondering during Con? Do inquiring minds want to know? The answers to all this and more can be found at your friendly FanimeCon Info Desk.  You can find us located throughout the Con or you can look for walking Info Desk representatives in even more places. You will be greeted with a friendly face and the answer to your question. When you don't know, go ask Info!!

Disclaimer: This post is subject to change as Fanime 2013 approaches, it is the responsibility of the applicant to stay updated before applying if they have not recently read this post.
                        If you are already accepted to our staff, you will be notified of changes via email.
Last Updated: February 20, 2013

Responsibilities:
Before Con, Info Desk staff members are responsible for acquiring information as it becomes available concerning major events, location changes, and major scheduling changes (for example, an event moving to a different day). At staff meetings, they are responsible for greeting new and current staff members and directing them as to where to go. Throughout the months leading up to Con, Info Desk staff continue to become well versed on all programming, events, and schedule changes in order to share this information with staff and attendees.

During Con, Info Desk staff members distribute information about events, event locations, any changes, and other pertinent information. They understand the rhythm and flow of what information attendees ask for on a given day and are prepared with responses for related questions (for example, Cosplay is big on Saturday, so Info Staff should be prepared for questions related to cosplay). Info Staff members keep in constant contact with Programming Ops, distribute information about all changes that come from Prog Ops, and communicate any alarming trends to Programming Ops as it pertains to scheduling. Info Desk is also responsible for distributing the daily con newsletter to attendees.

Requirements:

• Be at least 16 years old by the time FanimeCon starts. (If you are under 18 you will need a signed permission slip.)
• Must have valid government issued photo ID. ie drivers licence, passport, state id card, military id card, etc....
• Must work 24 hours over the course of Fanime weekend Thursday-Monday divided up into 6(six) 4(four) hour shifts.
• Must complete Radio Training. (Given by Rovers)
• Must complete Customer Service Training.
• Must attend at least 2(two) pre-con meetings.
• Must check in with Programing Ops before AND after each shift.
• Must abide by the FanimeCon Member Code of Conduct and the FanimeCon Staff Code of Conduct at all times.
• Teamwork
• Professional attitude
• Good communication skills
• Radio training will be provided for those that do not have prior radio experience
• Attend Staff meetings on a regular basis

Communication Requirements:
Pre-Con: Email will be the primary method of communication; you are required to respond within a timely manner (to emails that require a response).
At-Con: Phone / Texting will be the primary method of communication; if we are contacting you, you are required to respond within a timely manner.
If you read this, please put in your app, "Info desk, I know secrets" at the very top or the very bottom of the application so we see.
If we don't hear from you, you may be dropped from staff. (We are serious about this part.)  Exceptions/Accommodations may be granted on a case by case basis (Please let us know in advance).

What do I get for Staffing?
All "Staff" positions for FanimeCon are volunteer positions. We all donate our time to make this convention work, because we love it. The perks are limited, but often worthwhile if you have the right mindset.

A free Staff Badge, as long as you work your 24-hours.
A slightly discounted "Staff Room," as long as you room exclusively with convention staff and qualify for one.
Small amounts of swag. (2012 had backpacks or wristbands, 2011 had pencil bags.)
A chance to "give back" to the Convention.
That warm-fuzzy feeling you get when you coordinate with other departments.

If you are interested in joining Info Desk, please e-mail [email protected] with the following information with "Info Desk app for [your name]" as the subject.
Best Contact Email:
Full Legal Name:
Nickname (if preferred):
Age:
Best contact phone number:
Convention experience:
Why you want to join and relevant skills:

If you are a returning Info Desk staff member:
- We will contact you with an invite code if you are selected to return with us for FanimeCon 2013.

Questions? Please post a reply or PM me via the forums and we will answer as best we can.

Anybody interested in joining Anime video programming department for fanimecon 2013? We are looking to fill the positions ASAP. Here is the gist of what staff does for the department. 

If you are interested, please pm me or the otaku god about joining staff. There is also a meeting this coming Saturday at the San Jose Marriott at 3pm if  you like to apply in person. Thank you!

-----
The Anime Programming department has several positions available for staff members. Anime Programming is 24 hours rooms and run throughout the convention.

Requirements:
-18+ years at the start of the con please
-Responsible attitude
-Flexible availability
-Able to work at least 24 hours during the course of the convention. (6 hours a day, which you can split the hours instead of working 6 straight hours in that day)
-Knowledge of PCs (Mac OS X preferred)
-Knowledge of running movie files through MPlayer, VLC, Quicktime
- Must abide by the FanimeCon Member Code of Conduct and the FanimeCon Staff Code of Conduct at all times.

Responsibilities:
-Watch over the equipment (PC, Media, etc.) in assigned rooms
-Start showings in assigned room according to program schedule
- Make sure that no one steals or falls asleep in the room.
- Keep a head count of how many people are in the room during the beginning of the show.
- You may encounter some attendees coming up to you asking about the movie/show playing.
It'll be good to know the summary of the program which will be provided to you.

-----

The Aetheric Message Machine Company will have a steampunk Telegraph Office at Clockwork Alchemy again this year. We're looking for two to four reliable people per shift to work in the Telegraph Office at the event.

(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv74%2Fdmpsychopath%2FBeyond%2520Victoriana%2FNA_Astra_AethericMessageMachineCo.jpg&hash=60c1d3083742a776557cdeab0b2d049be2d6e43e)

Anyone at the convention can send a telegram for free by texting from a cell phone. The messages are printed on antique printing telegraph equipment, stamped, sorted, put in envelopes, and delivered around the con by messengers.  We did this at the last two Nova Albion events, the first Clockwork Alchemy, once at Maker Faire, and we'll be at Nova Albion in April 2013.

We have two jobs:

Operator: Works in the Telegraph Office and handles incoming messages from our brass and glass Aetheric Message Machine. Requires some typing and office skills.  You'll be in a highly visible location, a glass-fronted office facing the main corridor to the ballrooms at the Doubletree. Expect to be photographed and interviewed. About half an hour of training is required.

Messenger: Runs around the con delivering messages. Requires energy and a good voice. "Telegram for ..."

This is a fun job to do in steampunk costume.  You're handling real messages, using real antique machines, and do it in character. It gets busy, with the machines typing out messages and messengers running in and out.  We'll be operating for the same hours that the vendor room is open, Friday through Sunday.

(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aetherltd.com%2Fimages%2Fca2012%2Ftelegraphofficeaftersmall.jpg&hash=74cf69769b4ab485c5c06be09a379eb5b11f2f19)
The Telegraph Office at Clockwork Alchemy 2012
(Do come in and visit. We make our office look like a real telegraph office. Some people thought they weren't supposed to come in. We'll do some things this year to make it look more inviting.)

See our web site: http://www.aetherltd.com (http://www.aetherltd.com)
Here's a video of the Telegraph Office in full operation. (http://blip.tv/aetheric-message-machine-company-ltd/aetheric-message-machine-company-at-nova-albion-steampunk-exhibition-2011-4961941)
Contact us at [email protected] or leave a message here.
Each job comes with a hat - choice of the cap shown above or a green eyeshade. And a brass badge.
The volunteer refund deal is the same as for other Fanime volunteers, and will be coordinated through the volunteer office.

Panel Staff is recruiting for 2013!

Become a part of one of the best things FanimeCon has to offer!
Panel staff help control access to exclusive events, run the panelist lounge, and get to hang out with some very cool people (That's us!).

It's a great way to participate in and contribute to the convention AND attend your favorite panels! Plus, Panels has some of the funnest staff around~

Things to know:
Panels run late on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights of the convention. Panel staff may be expected to be scheduled for at least 2 of the three late nights (so if you need to leave the con early each night, this is not the staff job for you.)

Panel staff are required to work a total of 24 hours during the 4 day convention. Although this theoretically averages out to 6 hours a day, due to the different operating hours of the convention, it works a little differently in reality.
Panels run for limited hours on both Friday and Monday, so usually panel staff will work 3-4 hours on Friday, 2-4 hours on Monday, and the rest of their hours will be on Saturday and Sunday.

Panels prefers staff who are 18 years and older because of our late hours, and some of the late night panels are not geared for younger audiences.

Duties of a Panel Staff Member:
~Badge-checking at panel room doors
~Monitoring panels for disruptions and notifying appropriate staff if they occur
~Handing out and collecting panel rate cards
~Taking head-counts during panels
~Greeting panelists at the panelist lounge and assisting to make sure they have all required equipment for their panels
~Giving breaks to other panel staff
~Running errands for dept. heads and leads
~Ensuring notification goes out to attendees when a panel is cancelled at-con

Panel Staff Training includes:
~Line Control
~Radio Protocols
~Badge Checking
~General etiquette for panels, panelists and guests

If you're interested in becoming a core part of FanimeCon, drop an e-mail to [email protected] with your name and phone number, and put 'Panel Staff' into the subject line of the e-mail. Please include some information about your previous con experience, even if it's simply 'I've attended for years, but not staffed before' or 'I've staffed at another convention.' We look forward on welcoming you to our team!