My daughter Britta loves a good trivia game and is quite talented coming up with her own theme-based trivia questions! She recently started hosting trivia nights for friends and agreed to share about her experience! Britta writes…. Trivia nights and pub quizzes have been popular since the ’70s, and they’re only getting more popular over time! For participants, they are a fun competition and a social event rolled up into one – perfect for a night out with friends.
But in order to have a trivia night, there must first be a trivia HOST, and that’s where today’s post comes in. 🙂
Hosting a trivia night can be a fun and simple way to make some extra cash. Many trivia companies advertise for trivia host gigs on Craigslist and other websites with classified listings. Getting a gig through a trivia company is the easiest way to get started as a trivia host, but it’s not impossible to find a gig elsewhere. If there are bars or restaurants in your area that you know have trivia nights, inquire with the management directly about their available hosting gigs.
The upside to hosting a trivia night through one of the larger trivia companies (such as Trivia Factory, Stump Trivia, and Geeks Who Drink), is that most of the time the questions and answers will be provided for you. I personally find it to be a fun challenge to write the trivia questions myself, but to each their own!
Even if the questions are provided for you, being a trivia host isn’t just about reading the questions out loud. A good trivia host makes a trivia night feel fun and casual, like you’re playing a game at a friend’s house. A bit of joking and banter goes a long way towards ensuring the players have a good time, which increases the likelihood that the management of the venue will ask you to host again.
Another tip for building a good rapport with the management is to encourage the players to take advantage of any food or drink specials, and to tip their servers and bartenders. You want the players to enjoy themselves, but ultimately it’s the venue management who will determine whether or not you’ll get more hosting gigs!
Being a trivia host is just one of many paying gigs out there for those who are willing, so here are a few bonus ideas for gigs to get you thinking!
Brand Ambassador for Events
For those who live near a convention center or any annual film or music festivals, there are tons of positions out there to serve as a Brand Ambassador during events. Brands often advertise on sites like Craigslist to find willing individuals to attend events and talk up their product or brand to attendees. These gigs can pay anywhere from $10 to $15 an hour, and usually last a few days or less.
Interviewer for a Study
Companies who want to improve their services often want to survey their customers about their experience with the company. To do that, they’ll hire a staffing agency to find people willing to interview people one-on-one. These agencies regularly advertise positions like these on Craigslist, and they often pay pretty well. Interviewer positions often last for up to a month, so if you’re looking for a short-term way to make some cash, and you like talking to people, this might be for you.
Extra for TV and Movies
Another kind of gig you can often find on Craigslist is working as an “extra” for filming of a TV show or movie. Pay for these kinds of positions varies widely, as does the time commitment. But hey, there’s also a chance you could see your self on the big (or little) screen!
We all could do with a few extra dollars in our pocket at times, but whatever you choose, make sure you pick something that matches up with the time & energy you have, and is hopefully something you enjoy. Who knows, it might lead to a whole new career! 😉
