Very few mystery shoppers would argue with the fact that some mystery shopping assignments are just better than others. After all, who wouldn’t rather take on a fine dining mystery shopping or even a coffee shop mystery shopping assignment over one in an office supply store? Sure, you may get more useful items out of your required purchase at the office supply store, but there is a degree of fun that many assignments offer that just make the work more fun.
Sometimes mystery shoppers feel forced to take those assignments they don’t really want out of the need to fill their work schedule and earn a certain level of income from their mystery shopping job. Yet there are some strategies you can put into place that will allow you to earn the income you need while getting the assignments you really want to work on.
Research Providers. If you aren’t working on the types of assignments you want to be doing, chances are that you aren’t working with the right mystery shopping providers. Each provider will offer different types of assignments and work with different vendors. The mystery shopping forums are a great way to communicate with other mystery shoppers and learn which providers you may have better luck working with. Technically, mystery shoppers cannot reveal which vendors their providers work with, but mystery shoppers are adept at giving hints that can steer you in the right direction.
Branch Out. The fact is that the assignments you want are likely also the assignments that other mystery shoppers want. They are in high demand and are limited at the same time. So you will need to make a list of a range of different assignments you like doing. For example, you cannot expect to work as a full time mystery shopper and only do fine dining assignments. Instead, make an effort to do fine dining restaurants along with a few other types of assignments that you enjoy.
Early Bird. Because those assignments you want to much are also the same assignments other mystery shoppers really want to get their hands on, you absolutely have to be the early bird on the job boards. Yet sometimes getting your hands on those assignments is not just about being the first to request them but also about being the best mystery shopper who is requesting them. So you will also want to make sure that all the work you do for your providers is high quality.
You truly can get your hands on those mystery shopping assignments you really want to work on, but it will take some work on your part. You absolutely have to be signed up to work for the providers who offer those assignments as a first step, and then you have to take actions to ensure that you are the first and best mystery shopper to request those assignments. Even when you do this, however, you will find that there are only so many top assignments to go around, and so you will want to expand your search criteria to include a variety of great assignments.