What does Pro-Staff Do?

[Malin Hall]

A few questions,
1. What is the exact job of an Avery Pro-Staffer? What do they do for Avery?
2. How old do you have to be?

Thanks,
Malin Hall

[Rusty Hallock]

Malin,

I have copied a response from Rob Jepson below. This should answer questions. There is no age requiements established that I am aware.

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Being an Avery Pro-Staffer takes a real dedication of time and energy. It is not all free hunts and free stuff. As a matter of fact "free" is not a word that I would associate with the program. "Earn" would be more appropriate. The Avery Pro-Staff is an integral part of the company's dealer support network: one that will become an industry model and only the most qualified and focused people are asked to join. I am pleased to be responsible for managing this great group of people and am glad to see the spirit of the program reflected in the answers on this thread by Avery Pro-Staffers. I have pasted below the text from the upcoming Avery Website about Avery Pro-Staffers and the program.

About the Avery Pro-Staff

The Avery® Pro-Staff is a group of some of the nation’s most highly skilled waterfowl hunters who have agreed to give up some of their precious time to help spread the word about Avery® and Greenhead Gear®. This “super group” has been assembled with one major goal which is to assist our dealers with sales and service of Avery® and Greenhead Gear® products.

In today’s high-tech hunting market, many of our dealers find it next to impossible to keep full staffs of employees trained to sell all of the new products that are offered each season by a multitude of manufacturers. The Avery® Pro-Staff is highly trained in all aspects of our product lines so they can answer just about any question a customer can throw their way. These guys are duck and goose hunters first and foremost, but most of them can hunt just about anything that makes a track.

Our Pro-Staff wrote the book on walking the walk and talking the talk, and their experience in the field combined with their product knowledge makes them perfect “extras” for our dealers’ retail events where you might see them answering questions about one of our layout blinds, stocking shelves with products, putting on seminars or sweeping floors. These guys can and will do anything our dealers ask them to do, and they do it better than anybody else in this business!

How to Become a Pro-Staffer

The Avery Pro-Staff is made up of a diverse group of outdoorsmen from all over the world sharing many things in common: they all love the outdoors, they all possess a wealth of knowledge about hunting that puts them in a special category and they all have a part in making Avery the company that it is.

Being a part of this special team requires hard work and a commitment of time and energy that many cannot make. Avery welcomes anyone who feels they have the time and energy to commit to the Pro-Staff program, but we want to stress up front that ours is a team approach so you must be a team player or you will not fit into this group. If you can meet these simple requirements and feel that you have what it takes to be a member of the Avery Pro-Staff, then we welcome your application!

Applicants may apply by visiting the Pro-Staff section of the Avery website you are visiting now.

Thanks,
Rob Jepson
Pro-Staff Relations Manager
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Posts: 241 | From: Chesapeake Bay, Maryland | Registered: Sep 2002 | IP: Logged

[Malin Hall]

Thanks Rusty, I saw the website earlier today, too and I guess I was just wondering about specifics. Do you guys help test products, sell stuff out of your house, etc.? I'd like to be a Pro-Staffer someday, but I don't think they would take a 16 softmore in high school. Something to look foreward to though. Thanks again Rusty,
Malin

[Mark Brendemuehl]

Merlin- the bulk of our work comes in working events for stores that carry our products. Events like "gamefair" DU fest, etc... We help customers with questions on products, and let them test drive whatever they need.
We do not sell products on our own.
As far as testing products, that will occasionally come up. I know by the end of the year here, I think I had bought one of everything in the catalog to try!
Mark

[Rob Jepson]

Hi Merlin,

Sorry I am late with my reply but I was working the Bass Pro Shop Grand Opening in Harrisburg, PA since Thursday night. One of the duties Mark and Rusty touched upon...working retail events.

At it's core the Avery's Pro-Staff job is to act as a support tool to the numerous Avery & Greenhead Gear dealers across the country and Canada. This is done by working in-store promotions, festivals, shows, Avery sponsored calling competitions, giving seminars, etc.

But this is only one facet of their duties as Avery Pro-Staffers are actively engaged in the operations of the company by writing articles and journal entries for the Avery website. They take photographs of products in the field and the people that use them. Pro-Staffers assist the Media Relations Dept with related projects: research, writer hunts, and the like. The Avery Pro-Staff works as a team and that requires a team attitude along with a dedication of one's time. There is nothing that these guys might not be asked to do and to their credit, they are always willing to help.

The responsibilities of an Avery Pro-Staffer are taken very seriously and while there is currently no minimum age for application, one should be aware that a Pro-Staffer needs to have a certain amount of autonomy to travel and make arrangements like airline, hotel, and rental car reservations if needed.

Thanks for your interest and let me know if I can be of any other help.

Regards,
Rob Jepson
Avery Pro-Staff Relations Manager

[Malin Hall]

Thanks Rob,
That clears up the mysteries and questions I had. I'm learning to fly planes right now, it's a lot of fun. I'll look forward to applying in a year or two when I don't have too many classes.
Thanks for all the info again guys,

Malin