Hey guys, I know the obvious answer to this is "be an enforcer", which I will certainly look into for South next year, but after South I really found some of the booth staffs to be amazing and I'd really like to find a way to be a part of that someday. Has anyone been booth staff that might have any recommendations on how to get into doing something like this? Obviously they provide a pass, but do they also typically cover lodging and/or travel costs? This is not a deal breaker, of course, but if this was something they pay for it would massively increase my ability to attend future PAXen. Let me reiterate that I'm not trying to make this a full-time job or anything, it just seems like a really interesting way to spend a weekend enjoying something I love "on the clock".
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I always recommend Enforcing, however I may be slightly biased.
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If you are running a booth as an employee, then it's a business trip and all of your travel expenses will be paid for by your employer. A volunteer, however, will maybe get a pass and have to pay for their expenses out of pocket.
Also, if you're looking to volunteer PAX time, cookie brigade always needs help
The arrangements I've seen in the past have varied, but typically include the pass and a shirt (to be worn while working the booth, but also as a souvenir). I've seen lodging offered, but it's certainly not the norm. I don't recall ever having seen travel provided for a volunteer gig. Depending on the company you may find yourself walking away with some swag and/or actual product. I know someone who was asked to work a booth at GenCon (they do a board game related podcast) that got their lodging paid for, their pass of course, and got to select several hundred dollars worth of games from the publisher's library but that was certainly an atypical case.
Many do not openly request from what I've noticed though. They usually can find a volunteer from within their own personal network of friends/family. So try making friends with companies that exhibit at PAX or just shoot them an email and ask if they need a volunteer. You never know!