Q Talk

[They Call Me MR Wilkes]

Casting Call:  This week, we’re helping QVC and HSN find a new full-time host for one of their programs!

ACT QUICKLY!  TELL YOUR STORY!

Submission Deadline:  March 21, 2025

Starting Annual Salary:  $150,000

February 26. 2025

Join our dynamic team at QVC and HSN as we seek full-time Hosts. As world leaders in video commerce, we offer video-driven shopping experiences across linear TV, e-commerce sites, digital streaming, and social platforms.

Key Qualities/Skills We Are Looking For:

• Masterful Storytellers:
  • Your ability to weave compelling narratives around lifestyle products is crucial. This involves using both long and short-form content to engage your audience effectively.
  • Your storytelling should be vibrant and confident, effectively showcasing product features and benefits.
• Multimedia Proficiency:
  • Candidates need to be comfortable engaging audiences across television, live streaming, and digital platforms. This means you should be versatile in adapting your style to different media formats and platforms such as social media.
• Building Trust and Influence:
  • Establishing authenticity and sincerity with viewers quickly is necessary. Your engagement should foster trust and build relationships with audiences across diverse platforms.
  • Proven success in developing and maintaining a loyal following or audience, whether on digital, social, or broadcast platforms.
  • Demonstrate the capacity to communicate effectively and persuasively, guiding audience opinions and actions while remaining authentic and transparent.

• Adaptability and Quicking:
  • Ability to think on your feet and keep the audience engaged through improvisation and spontaneous interaction.
  • A natural curiosity and motivation to learn new things and innovate in presenting products.
• Relatability and Inspiration:
  • Bring your wealth of lived experiences to the role, exuding a relatable persona that inspires and connects with a wide audience.
  • A genuine enthusiasm and zest for life, engaging authentically with viewers.

Requirements:

• Location and Flexibility:
  • The position is based in West Chester, PA, and requires willingness to relocate if necessary.
  • Availability to work various shifts, including nights and weekends, is essential.

How to Apply:

• Interested individuals should prepare and submit:
  • A letter of interest.
  • Current resume.
  • A photo or headshot.
  • Video links that exhibit your hosting capabilities

[Caaareful Shopper]

Jennifer Coffey posted this same host recruitment "casting call" yesterday.  She's offering her services to coach prospective applicants:

"Here's your chance, future hosts! Email me if you would like coaching or rehearsals before you try out." ~ Jennifer

She posts her email on her Instagram personal account (not the jennifer coffey style account). 

[They Call Me MR Wilkes]

Interesting. 

I would think that recruitment now is much different than back in Jennifer's day.  She had traditional retail experience which really isn't valued anymore. 

They clearly want someone with a large existing social media following for programming designed specifically to those platforms. 

Huge demand for the specialized social media platform content.

[kaydee50]

Masterful Storytellers!!!!  What a hoot!

[Bookplate]

I would think that anyone who is going to be "influenced" by a 20 year old is already on Tiktok and Instagram and wouldn't look at their grandmother's shopping platform if it was giving stuff away.

I also wonder if many of the HSN staff won't move to Pa. and that is why they need to recruit.

[Elsie299]

"Adaptability and Quicking"

[They Call Me MR Wilkes]

That's one of my guesses: 

A number of veteran, seasoned HSN hosts are not relocating.

Lots of new content needs to be produced and created so new talent is needed with that expertise.

Some veteran QVC hosts may be moving on, for one reason or another.

[We rescue cats]

And QVC may be thinking of tapping the ShopHQ talent if they have not done so already-they had some really good ones but I don't know if they would be happy with the like atmosphere at the Q, my other thought was already mentioned-I imagine a lot of the HSN hosts are not ready to move to PA. If I did not live here I probably would not be making the move either, but they might test the waters since the weather is improving at this time of year. I find the HSN hosts to be much easier to watch and to be better sales people than QVC's.

[Estellee]

I am also wondering if a few of QVC senior hosts are planning to retire this year. Unfortunate for HSN hosts that are not relocating but it is creating jobs for others that want it.

[LindaSal]

I keep thinking how interesting this will be down the road.  Lot's of changes coming and it just won't be the same.  Of course that's just me....   I agree that most HSN hosts may not be willing to relocate and we'll have many new hosts and possibly some older hosts skypeing in, but I feel that may be short lived.  Kind of sad to see this happen but things change in life.