Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
Hey, ladies. So it's slow season here in Portland, Oregon, specifically so this year. I currently work at a great club where management is friendly, girls are nice, and customers are sometimes few, but very willing to spend on the right girls. I am a minor (have been dancing for over a year now), working at a 21+ club, which many believe provides for a very serious obstacle for money making. I neither agree nor disagree completely with this statement, though dancers over 21 have more opportunities to talk with the customers. There is a minor stage at my club where we can hang out when we are not on the mainstage. It is in the main area of the bar, and fairly easy to attract customers to. Lately, I have been going home with less than $100 a night. I would like to blame it on the season, the club being slow, etc. etc., but the fact of the matter is, where I feel like I am working my hardest and still make no money, other minors working are having no trouble with it. I am one of the more attractive girls in the club, though not the typical stripper look. I am cute, with light brown hair, and a fit body. Usually, I have no trouble attracting customers. But, lately it's been so difficult. I generally work a 5 hour shift, usually late afternoon going into the evening. What do you ladies think would happen if I were to work super long shifts until things picked back up for me? I have a hard enough time getting to work by 4, as I like to have time to enjoy my day before work. But, lately, push is coming to shove and I feel the pressure to do more to make the money that I need. I have bills to pay and a family to feed. It's not like I want to burn myself out doing this, but I really don't feel I have much of a choice. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
Well, 'super long' varies according to what I've seen on here over the yrs. Pretty much every club I have ever worked in, regardless of what kind of schedule (or lack thereof) was required or how strictly you were held to it, required a 7hr shift each time you worked, then after the 7hrs you could go or stay as you pleased. So I have always (for myself personally) held 7hrs to be standard, & 5hrs seems kinda slackerish :P 7-8hrs is also typical of many vanilla jobs, if you think abt it.
Yeah, it's a bitch getting up the nxt afternoon by 2pm when you don't get to bed b4 4 or 5am, but those extra hrs do add up.
I wouldn't do more than that per shift tho, if I could avoid it. I have worked doubles when necessary, or even just for a little 'getting ahead' $$$$, but for me, a double is essentially 12-13hrs + a break for a meal & sm chill time OTC. The $$$$ can be good but I wouldn't do it regularly, bc it's an excellent way to reach physical & mental burnout.
In your case I would suggest bumping your time up to 7hrs/shift & maybe adding a day or two to your work wk, depending on your schedule, & see how that works. If you're leaving the club around 9pm, maybe that's part of the problem -- leaving b4 peak $$-making time. Most of the larger clubs I've worked didn't typically pick up until 10pm or later.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
you need to measure what you 'gain' versus what you may 'lose' ... i.e. burnout. When I was still dancing full time, the best I could sustain was three consecutive weeks of a 'full' schedule, but then a full week off.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
Start out with slow increases, and stop when you hit diminishing returns?
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
I don't know why girls keep posting here that it is slow season in Portland. My club is cranking and my daily averages are up 30% over October. Friday and Saturday nights are slow, but the weekdays are awesome. Now until March/April are good times to be in the club. Once the weather warms up, switch to weekend nights as no one wants to go to the clubs when the weather is nice.
ETA: I work 8 hour shifts, sometimes longer if there is money in the club or I'm expecting a regular to pop by. Staying longer always depends on my attitude. If my attitude sucks and I haven't hit my goal for the day, I will leave on time. If my attitude is good, I hang in there.
Since you aren't 21 yet, you will need to spend a lot of time on stage. Clubs like The Acropolis offer a lot of stage time to their dancers, and you can entice the customers to follow you from one stage to another while you work your hustle. Since you are underage, try to avoid the hustle clubs (Casa Diablo, Stars) as there is very little in the way of stage money, and requires you to work the floor pretty heavily to sell dances.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
I just re-read the OP. Being attractive isn't the most important part of making money in this business. Making your customers feel attractive is what fills up your pockets with cash. I'm 45 years old, and even when I was 25 years old no one would have called me "pretty." I'm not the top earner in my club, but I do as well as I ever have in this business. Make the customers feel sexy, and they will reward you financially.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tourdefranzia
I just re-read the OP. Being attractive isn't the most important part of making money in this business. Making your customers feel attractive is what fills up your pockets with cash. I'm 45 years old, and even when I was 25 years old no one would have called me "pretty." I'm not the top earner in my club, but I do as well as I ever have in this business. Make the customers feel sexy, and they will reward you financially.
This is the other important thing, OP. It's not just how much time you spend at work, but what you do w/ that time. If looks were truly the most important thing in this business, hiring standards in many places would have nvr plummeted as fiercely as they have. A few good reads thru HH will probably do you as much good or more as working more hrs.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tourdefranzia
I just re-read the OP. Being attractive isn't the most important part of making money in this business. Making your customers feel attractive is what fills up your pockets with cash. I'm 45 years old, and even when I was 25 years old no one would have called me "pretty." I'm not the top earner in my club, but I do as well as I ever have in this business. Make the customers feel sexy, and they will reward you financially.
Thank you for this! I'm going to definitely try to make my guests feel sexy instead of the approach I'm using now.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
The length of your shift doesn't really matter much at all. I have made $700 in 4 hours. I have left with $200 in 12. It's all about your attitude and your hustle and your vibe. It also depends on the customers, but I find that if there are customers in the place and you have the right vibes going, you will be the one they spend money on.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
I think your biggest problem is working from 4-9. I've never been to Portland, but at the clubs I've worked at, those tend to be one of the slowest times. Either come in earlier or come in later. I tend to make the most money a few hours after the club opens (very few girls and the customers there tend to spend) or right when the club closes because everyone is desperate to get dances. I would say come in earlier or come in later.
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
How about working later shifts instead of longer shifts?
Re: Thoughts on working super long shifts to get ahead?
I should also add that a lot of girls in Portland will work 2 different clubs at the same time for extra money. Some clubs open as early as 7am, so you could work several 4-5 hour shifts every day.