Club Hack: Nailing the Audition
Club Hack: Nailing the Audition
Hey bohemian strippies! So here is another Club Hack about how to nail your audition at a new club and get hired!
Ok y’all here is a super embarrassing story about how I miserably failed an audition:
From the beginning, I started traveling around to different cities and dancing once I turned 21 and could legally drink everywhere. One of the cities I visited first was Houston. Now Houston, has the most strip clubs per capita for any other city in the US. You can pretty much find a strip club in the local shopping center in any part of town. However, being 21 and a seasoned 2-year veteran at the time, I decided that I would audition for the BEST, most well-known club in Houston. This “audition” took no time at all. I showed up and got hired after they asked me if I had any tattoos and if I was legally allowed to work in the United States. No and yes! Hired after they watched me prance around on stage for 2.5 seconds. BOOM! I worked there for a couple of nights during a holiday weekend (Easter of all holidays lol). I went back to my own town and that was it. Until a few years later when I decided to travel full time and use Houston as one of my “home bases”. I needed to find a club that I could come back to and since it was easy to get hired there the first time I figured NBD I’ll just go back. Easy peasy.
Since I was much more seasoned, year 5, I didn’t think I would even need to try for the hiring process. I took a shower and left my house with no makeup, wet hair, in shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. I parked my car and confidently walked into the club. One look from the door girl and manager told me I’d fucked up. They told me that they didn’t have any room for new girls and basically told me to GTFO.
Confused and mortified, I walked back to my car. WTF. On my walk of shame through the parking lot, the valet came up to me and asked what happened.
“They said they were full.”
“They aren’t full but you don’t look like a stripper. You look like you are going to the beach.”
I looked down at myself and laughed. He was right. I did look like I was going to the beach and I didn’t look like I was trying to get hired at a premiere club in one of the largest cities in the country. Competition was fierce and since I didn’t remember what I looked like the previous years (probably better since I wasn’t as lazy of a dancer) I was super embarrassed that I hadn’t prepared better.
That night I went home, smoked some bowls with my best friend and vowed the next night to be different.
Which leads to my post about how to nail your audition.
Auditioning for a new club can be a daunting experience especially if you don’t know what you are getting yourself into. Here it is in three easy steps:
First, you should definitely research the club you want to get hired at. Talk to other dancers, get on forums like stripperweb.com and look at reviews on Yelp and Google. Is it more high-end? Do they hire girls that are under 21? Would you need to get licensed or do fingerprinting? These are all super important rules to know before going in to apply. You may also need to pay some fees so bring cash even though at most clubs House Fees are waived for the first night
I also recommend getting on that clubs Facebook page or website. They may have outlined what they are looking for in girls or what to bring when applying. You may find you get nothing from the club so that would leave you on your own.
Second, this comes down to actually preparing for the audition. Make sure that you have everything you need to start work that night. Sometimes you will be asked to start work that evening and if you aren’t ready you might as well not have even showed up. Other times they may tell you to come back the next night or a different shift which is fine too but always be prepared to work the second you walk in the door.
You should also be prepared to LOOK THE PART. If you have learned anything from my story - it’s that you want to look your absolute sexiest. You are auditioning to be entertainment. You should go in looking like a snack. This means like you are going out on a date, club night, 5-Stars all the way. Even if that is not how you normally dress going into work at your old club, the new managers need to see that you can look super sexy and make them money.
Disclaimer #1: this is not a regular job interview - regular job interview attire will probably get you laughed at. Tight short dresses, caked up face, high heels (but not stripper heels), tanned – gorgeous confident are all things to utilize to get hired in the club. If you have small tattoos try to cover them up and take out face piercings unless it is the type of club that will allow it. Still though I say, for that first night, go in conservative.
Third, the audition itself varies from just a glance up and down and some paperwork to a full on questioning and stage dancing. Most applications, especially in larger cities will ask for your experience. Under two years’ experience, like other jobs, will not get you noticed unless they are at high end clubs (this is especially true if you are trying to work at another high-end club). Be prepared for the paperwork, questioning and be prepared to dance on stage. Most managers these days will require that you dance on stage right out of the gate before they even decide if they will hire you. They need to A. make sure that you look right for their clientele and B. that you have experience on stage in your heels (most managers do not want to hire newbies that look like baby giraffes learning how to walk). It is good to have a song picked out but most of the time you will have to improv on one of the side stages. This is a good time to show off your assets. Yes, you will most likely have to get topless DUH. Usually, the stage auditions last less than a minute. They will have made up their mind instantly. Don’t flaunt or twerk, for goodness sakes, you don’t want to look desperate. Keep it classy and they will hire you.
Disclaimer #2: Getting Hired with Friends – if you are going with a friend dancer, fellow strippie, make sure they are following the same rules that you are. I had a few friends with me on my travels and they followed the rules just like me so we both got hired (most of the time). I’ll save another post for working and getting hired as a team but keep in mind: If they don’t follow these tips it could be super awkward when you get hired and they don’t. Lose, lose situation especially when you are traveling or riding together.
Redemption story: After that embarrassing attempt above, I went in the next night at an even better club and looked the part. They hired me right away and I was able to make $$$$ easily. I also ended up auditioning for a bunch more clubs all across the country and got hired at every single one, including a “Best Gentleman’s Club in the Country” winner.
Good luck and go out there and nail your audition! You got this!
Love and glitter – BW
