Here's the story. I being a new Mystery Shopper have been doing grocery shops for this company. After logging into the company's web site I would go to their job board looking for shops. The only shops that have been coming up on their job board have been grocery shops. Now recently there have been 4 restaurant shops, 2 for dinner, 2 for lunch all at the same restaurant. Now one of the requirements of the shop is that your age must be between 21 to 55. Well I'm a few years older than 55. But I being a optimist I went ahead and clicked on the link for one of the dinner shops for more info. The page came up with more info about the shop and a note on the page that I did not qualify for the shop. But now get this, there was another note down the page that said I could still apply for the shop anyway. So I picked my date and and clicked "Apply". The shop showed up in my pending applications so I just sat back and waited to see if I would get the assignment. After some time I got an email saying the shop had been assigned to someone else and it was no longer showing in my pending apps. So I go back to the job board and see there are 3 shops still on the board. So I click on the link for more info on the other dinner shop. There is not any note(s) of any type that say I can or can not apply for the shop. So I picked my date and clicked "Apply". And the same as before it was in my pending apps. And as before after a while I got the email telling me it had been assigned to someone else. So back to the job board and the 2 lunch shops are still there. I clicked on one of the lunch shops and to my surprise it's a "Self-assign" shop. ?????
Now I go to plan "B". I send the scheduler an email asking if I can have the shop even though I am older than 55. The scheduler response was "We need to try and follow the clients request as much as possible per shop..." But she says if she can not get someone else to do it she will assigned it to me. She also said that there were some other restaurant shops in my area and she would keep me in mind for them. Great! (These other shops are not showing on the job board. I'm wondering if the job board I see is different from what others see?)
I'm kind of wondering if I was being encouraged to take the self-assigned shop indirectly.

Pro's of doing it...
1. Doing my first restaurant shop and getting in the door with doing that kind a shop.
2. Getting a free lunch. (after reimbursement)

Con's of doing it...
1. Email saying I'm not qualified
2. Having it striped from my pending apps
3. Doing the shop and not get paid for it

So guys and girls what do you think about all of this? Would you just self-assign the shop? Would you just went ahead and applied for the shop(s) and see what happened? What are your opinion/ideas?


=============================================================

But Mom I did use spell check

I wouldn't bother with them myself. You never know, your report could be rejected because you are not in the age range they're asking for. The scheduler might get permission to assign the shop to you, but keep all communications close by you. (proof you have been told you can do it)

I wouldn't self assign it or apply for it without making it clear I didn't fit the qualifications. If the MSC agreed, I'd save all documentation.

Oh yea I agree with you both.
I look at it this way now. The MSC scheduler knows what I'm looking for/want to work on so maybe she will send me a notification that she needs me to do a particular shop.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What me worry?

I had one bend the rules a few times and I got it in writing via email. I'm not taking any chances. Good luck and let us know what you've decided.

Windancer. You are doing it the right way. Be up front with your applications that you don't fit the requirement. But, since you know they might break this rule, you are letting them know you are available. Down the line, you might get request for a rush job. Then you can ask for more money.