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Rebecca Judge, BJ '06

Rebecca Judge, BJ '06, with Hotdogger partner.

What was the hardest part of the competitive interview process?
I found out that the Wienermobile was coming to Mizzou to recruit new Hotdoggers through the Journalism Ambassadors program. Being a Journalism Ambassador, I had the opportunity to host guests and give tours of the school. I volunteered to host the recruiting session for Oscar Mayer. At the session, I was so impressed with the Hotdogger position, I decided to apply for the job. I was interviewed the following day and two weeks after that I was flown to Madison, Wis., where Oscar Mayer's headquarters are located, for a second-round interview. While in Madison, I interviewed with 10 different people who worked in the marketing, public relations and human relations departments. More than 1,000 applicants apply for the position each year, 24 are chosen for the second interview and 12 people are lucky enough to "cut the mustard."

"Hot Dog High" teaches you how to be a Hotdogger. What are some of the things you learned?
It's a two-week training program where we learn all about being a Hotdogger. We learn how to drive the Wienermobile beginning with classroom training and then progress to driving on the roads. We also have intense classroom training where we learn about the Hotdogger program, which includes marketing, public relations and media training.

What will you be doing as a Hotdogger for Oscar Mayer?
I am driving across the Midwest region of the United States with my partner. We are our own mobile marketing unit, so we visit fairs, festivals and retail outlets where we spread miles of smiles, hand out wiener whistles and conduct other promotions. Another part of our job is also to gain media attention for Oscar Mayer through radio, TV and newspaper interviews. In each city we visit, we are responsible for calling the local media outlets and pitching a story.

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Photo Gallery

Related Hotdogger Profiles

Laura Chia BJ '05 Tammy Cloutier BJ '99 Matthew Mitchell BJ '07

Describe one of your current assignments as a Hotdogger.
Currently, my partner and I are running our contest, "Sing The Jingle, Be A Star," where we audition people to be in our next national television commercial. We set up a stage and camera and record people singing and their video goes online to the company's headquarters. In September, 20 finalists will be chosen. The public can then go online and vote for their favorite five entries to be the stars of our next commercial. It has been a lot of fun; I have seen some amazing singers as well as people with quirky talents.

How long will you be driving the Wienermobile?
It is a one-year position; I started the position in June 2006, and I will continue through June of 2007. Currently I am in the Midwest but in November, my partner and I will be moving from the Midwest region to the Northwest region. Then, in January we will switch partners as well as regions.

How does driving the Wienermobile, the company car, relate to driving a regular car?
After our extensive training at Hot Dog High, it's not too difficult to drive. Although we do not have a rear-view mirror, we do have a camera installed in the back of the Wienermobile, which helps when reversing. Also, when we are reversing, we always have one partner stand behind the vehicle to direct the driver and make sure nothing is behind us. The most difficult part of driving the Wienermobile is finding a parking space large enough and a car wash with tall enough wash bays for us to fit in!

What lessons or skills learned at the J-School do you think will best prepare you for your new job?
Part of our job is pitching to local media, and since I have worked at KOMU and KBIA, I know what makes a story newsworthy. Although I am not responsible for a lot of writing or reporting for this job, it really helps to know how a reporter thinks. When I am being interviewed, I am constantly thinking of what questions I would have asked and what would make a good sound bite or quote. Also, the Strategic Communication Practicum with Suzette Heiman was a class where I learned a lot of practical skills in public relations, which relates to a lot of my responsibilities on the road.

What interview tips do you have for those planning to apply to Oscar Mayer?
Be confident, and don't underestimate yourself. Everyone who graduates from the Missouri School of Journalism will have a great education and wonderful work experience to put on their resume. After I heard how many people applied for the Hotdogger position, I thought I didn't stand a chance. But I continued to go about the interview process with a positive attitude and to my surprise; I ended up getting the job! A lot of the job is about spreading smiles and having fun, so while I suggest taking the interview process seriously, I would also show your sense of humor and relax! Also, I really believe in the power of thank you notes. I wrote to thank you notes to everyone I met at Oscar Mayer the day I interviewed. Thank you notes are a great way to keep your name fresh in their mind after the interview.