Who isn't intrigued by the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile? It's a fascinating piece of mobile Americana. Recently the hotdog all-purpose vehicle made a few appearances locally and Hotdogger Holly Nelson sent me an email that the Oscar Mayer team is currently looking for the next crop of seasoned drivers and ambassadors to travel the country in the Wienermobile.
And I thought, "Wait, that's a real, full-time job?"
It is. They even request resumes from recent college grads, which for some reason made it even more fascinating.
If I could give any advice to a soon-to-graduate college kid, it would be apply for this job! Do it!
Here are a few interesting pointers from their media kit to get us started. Soak this up:
• Each year Oscar Mayer selects 12 college graduates to be "pilots" and anoints them "Hotdoggers."
• June of 2012 marked the 25th year of this program.
• Hotdoggers go through an average of "75 puns a day." That's 5 million in the last 25 years. "That's bunderful, right?" (Hold tight. This is a builder, I promise.)
• Only 378 Hotdoggers have ever driven the Wienermobile. It's a select group.
• About 1,200 people apply for the 12 spots as Hotdoggers and only 1 percent "cut the mustard."
• Every Hotdogger has a partner to ride "shotbun" (see, told you it just keeps building). Each duo covers one of six different regions in the United States and "haul buns" to about 1,500 events a year.
• To "ketchup" with the Hotdoggers, visit the HotdoggerBlog.com.
Next: An interview with actual Hotdogger, Holly Nelson...
You are now about to read an interview with more homonyms then you can shake a shtick at. (Also, normally I don't allow so many exclamations marks in a written interview, but I'm lettin 'em fly this go 'round! At this point I'm sure you sense my odd excitement about this whole thing!)
So, is it recruitment season for the Wienermobile? We actually are currently looking for the next class of Hotdoggers who cut the mustard! We will be recruiting at college campuses over the next couple months! However, for those that attend schools we can't visit, you can still apply online at oscarmayer.com! Look under the 'Wienermobile' tab and then the 'Be a Hotdogger' tab.
Why do they look for college grads? We use so much of what we learned in college! This job is the perfect opportunity right out of school to work for a great company, travel the United States and get invaluable work experience for future endeavors!
Someone always rides shotgun: for security or balance? Each Wienermobile comes with two Hotdoggers to handle the vehicle on the hot dog highways. Safety is always our priority, so having the other Hotdogger ride shotbun is just standard protocol.
What resume tips would you offer someone who is applying to be a top dog? Oscar Mayer looks for enthusiastic, adventurous college grads that love to meet new people, relish life on the road and have various educational backgrounds such as business, marketing, journalism, communication and much more.
It always helps if one can speak Spanish as well!
It also helps to have experience with promotions, writing, public speaking, etc. If you've worked, interned or volunteered with anything that has helped you gain this experience, be sure to highlight it!
Are there driving classes? It seems top heavy. Ever taken a turn too fast? Yes, we most definitely went through intense road training during Hot Dog High! Thanks to this training though, we've never scratched our buns!
How long is the gig? The job is a one year contract on the road from June to June. We do, however, get a good amount of time off for vacation to see family and friends during the holidays and even a spring break too!
Does Big Daddy OM pick up the hotel bills? Yes, Oscar Mayer handles our lodging.
Do the Hotdoggers have to plan the events? Our bosses do schedule when and where our events are, but we do get some opportunities now and then to plan our own events as well!
So, you always drive the Weinermobile everywhere, right? It's not shipped from one state to another is it? For the year, the Wienermobile is our personal and company vehicle as it is our only means of transportation. Thus, yes!
What's been your three most exciting road trips as a Hotdogger? Wow, so far my team alone has visited 15 states since hitting the road in June so that's a tough question! However, my personal favorite have to be 1. Memphis, Tennessee (I'm a museum junkie and I had such good museum trips there!) 2. Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (We spent July 4th here and what a better place to enjoy summer than on a beautiful lake. We got to go boating, parasailing AND ride a helicopter during our time here) 3. Chicago. As a true Midwestern girl, I love Chicago!
How many hotdogs do you eat in the average week? My personal hot dog consumption varies. I am quite partial to our Oscar Mayer Selects New York Style hot dog. It has a little bit of a garlic flavor to it and if it is hot off the grill, I am definitely looking for some mustard and a bun.
As much as I love our all beef hot dogs though, I always make sure to only eat them in moderation.
Mustard or ketchup? Both! Just usually never together.
Relish or jalapeños? Relish is usually a must! I love me some jalapeños, but I usually save them for my nachos.
Do you like to have fancy hotdogs or keep it simple? Honestly, my hot dog choice is usually determined by my mood. Sometimes I like them nice and simple -- just a little ketchup, mustard (pepperdew mustard if available). Other times, I like to load them up, sometimes Chicago-style (relish, onion, tomatoes, peppers).
Ever make a hotdog casserole? I haven't, but I definitely will! Once I'm done in June and finally create roots somewhere, it's on my list of things to try.
What will you do with your career after retire from being a Hotdogger? Hotdogging opens up so many doors thanks to all the people we meat on the road and all the experience we've gained. I'm hoping to work for a public relations firm in Chicago or Minneapolis! However, I still have five months left on the road and who knows where this scenic kraut will take me!
Did you see Kobayashi at the State Fair. That was insane. Any thoughts on being a competitive hotdog eater? Ha! I actually wasn't aware of this particular contest. Like any food though, hot dogs should be eaten in moderation.
