Today is July 19 which means we just finished another incredibly busy weekend filled with wedding gigs. This past weekend, we had DJs performing in Kelowna, Vancouver, Victoria, Ottawa and Toronto. A lot of people have asked me over the years how we decide who to hire at Airwaves. The short answer is that we have been doing this for 8 years, so we have a lot of practice. The longer answer might be more useful though for a bride-to-be hiring a DJ or for a business owner in the wedding industry seeking to take on more staff.

Throughout the years, I’ve noticed that our best DJs all share 3 common characteristics. While they may also have other traits that really vary, these 3 are always consistently there when a DJ is good. When a DJ isn’t a fit, they always seem to be missing at least one of the 3.

The Traits that Signal You’ve Found a Great DJ:

1) No Ego. I have never hired a good DJ who had an ego. In the early years of the company, I accidentally made the mistake of thinking an ego meant confidence. That was incorrect. Humility is the number 1 quality we look for when hiring a DJ. If someone tells you how great they are and it comes from their mouth and not someone else, I would highly advise you to keep shopping for a DJ.

2) DJing is their life outside of weddings. If I meet a DJ only interested in doing weddings, I do not hire them. Ever. That is because DJing is a lifestyle. To be good at it, you must constantly be interactive with people and doing a variety of events. Limiting yourself to one event type only is a tell-tale sign that this isn’t about passion, but something else.

3) They Respond Quickly to Communication With You. If I meet a DJ who types in all ‘lower case’ or takes days to get back to my calls or emails, it’s a signal they aren’t that interested. Just like in dating, if someone doesn’t call you back, it’s a bad sign.

Hopefully this list helps! Remember, if they are missing any of these 3, do not hire them.