Tag: Job »

We took a quick look at Gigwalk back in February when it was still in beta. But the app and the service are now out of beta and accepting both gigs and workers.

As a quick reminder, Gigwalk can be described as a casual mobile workforce. As a Gigwalker, you log into your account and see what open short jobs are available around you. These jobs typically pay $3-$7 for a quick walk into a business, snapping a couple pictures, and filling out a quick survey. For business, it's a great way to crowd source the small data gathering jobs that need to be done. Things like documenting restaurant menus, hours of operation, locations of red light cameras, and product display details. These are the kind of jobs that businesses need done, but traditionally it's rather expensive to send out a person to gather this data. For the Gigwalkers, it's a quick and easy way to make a few extra bucks. Do the jobs, they get approved, and you get money via Paypal.

What makes Gigwalk special is that it is perfectly tailored for the mobile user and these short jobs. From the need of these quick data collection jobs, to the integration with the mobile device. It's one of the best examples of what a mobile platform is really capable of doing to change the way business is done that I've seen. The potential here is gigantic.

I had the chance to sit down with Matt Crampton and Ariel Seidman two of the three co-founders of Gigwalk to talk about the platform, and where they hope it will go. Right now, Gigwalk is available in a few major US cities such as San Francisco, New York City, and Philadelphia, but they hope to expand to other cities, and eventually internationally as demand grows.

I asked Matt & Ariel about the typical Gigwalker. Are they doing one job per day or 20? Turns out Gigwalkers run the full gamut. They have one user with over 600 jobs done already. While they have other users that will do the odd job when it's close to them at lunch or right after work.

Interesting in joining Gigwalk? Start by opening the Gigwalk app and registering or logging in. From there look at the map and see what gigs are available around you. Click one for instructions on getting started. An easy, casual, second job. Work when you want to. Who can't use a little extra beer money these days? Get walking.

Into Gigwalk? Let us know what you think in the comments. Also, take a look at the great Gigwalking Tips site for some more ideas on what Gigwalking is all about.

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By now you’ve probably spent a decent amount of money on iPhone apps, so wouldn’t it be nice if you could make some of that money back?

Well the Field Agent app might be able to help you do just that, claiming to be the first app that actually pays you, the user. By signing up to become an “Agent” you fit into a very simple ecosystem: A “Client” creates a job, the “Agent” (you) completes the job, the client and agent are happy.

What does this mean in the real word? Well, a client is a company or service that has signed up at FieldAgent.net and needs information on competitors, consumers or wants to check whether its products are being correctly sold. The agent is someone who has download the Field Agent app and receives notification that a client needs a job done, carries it out and is paid a small fee for their troubles.

While it sounds very James Bond meets Foursquare, the app and its assignments are for real as far as we can tell and actually do pay. While no explicit information is given as to the purpose or beneficiaries of these “assignments”, it’s a safe bet that most of them are market research for the Fortune 50 clients who back the app.

Fortunately, the agent jobs required by the clients don’t involve horses heads in beds or extortion either. Most of the assignments involve checking prices at stores or filling out surveys and pay between $3 and $12 if completed properly and within a set time limit. Jobs often require a verifiable GPS location and a photograph in order to keep the clients happy so an iPhone 3G or 3GS is recommend.

Once an agent has made their money it can be transferred to a PayPal account within 48 hours.

Agents also develop a Rep Score that shows how good a job you’re doing for your clients. Starting with 85 points, agents gain points up to a maximum of 100 for successful, accurate jobs with higher rep leading to more frequent jobs. Of course, if you fail at your task or submit inaccurate results you lose points and aren’t at the top of the pile when the next assignment comes in.

It seems that agent jobs are somewhat scarce at the moment with a number of iTunes reviewers giving some pretty harsh feedback that has prompted a response from the company. Apparently the number of agents has increased by 500% in a week and they are waiting for the client growth to catch up. This does sound like a cleverly worded way of saying “companies aren’t quite as interested in the service as consumers who stand to make money” but apparently more jobs are coming soon.

We’re keeping a close eye on this intriguing service that has the potential to be groundbreaking but could also end up wasting a lot of people’s time.

Within all the iPad coverage last week, some of you might have missed Jeff’s Favorite Four: Apps for Baseball Fans. If so, check it out here.

This week I’m looking at apps that help the millions of job seekers out there. With the economy the way it is, and no clear determination on when these troubles are going to end, it’s important to equip yourself with as many tools as possible when looking for a job. Competition is fierce, and employers are able to choose from a much larger job pool.

Here are a few to search and prepare for job interviews:

1. Career BuilderCareer Builder boasts an impressive library of almost 2 million jobs at any given time. The Career Builder app takes this powerful database and makes it available on the go. This free app is a powerful tool for any job seeker. The only downside is that Career Builder is focused on U.S. jobs only.

2. Indeed: I’ve included two separate job search apps on purpose. Where Career Builder is a website specific search engine for jobs, Indeed takes finding the job that next step. Instead of one specific search, Indeed accesses thousands of websites and millions of job postings to find the most accurate jobs you’re searching for.

3. Audio Job Interview Professional : If you didn’t get it drilled into your head by your mother, coach, teacher, or director, I am here to tell you that practice makes perfect. Luckily for you, developers Halosys Technologies Inc. & ImageTek agree. They’ve put together a set of standard questions from an interview that can be replied to, saved, and sent out as part of an electronic application. If that’s a bit much for you, the questions are excellent study tools.

4. Linked In: Last, but certainly not least, is LinkedIn. LinkedIn for iPhone puts your professional network just a touch away. I just recently started a LinkedIn profile and I was shocked at how powerful this networking database really is. The LinkedIn app gives you immediate access for real time updates and on the go advice.

I’m not a job expert, but I know it doesn’t help to get discouraged in the job hunt. There are many other apps, and plenty of websites, out there to access. Use these resources, and everything you can get your hands on, and best of luck in your job hunting!

Know of any other job finding apps? Let us know!