Most frequently asked question: How much should I pay a QuadJobber to do my job?
Since QuadJobs is a marketplace, it’s a tough one to answer. The right wage depends on where you live, the job responsibilities, the student’s level of experience, and the duration of the job (i.e. helping at a big marketing event for two hours could be $18/hour, whereas you’d pay an ongoing intern less).
If you’re feeling stuck, drop us a line at [email protected] and we can try to figure it out together. It’s an art and not a science, but we’re happy to help.
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
You’re an awesome person who used QuadJobbers to connect to hardworking local college and grad students. You use the site to hire Susie, babysitter extraordinaire. Susie shows up with a crafts project, teaches the kids 3 new songs, forages your empty fridge to create the most nutritious meal your children have eaten all week, and gets everyone down by their aspirational bedtime (approx. one hour before their typical bedtime). You love Susie! You want Susie in your life forever! You want to be able to reach her in seconds because you sometimes forget to book a sitter until the morning of your evening out.
Meet our favorite part of the QuadJobs experience—the favorites list.
All you have to do is award Susie that first job, give her a JobGPA rating of 4.0, and presto—she lands on your Favorites list.
When that last-minute need for Susie strikes, you’re going to post to your Favorites list, and in seconds, Susie (and the 5 other amazing QuadJobbers you’ve previously hired, loved, and rated 4.0) gets the All Points Bulletin (really, a text and an email) with all the deets for that evening’s job. All 6 students get the info and immediately let you know they’re free. You choose the one you want to hire. Quick, easy, efficient… and resulting in a babysitter you love and trust.
You see why playing “favorites” is our team’s favorite way to use QuadJobs. We use it constantly and you will too.
Betsy, Bridie and Andra
Co-Founders
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
Having a big—or small—party? You can scramble to get everything ready yourself, and spend the event making sure your guests have a drink in hand and great food to eat, before ending the night spending hours cleaning up. Or, you could hire QuadJobbers near you to give a helping hand. They’ll run for ice, they’ll stock up on drinks at Costco, they’ll stick the tiki torches around the yard, they’ll chop up veggies and cheese and put out food, they’ll serve drinks, and perhaps best of all, they’ll clean up. You’ll actually get to enjoy and have fun with your guests. What an idea!
Here are some tips for managing your team.
- Set a uniform. Feel free to ask your QuadJobber to show up wearing something basic, like all black or a white shirt and jeans. (Or best of all…a QuadJobs tee!)
- Make a list of tasks and write a schedule for the event. Jotting down a few things you want your QuadJobber to tackle will allow him/ her to take off and get a bunch done—vs. having to ask you after each task for the next.
- If you’ve hired multiple QuadJobbers, designate one as a point person. The rest of the team reports directly to him/her, and you won’t be interrupted with small questions throughout the evening.
- QuadJobbers are friendly and professional! You may want them greeting your guests with a special drink, or helping serve food. They’re also great for keeping an eye on kids, if it’s a family party and the little ones will be running around.
Regardless of how much running around you’ve done, remember to spend the last 30 minutes before your guests arrive relaxing a little. Have a drink, turn down the lights, turn up the music…and let your QuadJobbers handle the rest.
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
Here’s how we’ll be using QuadJobs this month:
- Organize garage
- Yardwork: weeding, mowing lawn.
- Birthday party for a 5 year old. Need a face-painter!
- Find someone to watch dog while we’re away for the weekend.
- Babysitter who can drive to soccer practice 2 afternoons a week.
- Organize photos into albums. We’ll hire a student we’ve used before and even let them do this from their dorm room.
- Help at tag sale (hang signs, help at sale)
- Bring items not sold at tag sale to GoodWill
- Move couch upstairs (3 flights)
- Paint fence
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
Every workday for the past 15 years, I’ve spoken with graduating college students and young professionals about “what comes next” for them. How should they approach these important early years of work, laying the best foundation for the decades ahead? In particular, I’m asked a lot about whether it’s better to launch one’s career at a large company or a small company/ startup.
Welcome to Adulthood, where every decision comes with some trade-offs.
If you work for a small company, you’ll typically have more responsibility and be thrust into more exciting roles from Day One. Chances are your hours will be more flexible, you’ll have a closer relationship to each member of the team, and your personal successes will be more visible. No surprise that Wall Street has been losing young talent to Silicon Valley, and that in general, millennials are valuing culture and impact over compensation. I get it. My co-founders and I have all worked in corporate environments and appreciate the more relaxed vibe we’ve now found at our startup.
But don’t discount the value of starting out at a more established brand. At a large company, you’ll have access to more training and on-the-job education. You’ll get pulled into big moments, like photo shoots or company meetings, and learn the discipline and precision needed to make a company successful. You’ll have a larger selection of mentors and connect with a vaster network of peers who, like you, will go on to great things and become valuable contacts. Not to mention, your resume will have a strong base. You don’t have to stay forever, but putting in some time at a bigger company can be legitimizing in a way that working for a startup without name recognition isn’t.
Given my role at QuadJobs, you’d think I’d always advocate going small. And I do think small is a great choice for many young people. If you connect to the mission of a small startup, by all means, jump on board. But if you’re unsure, it may make more sense to work for an established brand to anchor your resume.
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
Just as hooking up with the right mentor can help you navigate your career, finding your personal style icon can help you nail your daily work. That matters more than you might think. Striding into the office looking like your best self gives you a pop of confidence… not to mention, committing to a consistent style will help your budget. No more meandering from look to look, spending money on random pieces and never quite landing on a signature style.
I put together my top Working Women style mavens and why I think they stand out. Who’s your fave?
Ivanka Trump, Executive VP of Development & Acquisitions for the Trump Organization
Smart, polished, and elegant, Ivanka Trump’s look tells the world: “I’m always in control of my game. And I play my game in heels.” Ladylike can be powerful, and Trump’s proof.
Marissa Webb, Creative Director for Banana Republic.
Webb turned heads when she unveiled BR’s new boy-meets-girl look last fall. Chic, modern, with a hint of edge to keep things interesting, her look is perfect for the office. Webb-inspired tip: Mix proportions, pairing skinny pants with a roomier top or vice versa.
Yael Aflalo, Founder of Reformation.
Vintage connoisseur and fashion world darling Yael Aflalo has a glamorous, 70s-inspired look that’s versatile enough to rock at work. More reason to love: Aflalo’s focus on eco-friendly, often repurposed and recycled fashion.
Jessica Alba, Founder of The Honest Company.
Alba’s the boss of the business casual look. Follow her lead by starting with neutral, beautifully constructed pieces, then spicing it up with one or two eye-catching pops of color or detail.
Andra Newman is a co-founder of QuadJobs. She previously headed recruitment for J.Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch and ran her own search firm, Winokur Newman.
After receiving your standout resume and cover letter, the hiring manager at the company wasted no time in requesting a Skype interview. Here are 6 tips to acing it:
-
Choose a professional username.
Your username should be your first and last name, or something similar. This is not the place to be cute, babyqueen.
-
Practice makes perfect.
Do a dry run with family or friends the day before the call to make sure your microphone is in good working order, the lighting doesn’t make you look like you’re under police investigation, and your Internet connection can handle a Skype call. (Doing this minutes before your interview = guaranteed stress, so give yourself plenty of time in advance.)
-
Treat it like an in-person interview.
Same rules apply: Do your homework, both on the company and the person with whom you’ll be interviewing. Have the key points you want to highlight from your resume down cold. Dress as you would for an interview, but choose a color that contrasts well with the wall behind you—in other words, not a white shirt against a white wall. Sit up straight and speak clearly. No gum. Make eye contact with the camera, so it looks as though you’re making eye contact with your interviewer.
-
Avoid awkward interruptions.
Nothing can torpedo an interview like a hung-over roommate stumbling in from last-night’s questionable decision. Turn off all ringers, give your barking dog to a friend for an hour, and silence the TV in the next room.
-
Background check.
Take a look behind you. Do you really want the interviewer to know you A) love the Jonas Brothers B) didn’t make your bed C) are the owner of 27 kitten figurines? No. Your surroundings should be as pulled together as you are.
-
Make sure the call is really over.
Save yourself and your interviewer from an embarrassing situation by properly ending the call before you move on to doing anything else (like picking your nose or worse).
Remember, the Skype interview is an essential hurdle to clear—especially if you’re interviewing with a company in a new city. Put your best screen forward.
Andra Newman is a co-founder of QuadJobs. She previously headed recruitment for J.Crew and Abercrombie & Fitch and ran her own search firm, Winokur Newman.
It’s an absolute must, and here’s a quick how-to:
- Address your interviewer by his/her first name. (Ie. “Dear Sally,”)
- Thank your interviewer for his or her time, and reference specifically helpful topics that came up during your conversation. 2-3 sentences will do the trick here.
- Use black ink.
- Pop this bad boy in the mail the same day as your interview.
- Extra credit: In weeks to come, scan for headlines on a topic touched upon during the interview, and email the link to your interviewer.
Cute notecards to keep at the ready:
—
QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs. From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules. The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews. Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience. Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.
Dear Babysitters Everywhere,
All the Moms and I just talked.
We’re extremely grateful that you’re keeping our kids safe while we’re away. We know that brushing a tired toddler’s teeth can be harder than riding
an angry bull and that you did your best with the carrots at dinner. Taking care of kids isn’t easy. Maybe you noticed that we sprint out the door when you arrive, hairbrush and shoes in hand. All Moms everywhere need a break sometimes, and we’re thankful to you for providing one.
That said, we wanted to share a few things that can put a damper on our night out:
- Coming home to find the kitchen/ playroom/ entire house torn apart. We left the place in a reasonable state of order. If you fed the kids, please clear the table. Load or unload the dishwasher. We’re talking 10 minutes of tidying up. If you fold a load of laundry after the kids are asleep, we’ll hear angels singing. You have no idea how much these efforts mean to us.
- Try, try, try for our usual bedtime. We know our kids can put up a good fight, but don’t give up. A bunch of little ones watching the late show when we get home puts us in a slump. We’ll be taming cranky zombies the next day.
- If the kids are awake, limit your screen time. Read to them, do a puzzle, pull out the crayons, kick the soccer ball around, have a dance party. It makes our children feel special and they’ll be excited to have you come back again.
- Don’t over-text us. Let us know if something is really going down. We want to know if someone is bleeding, injured, or locked inside a large cabinet. We don’t need to know that one daughter has stolen another’s doll and is running around the house with it (unless it culminates in someone bleeding, injured, or locked inside a large cabinet.)
- No Mom likes to get a terrible report of all the injustices you’ve suffered while babysitting our kids. If they were really awful, you’ve got to let us know. We won’t let them get away with it. But if they were standard issue five year olds at bedtime, consider letting it go.
You’re the best. And are you free next Saturday night?
Bridie Loverro is a co-founder of QuadJobs. She is an author, entrepreneur, and the mother of 3 small kids. This article was originally published on The Huffington Post.