shannon | QuadJobs blog

Last fall, I signed up as a student on QuadJobs and used the site very actively until my graduation last spring from Fairfield U. On behalf of the thousands of students using QuadJobs to make extra income and build our resumes, thank you for being a QuadJobs employer. Your jobs really matter to us. Hopefully, QuadJobs has been making your life easier too.

When you post on QuadJobs, you’ll hear back quickly from qualified applicants who are interested in your job. Depending on the nature of the work, you may choose to interview or talk to these candidates over the phone. When you make a decision on which student you’re going to hire, it’s easy to just tell the student… and forget to hit the “award” button on your open job.

We totally get it… life is busy. But if you can remember to hit “award,” it’s hugely important to our community for several reasons:

The student you’ve hired will get an email with all the details they need to know about the gig.
The student will “get credit” for the job on their track record. Just as you’d prefer to hire a student who has worked plenty of jobs on the site, so do other employers. A student’s track record helps them get future jobs, including the one they’ll find after they graduate.
After the job is completed, you’ll be able to quickly review the student’s performance. (If you thought they did a great job, giving a student a 4.0 places them on your Favorites list—and makes rehiring them a snap.)
It tells students who applied but didn’t get the job that the position has been filled. It allows them to look for other opportunities.
Then there’s the big picture: You’re helping QuadJobs create 10,000 jobs by the end of the year! You’ll make your job count by hitting award.

Thanks again for being part of the QJ community and for offering students a chance to work while they’re in school. Let’s get to 10,000 jobs together!

Ashley Scaglione is a marketing coordinator for QuadJobs. She previously interned for the startup, prior to graduating from Fairfield University in 2015.

Since the dawn of Main Street and the invention of picket fences, neighbors have been sharing tips on local young people who needed work, could help in a pinch, do a job well, and be relied upon. QuadJobs brings that exchange to the 21^st century, introducing you to the best and brightest in your community—and giving you instant access to your neighbors’ “two cents” on a student worker.

If you’re new to QuadJobs, here’s how it works: When a student applies to your job, you’ll have access to their full profile and JobGPA—including reviews and ratings from other employers in your community who’ve worked with the student in the past.

These ratings are key. They’re instant references on an applicant from your neighbors. You’ll learn if they showed up on time, dressed professionally, exceeded expectations. Good info = a happy hire. (For our part, we’ll make sure the student has an active .edu account, and we’ll make it easy for them to get a background check if they’d like to add that to their profile. We’ll also make sure your post reaches a targeted audience: An education major who speaks Spanish and is CPR-certified. We’re getting more specific by the day.)

Don’t forget to award a job to a student, and after the job is done, take 3 seconds to give a quick review. Consider this your act of community service for the day—you’re providing valuable info to your neighbors, just as they’ve done for you.

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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.

In QuadJobs’ infancy, my kids happily tested new babysitters from the site every Friday night. As our business has grown, I’ve remained a super-user of the site to meet various needs at home–not only babysitting, but helping at parties, moving furniture, and running errands. Looking to boost the number of students interested in your job posting? Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

Put the job date and time in the post headline.
Set the job post expiration within ten days. Students see jobs in the order they’re posted, so you’ll yield the most applicants if you repost regularly. It’s easy to duplicate the job post from your history.
Create a robust profile, including a photo. Just as you want to see some detail on a student you’re hiring, they’d like to know as much as possible about you.
Even if you’re flexible on the hours, still propose the day and time that is most convenient for you in your job post headline. In our experience, it’ll make the communication easier and you’ll end up with applicants who work right into your ideal schedule.
If you’re looking to hire multiple students for one job, post the job multiple times. Then you can award to each student you hire, giving each credit through the site. This means a great deal to our community and especially to our students.
If you’re looking for a long-term hire, consider posting first for students to help on a project basis. For example, if you’re looking for a design intern throughout the academic year, first post for someone to help on a specific design project. It’s a great way to test whether a student is a good fit as a longer-term hire, and you may attract more students with a smaller initial commitment. Likewise, many long-term babysitters have come out of hiring someone for one Saturday night the first time. (If you give a student a review of 4.0, they’ll become a favorite and be easy to rehire through the site).

Betsy O’Reilly is the CEO/ co-founder of QuadJobs. Prior to launching QuadJobs, she was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank, where she led the global sales team.

Getting some out-of-office bonding with coworkers can be valuable and fun—or perilous. To navigate an after-work social life with co-workers, keep the following tips in mind:

Watch your intake.

The #1 pitfall of going out for drinks with colleagues? Knocking back a few too many. Nobody wants to be the topic of embarrassing stories the next day at work—those stories spread fast. Photos can be even more damaging. Keep your composure by limiting how much alcohol you’re consuming on a night out. You’re there to connect with colleagues and build a positive reputation, not to belt out Karaoke with your Department Head’s tie wrapped around your forehead.
Don’t always say yes… or no.

Say yes to every post-work plan, and before you know it you’re getting a little too chummy with the work clique. On the other hand, saying no all the time can come across as a rejection—like you’re aren’t interested enough in your co-workers to spend extra time with them. Maintain a friendly balance. Better still, propose and organize a plan for the group yourself. It’ll show your enthusiasm for hanging out—and might get you off the hook for the standing “Tuesday Trivia Night.”
If the “higher ups” will be there, go.

Good rule of thumb: If your boss or other senior players will be there, make the time to be there too. It’s a great way to connect outside the office and develop those relationships. They’re carving out the time for team-bonding… make sure you do the same.
Don’t succumb to office gossip.

If the conversation turns ugly about a coworker, change the subject. No good comes from sharing unpleasant gossip or badmouthing someone. Speak positively about everyone you work with and they’ll be more likely to do the same when you’re not there.
Who you know can be more important than what you know.

Get to know your peers and colleagues. Learn about their interests, hobbies and aspirations. Building these relationships make your workday more enjoyable, and you’ll create a powerful network of contacts to reach out to during your career. Your next or best job will come because you knew the right person at the right place at the right time.
Learn more about your company.

Sharing time with colleagues after work gives you a chance to learn about what other departments do and get a better understanding of your company structure—which may come in handy as you plan your next move.

At the end of the day, happy hour is about having fun. Find ways to relax and enjoy while remaining professional…and don’t do anything you don’t want people talking about in the break room the next day.

andraSignature

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 can be hard to create work-life balance when you’re junior. There are plenty of Devils wearing Prada in circulation, no matter your industry, and it’s easy to feel burnt out when your boss’ phone number flashes on your screen at 9 pm on a Friday night. Here’s some advice for creating more structure—and hopefully, saving your sanity.

Establish clear meeting times and show workflow.

If your boss is constantly adding more work to your plate, suggest a morning meeting to discuss the day’s priorities and deliverables. One assistant I know keeps a white board at her desk with the list of these goals, so when her boss comes and asks her to do something new—she can quickly reference the list and ask what should be given priority.
Recap after meetings.

After any meeting, send a quick recap to your boss and let him or her know what you will be getting done and when. For example: “Discussed upcoming event in August. I will call 3-4 possible locations by Wednesday to determine cost and availability.”
Don’t talk about your personal life at work.

When you share your plans for the evening or the weekend with your boss, you’re sending a clear message that you want to be connected in that way. If you sense you have a boss with “boundary issues,” keep your personal life personal. It doesn’t mean you can’t be friendly or share pertinent info (ie. I’ll be out of pocket this weekend because I’m attending my sister’s wedding in Dubai). But err on the side of under-sharing about your life outside work.
Turn off your phone at night.

One assistant I know was sleep-deprived because her boss—who apparently had her own sleep issues—was texting her throughout the night with thoughts about projects. My advice? Turn off your phone when you’re going to bed! You can politely explain that you’re eager to talk in the morning, and that you will be at your desk early to address the issue at hand. Don’t allow an unsustainable situation—like the expectation that you’ll respond to texts at 2 am—to develop.
Suck it up.

Plan on paying some dues. Accept that you will be asked to work at times you would rather be doing something—anything—else. When your boss asks for something, respond with a positive attitude. Appreciate that this job is not forever, and work hard to graduate from it with a boss who sings your praises.

Having a demanding boss can make each day feel like an eternity, but try to keep your perspective and sense of humor. Use your after-work time to network and build your skillset, preparing yourself to springboard to the next step in your career.

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.

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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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