In the thread about unemployment, I followed the link that pbbth provided to an online service called “taskrabbit”, a sort of errand running/handyman kind of agency with screened one-time task providers.
It seems like a great idea. Has anyone used it? Do you think it would be dangerous to hook up with someone this way?
It got written up in Wired a while back. Interesting idea.
Like I mentioned in the other thread my husband was a task rabbit for several months (and continues to occasionally perform tasks when he finds something that is a good fit for him) and he loves it. The background check to become a task rabbit is a bit intense and the hiring process takes a month or more because of it but once you are hired it is a great way to make a little extra money. He has done everything from waiting in line at fancy restaurants to put someone’s name on the waiting list to helping someone pack and move from one apartment to another to working as security for parties and events. You determine how much you would need to be paid to do a job and then you bid on it and the person who needs assistance can accept, decline, or counter your offer. My husband was actually offered a part time position with the company of one of the people who was hiring task rabbits but turned it down because he was interviewing for the job he started last week.
I highly recommend looking into it for people who are otherwise having trouble finding work. It is a great source of part time work that lets you determine what you will do, how much you will get paid, and how many hours you have available for work that week. You would be hard pressed to turn it into liveable, permanent wages but you could easily make an extra $1000 a month or so this way.
I’m friends with some of the people who work there and used the service a couple of times. From a end-user point of view, the concept is fantastic but there’s often not enough rabbits to fulfil your task, especially if you need something on short notice. I had a friend offer up to $36 to deliver a few pints of ice cream 2 miles and didn’t get any takers.
I anxiously signed up with Taskrabbit a few months ago and went through the whole process. I was impressed with how attentive the people who work at Taskrabbit were. I looked forward to getting work. I am a newly minted freelance photographer and I have extensive experience as a personal assistant and house cleaning. So this site seemed perfect to pick up extra work here in NYC. I have been extremely disappointed with the results (I am expressing my experiences as they relate to the New York City market). 99% of the people posting tasks want people to work for far less than what the task entails. And this being New York, they find Rabbits who are desperate enough for work that they will do it. I get $20-$30 an hour cleaning apartments, and yet for the same work - which is very hard if done thoroughly and well - people on Taskrabbit seem to want to pay $10 an hour. As a photographer it is even worse. One posting was looking for a photographer for 3 hours work for $34!!! Apparently it is a buyers market here in NYC. Taskrabbit definitely does not favor the rabbit. If you want to work you a** off for 3 hours for $30 then hats off to you. In NYC you spend $20 just walking out the door of your apartment.
Here is a link to a realistic article on what it is like to be a Taskrabbit: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1116&pid=22333
Sounds like another iteration of Heinlein’s “General Services,” from the short story “We Also Walk Dogs.” GS had grown into an immense corporation by providing whatever service someone called them up to ask for, from housekeeping to being king for a day somewhere. (Their bread-and-butter service was still walking dogs.)
I seem to have read about various instances of such a service over the ensuing decades.
My friend (herein referred to as BigT) found a task on taskrabbit that asked for someone to help stuff envelopes at some company. She contacted the poster, he gave her the address and said to come at any time. BigT mentioned it to me, I asked if I could tag along, the poster said it would be fine. We agreed to come in at around 1:00 pm on the specified day.
Day arrives, BigT and I go to the address, find an office building with multiple offices. We weren’t given a suite number, and the name of the company wasn’t on the listing in the lobby. She tries calling and emailing the poster, no response. We wander around the building, asking people if they’ve heard of the company until eventually we find it. Some bitchy lady walks over and the following encounter occurs:
Dragon: “You were supposed to be here at nine.”
BigT: “Erm, I talked to PosterGuy, he said we could come at 1:00.”
Dragon: “The work is already done. What are your names?”
BigT never hears from PosterGuy again. Goddammit.
I know this is a zombie thread, but I just became intrigued and decided to check out Taskrabbit. Apparently it’s only available in the US, and only in certain major cities.
Source: TaskRabbit connects you to safe and reliable help in your neighborhood