There are countless employment sites out there that help companies fill full- and part-time jobs. Not included in most, however, are all the extra little tasks businesses often need to get done, but that aren't enough to justify hiring another regular employee. Targeting those small—yet important—jobs comes ShortTask, which aims to connect qualified workers with companies in need of such short-term help.
Now in beta, ShortTask is essentially a community that focuses on connecting what it calls "seekers"—companies or individuals who need various tasks accomplished without hiring in-house staff—and "solvers," or workers who can complete those tasks virtually from home. Seekers begin by listing the tasks they need done, such as transcribing audio or video recordings, identifying objects in a photograph or creating written content. They also create an escrow account for payment and indicate for each task how much they're willing to pay, along with its deadline. Solvers then visit the site and choose the tasks they'd like to complete. Once the work is done and the seeker approves it, they get paid in US dollars via PayPal from the seeker's account; ShortTask, meanwhile, takes a commission of 10 percent. There are currently more than 50,000 tasks listed on the site, including finding articles and commenting on Amazon.com (price: USD 1), for example, or asking questions on a forum (paying USD 0.15). Solvers from around the world are allowed to find jobs through the site.
Similar to Amazon's Mechanical Turk, California-based ShortTask gives companies a more flexible way to get work done and allows consumers to earn some extra money during tough times. One to emulate on a localized or niche basis? (Related: Matching students with odd jobs — Bidding system for domestic outsourcing.)
Website: www.shorttask.com
Contact: contact@shorttask.com
Spotted by: Jonathan Kyle
Good idea but the site seems jammed up with spam
this is like www.urbaninterns.com a good service here in NYC that my biz has used before with good results.
Similar companies include "E-Lance" and "Get Friday"
For my MBA thesis, I wrote a business plan for exactly this kind of service. Unfortunately for shorttask.com, my findings are already being proven. People bid such ridicoulisly low amounts that it is impossible to make the site profitable. At one point, I counted about 36000 tasks on Amazon's Mechanical Turk for a grand total of $500 (thats five hundred)!. Take 10% commission on that...
My research showed that the generic approach is the most likely reason why it fails. Niche sites (or at least niche communities) have a much better chance of success because task value tends to be higher...
I agree with the other comments. My typing speed is really good (93wpm)and the short tasks that do pay $5-7 dollars are to transcribe videos of 24 minutes or so ... so much stop, starting that there's no way I'd waste over an hour transcribing this. The other 'tasks' aren't worth the bother for 2c per task.
We have similar one www.favore.pl but not about electronic output tasks. This one keeps the daily issues to be solved.
Portal is focued on connecting house service seekers and suppliers, like plumbers, cleaners, children care. Social rating implemented, to avoid spam and porno ads also moderated by editors.
Personal outsourcing and increasingly flexible working structures will be the future long term.
However it seems as if the early adopters (e.g. Tim Ferris of the 4 Hour Work Week) have created unrealistic price/quality expectations and the business model wasn't as scaleable as it seemed.
You will always have to pay for quality, whether in rupees or dollars.
http://wayoftheinfonaut.blogspot.com