Business

WEBSITE OFFERS MARKETPLACE FOR STUDENTS TO ‘SELL’ THEIR SKILLS

By Dave Lowther ⋅ February 4, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Traditionally bar and temp jobs have helped students ease their financial problems, but inconvenient hours and low pay make these jobs increasingly unappealing.

Now there is a way for students to sell their services at a time and a price that suits them. SetYourRate.com is a free online platform that allows students to transfer their skill into money.

Tom, a Journalism student at Liverpool University, graduated from Exeter with a First in English. After leaving he became unhappy with the options his degree left open to him and decided to return to university to study a Masters. However he still had debt hanging over him and needed a way to finance himself:

“I wanted to get some paid work experience in journalism behind me, but felt I couldn’t pursue this ambition while I was working shift after shift. But the fact I had no money dictated that I had no choice! Having spent three years perfecting the art of writing a good essay, helping others to do so seemed the most obvious option to me. I set up a profile as a proof-reader and waited. I had no idea if I would get any results but decided I had nothing to lose since it’s free”

The requests came flooding in and Tom was able to quit his job and get work experience at a local newspaper before returning to university. He charges clients £40 to proof-read a 2000 word essay, equal pay to a six hour shift in a restaurant.

SetYourRate already has thousands of users so whatever service it is you’re selling or looking for this online marketplace is worth checking out.