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Are you a daily user of social media who wishes you could get paid for spending time online? With Appen’s Social Media Evaluator gig, you can! They are hiring work from home social media evaluators as independent contractors. Here are the details, so you can decide if this great opportunity will be a good fit for you.
(Appen also hires for other virtual positions, so if social media isn’t your thing, don’t count this company out.)
What’s a Social Media Evaluator?
As a social media evaluator, you have the opportunity to provide feedback on news feeds, ads, and search results for a variety of companies. Your opinion matters, and companies want to know if their message is being shared in a way that resonates with their audience. By evaluating a company’s content on their social media platforms, you can help them improve.
After completing training, you can be offered both short- and long-term projects with Appen. However, the work is not guaranteed, which is why you’d be an independent contractor and not an employee.
The working hours are flexible, but the company wants you to be available for a specific number of hours a day and days per week – it varies depending on the project.
You will only get paid for the work you complete, so if there is no work available, you won’t get paid.
Requirements for a Social Media Evaluator
The requirements to work on this Appen project are very simple. First, for the specific opportunity we are talking about in this post, you must be living in the United States and legally permitted to work. (Projects are available to residents of other countries.) You also need to be a daily user of social media and understand how a variety of platforms work.
Next, you must have solid English writing skills to write your reviews of the content you see. Since you will be communicating with clients, you need to have good spelling and grammar. You want to sound professional in your communication.
Also, your computer needs to meet Appen’s requirements. This includes being less than three years old. You must also have a broadband, secure internet connection. DSL, cable, and fiber optics are all examples of accepted internet. Satellite, mobile, and dial-up are not fast enough for this position. Because of the secure connection requirement, you cannot work in a public workspace.
Being an independent worker is also important. You need to be able to follow directions and troubleshoot software that you work with. Since this is an online position, having good computer skills and the ability to work with different applications is essential.
How Much Does Appen Pay?
Appen doesn’t list their pay rate on the website, but the offered pay rate will be revealed as part of the application process so you know what to expect.
Many workers report getting paid only once a month, so if you need a gig that pays frequently, this might not be a good fit. These workers report that payment is delivered on time via Payoneer, and that any problems with pay were addressed fairly quickly.
Since this is an independent contractor gig, Appen will not be withholding taxes from your earnings. You are responsible for saving part of your income to pay your taxes.
What Are People Saying About Appen?
The reviews from social media evaluators with Appen have two clear positives. First is the flexibility. With the highly flexible scheduling and the ability to work from your home office, you really can fit this job around your life.
The other positive is the sheer variety of remote positions available. From social media evaluators to crowdsourcing to web search evaluators, there are several remote positions listed on the Appen job page. If you feel one position isn’t a good match for your skillset, check out the other ones.
As far as negatives to working for Appen go, the reviews point to four main problems. Workers have indicated that the work, though easy to complete, is tedious and repetitive. If you’re looking for a position where you do new things each day, this is not it.
The temporary nature of this gig is another complaint many reviewers share. Many workers were let go after completing a project, with no advanced warning. This is the nature of contract work and is why Appen should not be considered a permanent job.
Finally, each client has different procedures and processes that you will need to learn. Unfortunately, Appen does not pay for training.
The Interview Process
To get started with Appen, you first complete a basic application on their website. You need to provide your email address to begin. Then, you fill out the application form. You need to create a login for your account with a username and password and provide the essential information. This includes your contact information, level of education, and language skills. You will also need to answer “yes” or “no” to a series of questions about your computer and internet connection.
Finally, you will need to upload a resume, and if desired, a cover letter. A well-written cover letter can help you stand out from the other applicants, so it’s a good idea to submit one.
Once you submit the application, Appen screens them. If they think you’re a good match for what they’re looking for, they invite you to take a series of proficiency tests. These help the company evaluate your skills and see if you have what it takes to do the job. They also provide information for you to review before taking the test, to help you prepare.
After passing the tests, many workers were offered positions. They were then required to sign a non-disclosure agreement and complete additional training before beginning to work.
The whole process, from filling out the initial application to accepting a position, can take some time. The average seems to be three to four weeks, though some workers reported it taking as long as six months.
If the time is right for you to apply at Appen, head over to their job page and get started today! I’d love it if you report back here and let us know how it goes.
