I’ve heard tell of Search Engine Evaluator positions, but I’ve never taken the time to look into them. So today I hopped on over to Leapforce to check out their work at home position for a Search Engine Evaluator!
Pay & Employment Status
As a Leapforce at home agent you are paid by the hour, though I cannot find a rate on the site! It does say the payment is made by check via snail mail, though. And it appears you determine how many hours you wish to work as well as what times of day you’re able to work. You’ll be an Independent contractor, not an employee, so you’ll be responsible for claiming earned income (anything over $600 for the year) based on the 1099 they’ll send come tax time.
Job Description
You’ll be expected to “conduct in depth internet-based research and provide information evaluation for leading companies from around the globe.” Leapforce has customers and then contracts Independent agents to perform the work. Agents actually invoice Leapforce for the work they do. Search Engine Evaluators “evaluate and improve search engine results for one of the world’s largest internet search engine companies.”
Agent Requirements & Process
You have to be 18, self-reliant, self-motivated, and actively using the internet for more than 3 years (internet savvy). They’re particularly looking for people with a broad range of interests who enjoy online research and evaluation. You will also have to complete an online qualification process and pass an online assessment exam. Leapforce’s FAQ notes that it takes most agents a week to complete those additional requirements.
Equipment Needed:
- High speed internet access
- A PC running Mozilla’s Firefox browser (v3 or higher)
- An up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software
High speed internet access would be cable or DSL (nearly anything but dial-up). You also have to own a computer and work directly from it (not from a computer at your local coffee shop (public access). If you’re not familiar with Firefox, you can download the latest version here: Mozilla Firefox. And most of us online have an anti-virus and anti-spy software of some kind running at all times. If you don’t – you should. Check into AVG for a nice, free edition (as well as their paid versions): AVG Free
Skills Needed:
- Excellent web research skills and analytical abilities
- Excellent comprehension and written communication skills
- BONUS: Fluency in a language other than English
The Registration Application & A Quick Summary
I went through the initial registration process (located here: https://www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/core/register/1) and while most of it is fairly straight-forward, you actually do have to attach a resume in order to submit your information. Believe it or not, I don’t have a current resume! So I abandoned the effort since I’m not exactly looking for another job at the moment and was merely testing the waters to write about the opportunity for telecommuting work here on my blog.
So make sure you have a resume ready to upload in any of the following supported formats (text, word, pdf or open office).
Maybe I’ll put a resume together and then go back through to apply and see what LeapForce is all about. Then again, I’ve got more work than I can do at the moment so maybe I”ll hope that someone who is currently working for Leapforce as a Search Engine Evaluator will leave a comment here to let us all know what it’s like (and whether there are any caveats to getting paid!).
UPDATE – June 1, 2011:
Be sure to read (okay, scan over) ALL of the comments below. There are quite a few. Some folks are happy with the work, some aren’t. It seems most complaints stem from invoicing issues. And apparently robots run the place, so don’t expect to speak to a live person if you need help. It’s all automated. What isn’t these days?? Press 1 if you speak English . . .
Thank you to EVERYONE who contributes helpful comments on this post and others!
{ 141 comments… read them below or add one }
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Have been working for a little while now, Passed both tests. I’ll let you know when I get my first paycheck.
Thanks I think I’ll give it try. This post has been helpful.
Here’s my experience with Leap Force. I applied in November of 2010. Heard nothing from them until February 2011. I was invited to take a pre-qualifying test. 15 questions or so. I passed, Then i was invited to take two more tests, The first was 25 questions, took it and passed, Then i was invited to take the 150 question ‘simulation’ exam. Finished the exam and was informed that I was not suited for the job and I could not continue with them, no option to retake the exam. OK.. fine.. then 2 days later, I got an email offering me the opportunity to retake the exam……… What gives ?? LOL after making such a big deal about not being able to retake any exams, they ask me to try again ??? I guess I’ll try it again. Couldn’t hurt anything. has anyone else had a simliar experience with LeapForce ??? I read so many good and bad things about them. makes me wonder about them…..
I am scheduled to take the test on Monday, after reading a lot of these comments I am rather nervous! I am praying for a good outcome, will let you know.
I’m hoping that I’m able to retake the second part of the exam if I fail it. I just turned in all my tasks, and found that I made at least one mistake with a few of the questions. I’m going to be nervous and waiting until Monday for the results.
HI,
Before doing any thing please read this forum post some people have done this work but not get paid.
http://translatorscafe.com/cafe/MegaBBS/forumthread18190.htm
Please confirm, because I also applied for this job.
Thanks
I spent 10 hours preparing for and then taking the exam. I became an agent. I’m no sucker so I completed the min. required tasks for the month, just to make sure I will get paid.
On the 1st of the month I filled out my invoice. Then I waited and waited and waited. Finally after 2 weeks I was informed that some errors existed on my invoice. I take a look at the errors as it turns out they do track your time, and according to leapfarce I worked about 55% of the hours I invoiced. Under closer inspection leapfarce has no record of some of the days invoiced for work, and at the same time they credited me for days I did not work. What gives?
Any way I refilled out my invoice exactly according to what leapfarce claimed I worked. Now it has been 2 more weeks and I am waiting waiting waiting. Good Thing I have a wife with a good paying job. Turns out I may be a Sucker.
I just took both tests and passed both…waiting for them to approve my W-9 and restore my EWOQ! My concern is not the validity of the company…it is the invoicing issues and the unexpected terminations…but I chose to do Leapforce first because they don’t limit the amount of time you can work like the others do…so hopefully I will be able to start working on Monday! Very excited!!!
I worked for them for months. If you submit the invoices properly you get paid. Properly being tracking every search you do and every minute you do them, one by one. The time it takes to do that tracking comes off the time it takes to do the searches, for which you are graded. I am very experienced with SEO, search engines, software and technology, and with all humility, a pretty bright person. It is exhausting work which is timed and you must perform VERY quickly and maintain a minimum quality for which you are graded monthly. They keep adding different kinds of searches and you have to spend your own time learning all the new searches, spending many hours of your own time on an ongoing basis. After working for them for months, my computer crashed and I could not work for 3 weeks, That meant I could not perform the mandated minimum of searches for a 30 day period. They terminated me with the elegibility to re-take the 8 hour exam. I re-took and passed it, did searches for one day, and then they terminated my contract for no reason with no explanation. They did not answer me for 11 days! Their communications is virtually non-existent and I warn people away from them without reservation. They take advantage of people who need to work from home and treat them like slaves because there are so many willing to put up with it. I have never run into a more mismanaged and unfeeling organization in my life. Forwarned is forearmed.
After reading all of these comments I am not sure what to think about this company. I am a 19 year old college student so I was not too sure if they would except my application. However, almost immediately after applying i was given an exam date. I have just finished and passed the first exam and just to provide another prospective on the exam, I only fully read the first 15 pages before I started the exam. Once I had started the exam I just used the keywords in each question to go back and search for the answer. Overall the first exam was time consuming but not real hard. I am getting ready to begin the second exam and am wondering if anyone here can tell me exactly how difficult it is compared to the first exam. I have a tendency to get impatient quickly so while I’ve been taking the practice exam questions for the second exam, I am only getting around 60% completely correct, although I am finishing very quickly. I am not sure if 60% will cut it so I was hoping someone could inform on exactly how good I will need to do.
so is this company still up an going bc i am very interest.. i really need a stay at home job like this!!! please help
@miranda: It looks like they’re still up and running. In fact, they’re already noting the future in their copyright notice in the footer:
Though I don’t have any first-hand knowledge (haven’t worked for them at all), there are many, many comments from folks who have here. And be sure to Google “Leapforce Agents” to learn everything you can before you leap. Pun intended.
Just filled out the initial application ..We’ll see I’m somewhat skeptical about this type of thing but it seems to be legit. Helpful comments people! I’ll keep you posted.
Is $13.50 worth the apparent headache? And how exactly do they “track” you?
any recent update? btw, I just sent my application.
I am currently working for Leapforce… it is not a scam, but it’s not for everyone, either. You have to work quickly and accurately to maintain speed and quality requirements, and because you’re hired as an independent contractor and not an employee, there is no job security/benefits/etc. and they pay invoices as net 30 (meaning that you submit an invoice at the end of the month for the hours worked that month and they have 30 days to mail your check) which is somewhat annoying, but not uncommon with contract work. This is nobody’s dream job, but it pays 13.50-17.40/hour, a lot more than retail/barista/cashier type jobs which is about the only thing available where I live… and you can set your own hours/times that you work, which could be very useful for some people students, parents, etc. but it also means you have to be disciplined and self-motivated to work enough to make a living. I have another job, but I know people who only do Search Engine Evaluation with Leapforce and with similar companies and it pays their bills.
Also, after working a certain number of hours they reimburses you for the time spent taking the tests, and if you consistently provide high quality work and meet the speed requirements there is an opportunity for pay increase after 6 months.
Has anyone received a check from them? So far I, and my be clueless, but seems as if everyone has put forth a lot of effort. Has anyone been paid?
So, i completed the second of the 2 exams last night. The due date was at midnight last night, so about 11 hours ago…and I still haven’t received the email with my exam results. Is this normal?
If anyone doesnt mind saying how much they were approximately making at the end of the month
is the practical exam very hard?? i didn’t really find a lot of tasks with spam. is this normal??
I passed the two tests and started working for them exactly 30 days ago. Today, out of the blue, they terminated my contract (and did not pay me as well).
My TPH (Tasks per Hour) 35 (while they ask you over 25 in the first 3 weeks, it was high coz I didn’t cheat them “killing time”.
They seemed very serious with all those tests and, in Brazil, they pay (USD 8 / hour). When I had a doubt, a woman answered to me (Jessica Romo) so I thought it was serious. What really bothered me was that according to their GG (General Guidelines) they would send you warning notice if your job was not good. In my case, they just terminated.
They demand you at least 200 tasks per month, during these 30 days, I had more than 3000 tasks done. I really didn’t got their point, but anyway I’ll be waiting their answer and my money.
It’s strange, because there are people talking good things and bad things as well.
I have been with LF since April – 2011. I have not had any problems with LF as of yet. Back in June I was unable to perform work for LF because of an illness in my family. They deactivated me, but offered the exam to re-instate me. I passed, and now I’m doing great. I love the job, it gives me time to spend with my family and make income at my own time, in my own home. I know of 2 other people who work for LF, one that has been with LF for over 2 years, and they love it as well. It’s worth the risk to take the exam, if you don’t like it, then you can back out of the contract. They pay me on time each month, and provide my earnings according to my invoice that I submit.
Leapforce is a scam. I worked about 25 or 30 hours a month for them. Only once was I paid what was invoiced, and I carefully tracked my time, so they screwed me, plain and simple. They seemed to randomly pick a time frame to say I didn’t work when I did. There was rarely any work to be done, even when I was able to wade through this or that update or qualifier or whatever. I would not let my worst enemy work for these lying idiots. Just don’t do it!
My brother-in-law works for them…he really likes it!
Hi, any help will do, My General Guidelines and exam was to be sent Monday 17th of Oct But I have not recv themyet. I have emailed Leapforce twice with no response, does anyone have a contact number. It was stated that I had 7 days to finish exam but I have no material to start.
I applied with Leapforce online. I received information immediately after submitting my application. Awaiting link for study material. I will keep you informed.
Hi, everyone. I got invited and will be taking the test for LF this week and next week. I think I will like it fine, because I am an independent thinking with half a masters degree in Psychology (so I’m analytical). Also own a technology company of my own, etc. What I want to know though is how many hours PER WEEK you can claim? I read somewhere you are limited to 20. Is this true, or can I invoice for say 30 a week? Thanks.
I finished the this week, can anyone tell me how many days later after the exam due day that I can receive the result? thanks.
I’ve been working for them since June, and I really like it! I submit my monthly invoice at midnight on the first, usually get my direct deposit within 2 or 3 weeks. Haven’t experienced any problems with getting paid yet. Seems like there is more work available after you’ve worked for a month or two, so hang in there new raters!
I have taken the exam. Because Im pretty skilled with the internet and have worked as a computer tech for 10+ years I figured it would be a no brainer. The first time I attempted I failed because I didn’t really study. I did what someone else said and searched through the document for the answers. They thankfully gave me another opportunity to retake (maybe I was close to passing). So I studied and passed. Now I’ve been an agent for a few months. Though it is not a scam, the work isn’t for everyone. You get paid at a rate of 13.50 per hour and because they say availability of work is dependent upon the client and it seems that there are so many of us agents the work is scarce. On average I probably get about 30 minutes worth of work a day. Its not enough to pay the bills
Does anyone know where one could see a sample resume for a “Search Engine Evaluator”? I cannot find anything like this on the web.
Rickie
It sounds worth a try, but I have a feeling they will only employ US residents. Anyone know if this is right?
@Andy G: It looks like they’ve got positions in countries other than the U.S., too:
Search Engine Evaluator
United States of America – English Language
United States of America – Chinese Simplified Language
United States of America – Spanish Language
United States of America – Persian / Farsi Language
Canada – English Language
Canada – Chinese Simplified Language
Canada – Persian / Farsi Language
Brazil – Portuguese Language
Egypt, Arab Republic of – Arabic Language
Germany – German Language
(http://www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/public/jobs/list)
@Ricki H: You can find lots of nice samples (generic), but you don’t want to copy one verbatim anyway. You want to be original – focus on what you have to offer in relation to the job opening to show that you meet the requirements and responsbilities of the position.
Make sure you have a clear cut objective and then list your qualifications and skills as they pertain to the job at hand, as well as your past experience (jobs) and education (school). Try to speak speicifically to the skills needed after reading the job description. In this instance, you might want them to know you’re a web enthusiast, how long you’ve been online, any Internet research skills you have, how familiar you are with current events and the online culture, how self-reliant and detail oriented you are, how many languages you speak, etc. The basic skills are in the article above.
And since there are equipment requirements for the job, you’ll want to note those, too. Maybe go right from the list noted on the Leapforce list:
Good luck!
Stop back by and let us all know how it goes.
Can you work as many hours as you like in order to make more money?
hi just wondering if you live in australia and work for them do you have to pay tax in the us as i already have to pay tax here
I am currently trying to complete the application and testing process for LeapForce. I have heard both good and bad things about this company, but I am willing to give it a try. If anyone who has worked for this company can give me any pointers, I would greatly appreciate it.
Has anyone had experience with Appen Butler Hill, Lion Bridge, or Work Force Logic? From what I can see they offer the same work as LeapForce and was wondering if any one is better than the other? I’m considering trying LeapForce but it has a lot of mixed reviews.
I hardly write responses, however I browsed a few remarks on this page Leapforce Agents
And, if you are posting on
- Search Engine Evaluators – Telecommuting Journal.
I actually do have a couple of questions for you if you do not mind.
Could it be just me or does it look like a few of these comments look like they
are left by brain dead people?
other sites, I would like to follow everything fresh you have
to post. Would you make a list of the complete urls of your public sites like
your Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
Wow, Edwin – calling others who left comments ‘brain dead’ isn’t exactly the nicest way to start a comment here . . . and the link you’re trying to leave to squidoo returns a 404, so I’ve taken that out. I’m somewhat active in social media, I’ll definitely think about connecting my accounts here in the near future.
I applied, took the first test and failed. I do not know why I failed, it is not straight forward on how you need to answer the questions. For example they have a URL that is about “ABC’s” and the query is ABC’s, and I check the page and it’s down or the site moved or the page is not relevant anymore, so I would mark it as being ‘unhelpful’, there were a few questions like this. I think that the test is checked automatically and they have obviously not looked at the url’s lately to see if they are functioning anymore or even live, because as soon as I hit submit, they said I failed with no explanation, maybe I took to much time, I do not know, but after reading the comments, it seems like it would be a great deal of headaches to get paid or do the work. I have been doing SEO for years and have been working online for over 8 years, so they obviously do not care or read my application or resume, and their test is outdated and automated. A big waste of time and getting my hopes up for a job, I was excited and told my wife about it, but now I have to tell her I failed, maybe it is for the best.
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