While some students are beginning to tremble in fear at the thought of the "real world" because of their lack of experience with "real jobs," others are taking a different route toward making money and being proactive in filling their résumés. These students are beginning to rent themselves – no, not sexually – to companies around the world.
Rentastudent.com is a website that posts an assortment of opportunities for qualified students. The website draws from different companies looking for help with various projects or jobs.
The website, which was started by Morgan Dierstein and Guillaume Truttmann, aims to connect businesses looking for help with competent students who need extra money and have a valuable skill set to offer.
"Generally anything that could build your resume is something that would interest most people," said Joseph Maxwell, a senior exercise science major.
It is an expanding platform, with over 10,000 students located in France and the U.S., according to Forbes.com. Dierstein and Guillaume's website has seen over 1,500 jobs posted by companies with more than 100 in the past month alone.
To the founders' delight, students are signing up to rent themselves every day, hoping to obtain a job that will boost their résumé or help them earn some extra cash.
Students must be at least 18 years old and enrolled in college. Upon filling out the registration material and providing the site with a valid school email address, students are able to start looking for jobs that best suit their specific skills.
There are currently six available categories for students to choose from when searching for jobs: programming, designing, writing, marketing, administration, and consulting. Those six categories are then broken up into subcategories that further tailor to students' specific skills and abilities. When students find a job that they want, they place their bid on the position. The winning student is the one that is most qualified and offers to do the job for the cheapest price.
"I think that would be a good asset to students here," said Kasey McCarthy, a senior civil engineering major. "I know a lot of people are looking for experience, at least to put on their résumé."
Before any work or communication is exchanged between the student and the company, the company must make a down payment of $99. This policy acts as insurance so that the company is serious about the job and that, in the unlikely event that the company does not pay, the student will receive compensation.
Once a company picks a student for the job, the collaboration between employee and employer begins. A time frame for completion, the budget, and other project specifics are established at this time. Everything can be submitted electronically and remotely – meaning a student in Buffalo can potentially help out a business in California.
"A lot of businesses are struggling now to get all the work they need done with small budgets, and a lot of students are looking for ways to get exposure," Dierstein said in an interview with VentureBeat.com. "We help both parties connect."
The website takes a 15 percent cut of each transaction between student and company. The peace of mind is an intangible asset that Rentastudent.com provides to ensure the best possible chance of mutual satisfaction between both parties.
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