Any experience with WAHVE or other freelance sites?

[pdxgal]

Wondering if anybody has experience doing contract gigs through WAHVE (Work at Home Vintage Experts) or other freelance sites (e.g. Upwork). I see lots of articles touting freelancing as a great fit for interested Boomers if you are experienced in certain specialized skills/industries. Curious if it's all just marketing hype.

 

[jazz4cash]

I did some gigs for GLG (Gerson Lehman Group) but recently decided it was not worth my time, even at $200/hr. I think you can search their website to see what kind of expertise they are seeking.

 

[HtownRose]

I heard about WAHVE through CPCU (insurance industry group) & sent them my resume (27 years' insurance experience at companies & a broker, the most recent in Energy & Marine, 3 professional designations & a BBA from Texas) to inquire about my prospects. I got a very nice response that they were sure they would be able to find work for me but I would need to complete their online application so I did just that once I got approval to go part time at my "retirement job" at an airline call center.

I had visions of taking a small gig now & then & being able to write off home office expenses, license renewal fees, CPCU dues etc.

When I got a call back, the interviewer seemed very put off that I had a part time job, even when I explained it was needed for health insurance & was typically only evenings &/or weekends. She asked me to let them know if I ever quit that job. I told her I would, and to please also let me know if the fact that I worked 12-20 hours a week evenings & weekends was no longer a disqualifier.

Then she decided to continue her screening questions, & when she learned which agency management system was used by my last insurance employer, she said due to that they would not be able to offer me any work. I had just learned 6 different systems for my new job creating & modifying reservations, frequent flyer account maintenance, baggage claim tracking, flight tracking, travel fund management, maintenance of past reservation data, etc., but because my last employer had an antiquated system, I'm of no interest to WAHVE. Alrighty then.

So I felt I had gotten the runaround & intended to follow up with the original person I got the email from, but then Harvey hit Houston & my Mom fell & broke her hip & wrist & I wondered what I was thinking looking for more work anyway.

 

[Spock]

... I had just learned 6 different systems for my new job creating & modifying reservations, frequent flyer account maintenance, baggage claim tracking, flight tracking, travel fund management, maintenance of past reservation data, etc., but because my last employer had an antiquated system, I'm of no interest to WAHVE. Alrighty then.
...

This is exactly why there are so many unfilled job openings despite so many people no longer in the work force (you're not counted as unemployed if you give up looking). Companies now want exact matches for specific skills (some of which is driven by robo-screeners). No OJT or spin up allowed. I've mastered more new computer languages over my career on more platforms than a CNH even knew existed... but no experience with THIS language = no job.

 

[broadway]

This is exactly why there are so many unfilled job openings despite so many people no longer in the work force (you're not counted as unemployed if you give up looking). Companies now want exact matches for specific skills (some of which is driven by robo-screeners). No OJT or spin up allowed. I've mastered more new computer languages over my career on more platforms than a CNH even knew existed... but no experience with THIS language = no job.

I keep thinking that it is because I live in the economically stunted state of New Jersey that I find job search as awful now as it was before, but maybe it is something else.

Also don't get me started on age discrimination.
It is alive and well. No one talks about it.
Those not affected by it thinks the economy is going gangbusters.

.

 

[pdxgal]

This is exactly why there are so many unfilled job openings despite so many people no longer in the work force (you're not counted as unemployed if you give up looking). Companies now want exact matches for specific skills (some of which is driven by robo-screeners). No OJT or spin up allowed. I've mastered more new computer languages over my career on more platforms than a CNH even knew existed... but no experience with THIS language = no job.

+1. Sad and frustrating. Good to hear about your experiences (both of you who's replied). When I was hired at my last megacorp job they asked if I knew SQL (programming language to query databases). I said no, but I'd used other similar statistical analysis programs, had taught myself PASCAL, etc. Thankfully they were sharp folks and recognized transferable skills so they hired me, and the first month I focused on teaching myself SQL with a book and accompanying CD from the library.

Come 2022 I may try some of the freelance sites and see what happens, just because I do miss doing the work I used to do since I quit 6 months ago. We'll see.