The Frequently Asked Questions
Since I launched aMillionJobsToDo people have been asking an array of different questions so I thought I would just put together a FAQ and answers page.
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Are you mad?
Possibly a little... I am motivated to achieve my dream as I really want a better life for myself and my family, but madness seems a little way off just yet! I know that I might struggle to manage all of the varying tasks and my normal life, kids and job but I am also very excited by how the site has been accepted by the public and am currently just enjoying the ride.
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Why should I use the service?
I think there are lots of benefits: freeing up your time to do better things, shrinking your to do list, getting help with a task you are struggling with, paying what you can afford, getting the task finished within your time frames or simply having an association with an interesting/novel idea. The concept is solely based around your needs, so whatever your requirements, I'm sure you can see a value.
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What would you use a service like this for?
I could use help with all aspects of my life. Currently I would use the service to help with the actual 'million jobs' that I have taken on, but more generally I think, I would probably use the service to help me with all the time consuming elements of starting up this new business. Designing all the literature, the website, writing press content, my diary entries and managing my own schedule, have all been quite difficult to manage. If I could have delegated some of these tasks over to someone else it would have been a great help!
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Why should I employ you to do tasks for which you are not qualified?
I am not expecting to do things that are out of my depth. I have been approached to undertake tasks that have been very varied and this has not yet been an issue. If you needed an electrician you'd call an electrician but my service could allow you to pass this part of the task over to me, I could even be the person available at your house to let them in. I'm not sure that it will matter about qualifications with this type of service, as it is solely based around the users requirements. If you truly needed an expert in a certain field then I'm sure that that is what they would look for and subsequently pay the rates that they choose.
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How does the service work?
To send in a task, fill out my online form including your job request and fee proposed. Please also consider all expenses i.e material and postage costs, PayPal fees and time elements... If you need to send me an item you will need to cover the postage costs in both directions. Once I receive your task request I will be in touch to discuss the details. Please also include your phone number and as much detail as possible. Once the fee and details are finalised I begin - working to your time frames and specification.
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How are you going to make any money doing jobs for as little as a mere pound?
This is not really the idea of aMillionJobsToDo! The jobs that I have accepted so far have been worth much more than a single pound. If you wanted me to sew a button on then I would consider this to be a task worth a pound. Most people, gratefully, are grasping the concept and offering a fee that is realistic to the time and work that will be involved in their projects.
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How are you to overcome basic labour cost issues?
I am not expecting or asking for anyone to pay me over the odds for a job, but the fee negotiated is to include all expenses and costs that will be involved. For example if I am asked to design a leaflet and get 500 printed I would charge for the design element and then use a third party for the actual print work, to be paid directly by the client or to be included in the overall fee. If I was then required to distribute the flyers an additional fee would be negotiated which could be based on an hourly rate. I am even recovering my PayPal fees to ensure that overheads and expenditure are kept to the absolute minimum.
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Are you trying to undercut other established businesses?
No, I just want to try and achieve my goal; I am not a direct threat to anyone. If you choose to use the service it can be for any task and for any reason, including just wanting to offer your support or be part of the concept. I am hopefully just an additional option to doing something yourself or to other established businesses offering niche services.
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How do you manage your time?
I currently work 3 days a week full time and have a 2 and a 4 yr old to manage. I am used to juggling a million things to do in any one day anyway so I am just increasing the work load slightly :). I also have a great support network of external service providers, friends and family around me who are willing to help. My sister designed the website and is assisting with my marketing and other relevant tasks, my Mum is my accountant and also a very handy babysitter and my husband is gradually turning into cook and cleaner, much to his disgust! It might be difficult sometimes but overall it will be worth it, if I can make this a success but I refuse to neglect my family so aMillionJobsToDo... is worked on in my spare time.
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Do you really think this will be a success?
Actually I do, some people have been quite critical about how long they believe it is going to take me to reach my dreams (some even sadly, have been trying to work out, that for £1 for every task... Working 8 solid hours everyday... 6 days a week... Working every week for every year... To make my million, I would have to work for... 66 years!) I disagree!!!
Based on how the business has been growing I think it is already successful. Some people find it hard to break away from the £1 idea and are misunderstanding the concept. I have had a steady flow of jobs and income and I actually reached over £2000 in my first trading month, ok so it's a way off buying something like a million pound home but ultimately this is just a good second income, especially as I have no expenditure other than this website and my tax bill to pay. If the job requests double then things might become less manageable, but I want to make my dreams a reality and I knew from the beginning that I was going to have to work hard to do so!
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Is this all about a million pound house and what will you do if this dream house has sold when you make the money?
No it's not all about a house. The house has actually been withdrawn from the market but if I do find myself in a financially stable position, I will try and find a different one. The overall dream is really a better quality of life for me and my family. I want my little girl to have the pony she dreams of and my son to have land to play in... I would also like a cleaner too! But ultimately though this is all about providing better for my kids, isn't that really what any parent wants for their children!
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Have you registered your additional income...?
Yes I have registered aMillionJobsToDo... my Mum is my accountant and is assisting with all my needs and I guess the main down point of the whole concept is that I will have to worry about a hefty Tax bill if I ever do make a million.
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What has been the most random job request you have received so far? - Click here for more!
There's actually not been that many. A guy once contacted me through one of my directory listing asking for a 'Borat type character', I think he might have been slightly mad and referred to himself as Ali G!? Personally I wish I had the time to dream up randomness like this but his task request is as follows...
"Hey, would you be prepared to first pole vault over Botley Road bridge and then limbo dance down Botley Road stopping traffic until you get to Habitat and then go into Habitat and salsa dance around the shop knocking over vases, dishes etc and smashing a couple? I will pay you to complete this challenge. Ali G"
I didn't warrant his request with a response :)
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If someone offered you a million would you do a 'rude task'?
No! This is not what this concept is about and if you were hoping for an alternative answer then I guess you are in the wrong place!
This has been one of the hardest aspects of the concept. There was a vicious forum thread started on some army website that I had to get removed but nothing much else has been said. I don't understand why some people have to try and trash the idea though.
Some people are also really negative about the concept in other ways but I am trying to focus on the positive support and comments that are made and am just working hard to try and achieve my dreams. I'm not sat waiting to win the lottery or living off benefits so really what is so wrong with that!
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Anyway thanks for reading and if you have any further questions I'd love to hear and answer them so please contact me!
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