Introduction
HelpAroundTown was once a hopeful job-listing site designed to connect people looking for help with those offering services, primarily aimed at young workers during the Great Recession. However, after struggling to maintain momentum, the site has seemingly vanished.
While there is a slim chance that the site might return, its current status and effectiveness as a job source are in serious doubt. Let’s dive into what HelpAroundTown was, how it worked, and why it’s no longer a viable platform for job seekers.
What Was HelpAroundTown?
HelpAroundTown was a job-listing platform created to connect individuals and businesses in need of help with willing workers, particularly aimed at younger job seekers. Launched during the Great Recession, its primary goal was to offer part-time work and side hustles for young people, especially high school and college students.
The concept was simple: individuals could sign up for free, list jobs, or browse opportunities posted by others. The platform aimed to create a community-based job market, allowing people to hire neighbors for odd jobs like running errands, tutoring, or working in local businesses.
How Did HelpAroundTown Work?
HelpAroundTown followed a fairly straightforward business model:
- Job Listings: Workers could create profiles and browse local job listings, including part-time positions, errands, and tasks posted by individuals or businesses.
- No Fees: Registration and posting job listings were free for both job seekers and employers.
- Optional Features: Workers could pay $10 a month to highlight their profile, giving it more visibility. Employers could also pay $35 to feature their job listings.
Unlike other job platforms, HelpAroundTown didn’t charge a commission for the jobs you landed. It simply provided a space for people to connect, and the terms were relatively straightforward. Workers would negotiate directly with employers about rates and work expectations.
The Catch: A Lack of Growth and Relevance
Despite its early promise, HelpAroundTown failed to gain traction beyond its Boston-area base. While it theoretically offered nationwide job listings, the site struggled to grow a broader user base. As a result, the site never quite took off as a reliable job source outside of Boston, with limited listings elsewhere.
Key Issues:
- Limited Reach: While HelpAroundTown started with good intentions, it remained largely confined to the Boston area, and didn’t scale effectively to other parts of the country.
- Minimal Job Listings: Even in Boston, job listings were sparse, with only a handful of opportunities available at any given time. This made it hard for job seekers to rely on the site for consistent work.
- Stagnation: Despite being around for more than a decade, the platform never gained enough momentum to truly compete with other job boards or gig economy platforms.
Current Status:
If you try to visit HelpAroundTown’s website today, it leads to an error page, suggesting that the site is either inactive or shut down. Given this, it’s unlikely that anyone will find meaningful work through this platform anytime soon.
Reviews and User Feedback: What Users Are Saying
While HelpAroundTown had good intentions, its lack of a significant user base and poor job listings led many users to feel frustrated. Here are some common complaints:
- Sparse Listings: Many users reported that they couldn’t find many local job opportunities, especially if they were outside the Boston area.
- Frustration with Service: Some users mentioned they weren’t getting responses from employers after applying, leading them to look for work elsewhere.
- Lack of New Opportunities: The platform didn’t offer much in terms of fresh listings, and users found themselves browsing the same opportunities over and over.
Example Complaints:
- “I listed my profile for months and didn’t get any responses, not even from the local coffee shops.”
- “The site looks promising, but the jobs are limited, and it’s hard to find serious employers.”
Better Alternatives to HelpAroundTown
If you’re looking for a job or trying to hire someone for a task, there are plenty of other more reliable platforms available. Whether you need a part-time job or are looking to find someone to do odd jobs around your neighborhood, consider these alternatives:
1. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit is a gig platform that connects freelancers with people needing help with tasks like furniture assembly, moving, cleaning, and more. TaskRabbit is available in many cities and offers a much larger pool of job opportunities.
- Pros: Wide range of tasks, reliable job pool, easy to use.
- Cons: TaskRabbit takes a fee from your earnings, but it’s generally more active and consistent than HelpAroundTown.
2. Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a neighborhood-based social network where you can post about available jobs or find people offering services. Whether you need help with yard work or want to offer babysitting, Nextdoor allows you to connect with local neighbors quickly.
- Pros: Local focus, free to use.
- Cons: Limited to your immediate neighborhood and not ideal for large-scale job hunting.
3. Craigslist
While Craigslist has its drawbacks (such as occasional spam or scams), it still offers a vast range of local job listings for everything from house cleaning to tutoring.
- Pros: Wide variety of job opportunities, free to use.
- Cons: It can be hard to filter out unreliable job postings.
4. Indeed
Indeed is one of the largest job boards on the web. While it’s mostly focused on full-time employment, there are plenty of part-time and temporary jobs available. This is ideal for those seeking more stable work opportunities.
- Pros: Huge number of listings, trusted platform.
- Cons: Primarily for professional jobs; not focused on gig or casual work.
Conclusion: Should You Use HelpAroundTown?
While HelpAroundTown had good intentions of helping people find work during the Great Recession, it hasn’t gained enough traction to be a reliable resource. The site has vanished for the most part, leaving few opportunities for users today. The limited listings, particularly outside of the Boston area, and its failure to scale, make it a poor choice for those looking for consistent or long-term gigs.
If you’re seeking work or want to hire someone for a task, you’d be better off trying platforms like TaskRabbit, Nextdoor, or Craigslist, which offer more robust and active job markets.
Key Takeaways:
- HelpAroundTown has struggled to grow past its Boston roots and is currently inactive.
- The platform didn’t scale effectively to other areas, offering limited job listings.
- Better alternatives, such as TaskRabbit and Nextdoor, offer more reliable and diverse opportunities for job seekers and employers alike.
