The Uber of real jobs

Kelowna is a city brimming with businesses desperate for workers, yet many in the region still struggle to find work that fits their needs and schedule.

For local entrepreneur Daniel Rondeau that’s a problem, especially in an age when anyone can connect to essentially anything with just a few swipes on a smartphone.

That’s why he, with the help of his business partner Alex Saunders, created 925, a new freelancing app that Rondeau says could fundamentally change the way people look for work.

Rondeau created the app in part to honour his late father, who he says always had a tough time pinning down a job.

“After dad passed away I just thought, you can touch a button now and get anything you want, but not a job,” he recalls. “And I wanted to make that happen, for my old man but also people like him whose lives might be a little better because of something like this.”

“We want to make the whole process of finding a job easier. For a lot of people, when they need work they don’t want to wait for weeks to put together a resume and do interviews and eventually get put on the payroll,” he added.

925 streamlines that entire process, taking care of everything from the job search to background checks and payment, so both the business and freelancer can focus on the work and not the tedious details surrounding it.

Rondeau says there are some similar apps out there giving people the chance to earn a little money (think Uber and Skip the Dishes), but making any kind of useful money off the scant commissions those services pay can be tough.

925 Freelancing operates similarly to Skip the Dishes and Uber. Users simply download the app and fill out a short profile telling potential employers a little about themselves.

With their profile done users can immediately begin browsing the available jobs in their area. When they find one they simply click a button to connect to the employer, and it’s off to the races.

Rondeau explains 925 Freelancing has partnered with local employers looking to fill out gaps in their workforce. These aren’t permanent positions, so 925 Freelancing users can pick up as many or as few shifts as they need—anything from a day or two to top op their bank account to more long-term gigs.

The developers have partnered with local businesses eager to fill gaps in their workforce, and the app features work like construction labour, fruit harvesting, shifts at manufacturing plants, restoration companies, and more.

For now, 925 Freelancing is limited to general labour jobs in the Kelowna area, but Rondeau says plans are already in the works to expand, covering more industries across a wider region.

For more information, or to try out the app yourself, check out 925 online.