Gumtree ads – Wanting the moon on a stick

Dodfaefife

New Member
Had to laugh at a current Edinburgh Gumtree ad for a freelance artworker:
Mac operator / artworker / designer | Leith | Gumtree

They want some poor bugger to camp out in their office full time for the privilege of doing the few hours of work a week they 'expect' to chuck them.

So, for the privilege of spending every day in their office, ruling out any chance of in-house work anywhere else, providing your expertise and your own equipment, they will let you PAY THEM £250 a month (but they'll chuck in WIFI and a phone) – phew! Oh, and their permission to keep working on your own projects. Generous beyond belief really – practically a charity.

I can only imagine the fluffy working relationship this level of one-sided control-freakery would produce. Reads like a small company who needs, but is scared of, freelancers and doesn't trust any employee they can't hover over.

They'd be better hiring a competent local (there are plenty in Edinburgh) who can advise what's best done in-house and what can be done remotely then agree a retainer for X number of hours a month. Simples!
 
That's Gumtree for you. Every now and then I find a decent client from on there, but more often than not, it's full of requests of unpaid work but experience for graduates or ridiculous offers like the one you came across.
 
This is actually hilarious! It's like it's written by a 14 year old! Do people genuinely expect to do business like this?
 
if it's the person I think it is, they've actually been doing this long enough to know better. Bit sad really.
 
If you really have nothing better to do, or are a graduate looking for some experience then maybe worth a punt... other than that though it's a bit of a joke. £600 less the £250 rent.... you could earn more doing a paper round.
 
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