Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission when you click on them, but this is at no extra cost to you. Read our privacy policy for more information.
When I started working from home, I scoured the Internet for legitimate opportunities. I decided to pursue freelance writing but found a handful of alternatives, too. One that stood out to me was a unique part or full-time job called Leapforce at home.
The job paid over $13 per hour, was flexible and didn’t require customer interaction. It sounds too good to be true, but the business is still thriving years later.
Leapforce At Home is a genuine work from home opportunity that offers what I just described. Leapforce hires everyday people, and no specific experience is required.
People who work for the company are search engine evaluators. In this Leapforce At Home review, I’ll cover everything you need to know about this job. From employee rants and raves to info about income, you’ll find it all below.
- Direct Link to Site
What Is Leapforce At Home?
Leapforce At Home is a web-based company that offers independent contractor work. At Leapforce, these independent contractors are called independent agents or search engine evaluators. Below, I’ll discuss what it means to be a search engine evaluator.
Leapforce is paid by their clients to perform search engine evaluations. Leapforce then hires independent contractors [AKA search engine evaluators] to perform the work.
All of the positions offered on the Leapforce job page are work from home positions. The Leapforce Overview page provides a bit of insight into this opportunity.
Leapforce company headquarters are in located in California. According to the Better Business Bureau [BBB], the company has been in business for eight years. The BBB also states that Leapforce has 450 employees. That number may be outdated since the page was created in 2009.
What Is A Search Engine Evaluator?
There are three things that you should take into account when defining what exactly a search engine evaluator does.
Title:
Search engine evaluator is the term used by Leapforce. Other names for this type of work include web search evaluator, Internet assessor, ad quality rater, and similar terms.
Duties:
Simply put, a search engine evaluator perform searches using given keywords and terms. They rate the quality of the results they receive. Some quality factors may include the ranking of a specific website.
This all depends on the employer’s requirements. It’s also common for search engine evaluators to search for videos, photos, PDF files, and more. They rate the quality of these results.
Purpose:
Search engines like Google and Bing adhere to search engine algorithms. This is to ensure that the search engine results are high-quality. Evaluators help determine the quality and improve search engine results.
Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Qualifications
Leapforce At Home has pretty simple search engine evaluator qualifications. I’ve compiled a list of qualifications from three resources – the Leapforce job listing for U.S. workers, the Leapforce FAQ page, and the Leapforce Requirements page.
Below, you’ll find a list of every qualification listed. This includes skills, technical requirements, and more.
Basic Qualifications
- You must be 18 years of age or older.
- You must have adequate Internet research and analyzation skills.
- You must have adequate written communication skills and good comprehension.
- For the U.S. position, you must be fluent in English. For opportunities in other languages/areas, you must pass a language qualification exam.
Ideal Skills
- Comprehensive familiarity with U.S. pop culture, social media, and Internet culture.
- Diverse interests and potential areas of expertise.
- University degree, advanced degree, or equivalent experience.
- The ability to work independently without in-person supervision.
Technical Requirements
- High-speed Internet access.
- A PC or Mac to use for work purposes. Under the ideal skills section of the job listing, “Use of an Android phone version 4.1 or higher, Windows phone version 8.1 or higher, or an iPhone version 4s or higher.” is noted.
As you can see, the mandatory requirements are fairly straightforward. While the ideal skills are not necessary, you may still be hired without them. Just make sure to include all relevant skills and education on your application and resume.
Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Application Process
If you meet the requirements above, you’re set to move forward with the search engine evaluator application. Start on the Leapforce At Home Current Opportunities page.
Select your country and language from the drop-down menu. In the job description, there should be an application link. Filling out this page thoroughly and accurately is very important.
Your application will determine whether or not you’re contacted to move forward with the hiring process. Aside from basic details, you’ll need to provide the following info:
- Whether you plan to work as an independent contractor or registered business. Select ‘independent contractor’ to work as a self-employed individual.
- Your resume or CV. I strongly recommend uploading your resume. Make sure you’ve included in details that are relevant to the qualifications and skills listed in the section above.
- How many hours you’re willing to work per week. The drop-down menu offers the options 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, and 31-40. Some employee reviews note that you’ll need to commit to at least ten hours per week.
- Who or what referred you to this job opportunity. In this case, you’d select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu. You can type FrugalForLess.com or Frugal For Less into the box.
If you don’t have a resume, it’s pretty easy to create one. I like the Google Drive resume template options.
They look professional and simply allow you to fill in the blanks. For this opportunity, I’d list all computer and social media skills you have. For example, list “proficient with Google research or “experienced with current social media”.
These sound trivial, but they are relevant to this job. Every detail counts!
Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Hiring Exam
If your Leapforce application is approved, your next step is completing the hiring exam. This exam tests your abilities as a search engine evaluator. You are provided with study materials beforehand, so you’ll have time to learn about this position.
I found more information about the exam that’s important to note, too.
- The Leapforce exam consists of three different parts. According to the Leapforce FAQ, it tests theoretical and practical skills regarding search engine evaluation.
- Leapforce states that the qualification exam is difficult to pass. This makes it crucial to study and truly prepare yourself.
- If you fail any of the three parts of the exam, you can retake the part[s] one time.
- The exam is open book; Leapforce allows you to use the guide they sent you. I’ll discuss this and how important it is below.
- You have a total of seven days to complete the entire exam.
- At Glassdoor.com, exam participants rate it a 3.7 out of 5. One is the easiest, and five is the most difficult. I recommend reading some of the feedback at the Glassdoor link. You can see some firsthand insight into the exam process.
I came across a very informative blog post titled What You Need to Know About the Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Exam. This post was written by someone who took and passed the exam.
She notes that it took about 2-3 evening and a total of nine hours to finish it. The author also discusses that the exam is open book. Leapforce sends you a 157-page study guide that essentially has answers for the entire exam.
She strongly suggests reading the guide before the exam in addition to using it as an open-book resource. I recommend reading her post in full along with Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Exam: Forming A Winning Strategy.
After reading all of these resources and feedback, I believe passing the exam is certainly possible. Since it’s open book, you have a great opportunity to answer each question correctly.
Some parts may be difficult, so studying ahead of time is important. The blog posts listed above may increase your chances of passing, too.
How Much Does Leapforce At Home Pay?
Most sources I’ve found state that Leapforce pays search engine evaluators at least $13.50 per hour. I’ll list all of the different hourly wages I’ve found for this position. This information applies to U.S. workers only.
- $13.78 to $13.88 per hour based on 161 reviews [Glassdoor]
- $13.50 per hour for U.S. workers based on an employee review [Reddit]
- $13.50 per hour for U.S. workers based on employee comments [Reddit]
- $13.50 per hour based on several employee reviews [Indeed]
These reports range from 2014 to 2017, so the numbers should be very accurate. It seems that Leapforce search engine evaluators earn at least $13.50 per hour. And in some cases, you may be able to earn more than that over time.
According to the Leapforce FAQ, workers are paid once per calendar month. Payment is made via direct deposit, so you’ll need a valid bank account.
This page also states that there are no fees associated with this opportunity. However, you are responsible for expenses such as your computer and Internet service.
Leapforce Search Engine Evaluator Reviews
If you’re interested in applying for the search engine evaluator position, it’s important to read Leapforce reviews. They’ll give you a good idea of what you can expect from this position – pros, cons, perks, and so on.
I’ve used two types of resources to find Leapforce search engine evaluator reviews. The first two resources are job boards. They offer statistics along with feedback from workers.
The two other resources are detailed articles or blog posts. These offer a more personal point of view with lots of insight. Consider the information and opinions below to help decide if this gig is right for you.
Reviews From Glassdoor.com
- This position is rated 3.7 out of 5 stars. This number is based on 120 reviews from Leapforce search engine evaluators.
- 75% of search engine evaluators say they would recommend this job to a friend.
- 55% of search engine evaluators say they approve of the CEO.
- The following pros were listed in several different positive reviews:
- * You get to work from home and set your own hours.
- The pay rate is good.
- Schedules are flexible.
- Payments are always made on time.
- Communication with management is good.
- The following cons were listed in several different neutral or negative reviews:
- * There are no benefits such as paid vacation.
- Training for this position is unpaid.
- The training and testing processes are intensive.
- Sometimes there isn’t enough work available to make a full-time income.
- Work availability varies depending on the time of day that you work. Reviews From Indeed.com
- This position is rated 3.8 out of 5 stars. This number is based on 57 reviews from Leapforce At Home employees.
- 63% of people say they are paid fairly by Leapforce. This is based on 11 reviews.
- Work/life balance is rated 4.4 out of 5 stars.
- Compensation and benefits are rated 3.3 out of 5 stars.
- Job security and advancement are rated 2.4 out of 5 stars.
- Management is rated 3.3 out of 5 stars.
- Culture is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
- The following pros are mentioned in positive reviews:
- * You get to work from home.
- You get to set your own work schedule.
- Communication is positive.
- The work is interesting/unique.
- Management and administration are good.
- You are essentially your own boss.
- The pay is fair.
- The hours are flexible.
- You get to learn new skills and information.
- Work/life balance is very good.
- The following cons are mentioned in negative and neutral reviews:
- * The work can be tedious or repetitive.
- There is a steep learning curve.
- You don’t get the social aspect of being around co-workers.
- The invoice system is poor quality.
- The compensation is unsatisfactory.
- There is not always enough work available.
- You may feel isolated due to working at home.
- Self-employment taxes decrease actual earnings.
- The position requires discipline and dedication.
- Payment only occurs once per month.
- Some workers experience communication issues. Is LeapForce A Scam?
This is a review by blogger Eddy Salomon, who covers ways to make money online. He mostly covers information I’ve given already but does provide a useful section about cons.
The cons mention the Non-Disclosure Agreement that workers sign and the fact that pay is not outright listed on their website. He also mentions that the exam is notoriously difficult, which is commonly confirmed by Leapforce search engine evaluators.
But overall, he does agree that it’s a legitimate work at home opportunity.
Are Search Engine Evaluator Jobs with Leapforce a Scam?
This review post is written by Wendy from Surviving After College. She gives this job opportunity a rating of 75 out of 100; this seems pretty consistent with Indeed and Glassdoor stats.
Her post is similar to Eddy’s review. It covers the basics and lists the common downsides of the job. Her list of cons mentions that the pay rate is a bit misleading and that training is unpaid.
She also mentions that there isn’t always a lot of work available. Lastly, she notes that there isn’t job security. This is the only point I feel isn’t really fair; I’ve never found a self-employment position that offers job security.
Leapforce At Home Review Summary
Overall, Leapforce At Home offers a solid opportunity for an hourly work from home job. The exam process may be rigorous, but the studying can certainly pay off. At a minimum of $13.50 per hour, it’s not a bad gig at all.
Search engine evaluation is always in demand, so this type of work is unlikely to end anytime soon. Use this review to help you decide if the job is right for you.
You may be surprised to learn that other companies offer legit hourly work from home jobs. We strive to review all of these opportunities at Frugal For Less.
For some recent examples, check out PrizeRebel Review: Earn $10+ Per Hour Completing Small Tasks Online and VIPKID Review: Earn $18/Hour Teaching English Online. Take a look at these options and others here at Frugal For Less – the right opportunity is out there.
What is a search engine evaluator?
Search Engine Evaluators conduct research and provide feedback that measures the accuracy of web search results, how useful the results pages are, and the relevance of the search results. A high school diploma is required for this position, but a post-secondary degree is preferred.
What kind of work do you do on Appen?
The vast majority of Appen projects are very beginner-friendly, and most of them will fall under either one of these job categories: search engine evaluation, social media evaluation, transcription, translation and microtask.