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Contracting College Students
IMR, Oct. 28, 1996
When Jim Klein, CFC, has a customer who needs some software installed or a client who is having problems with a computer printer, he sometimes calls a local college student for help. Madison Business Systems in Fairfield, N.J., has hired students as independent contractors to complete a variety of tasks, including solving simple computer problems or handling kit fulfillment, says Klein, president of the large distributorship. There are a handful of 4-year and community colleges near Fairfield, and referrals often come from Madison employees who know a neighbor attending a local college. Those students then recommend their friends to Madison. The distributorship pays different rates per task, depending on complexity. Some jobs only entail running errands, such as picking up a printer for a customer and taking it in for repair. If a student doesn't do a good job, the company uses someone else the next time, Klein says.