Website Links Job Seekers With Work

In this struggling economy, work is hard to find for those of any age,
especially teens and recent graduates. With the launching of a new
local website, though, kids may be able to find the work they are
looking for and parents can finally get some odd jobs completed around
the house.

MyHometownLink, originally a Wellesley exclusive, launched in Needham
two weeks ago and allows students to create profiles, display what
type of jobs they would be willing to complete and their availability.
Adults, in turn, can log in and find a suitable employee for any tasks
they may need accomplished.

"The response was awesome in Wellesley. Parents and students were
thrilled every time we told them about (the site)," said Joanna
Geisinger, co-founder of MyHometownLink.

The site was launched in Wellesley in Sept. 2009 and has since amassed
over 800 members, which Geisinger related is "more than we could have
hoped."

After their success in Wellesley, the gurus behind MyHometownLink
opened up shop in Needham.

"We had always planned on expanding into Needham next because it is
close and similar to Wellesley," said Geisinger. "We wanted to wait
until we finished our fourth prototype of the site, which is much
cleaner and has a few new features. Throughout our time in Wellesley
we also got a lot of requests from other towns to expand."

Students who are interested in getting involved with the site can
create an account with a unique profile. The profile includes their
first name and last initial, jobs they are interested in providing, an
informational blurb about themselves and any past experience they may
have had. A list of references can also be provided, as well as a
photo of themselves.

"Parents have all said that they have found really great students and
have been thrilled with how easy it was," Geisinger said, who
explained that parents can also post work that they need done.

The site is free to navigate, but a premium membership is required to
find contact information for students.

With MyHometownLink's expansion into Needham, Geisinger is hopeful
that even more people will be exposed to the kind of work that is
available and meet some kids along the way who are very deserving of
jobs.

"(The site) is extremely helpful for students during this economy,"
she said. "It is very difficult for students to get work, especially
part time, so this is a really easy way for them to do so, where as
otherwise a lot might not even bother to try given how discouraging it
can be."