The secret to filling your shifts (and filling them early) depends on how you describe the role and responsibilities of your shift. While you want to pique a freelancer's interest in your shift, taking the time to write a complete shift description will set you both up for success before the shift even starts. Read below for an overview of how to:
Post a shift (including tips on setting clear expectations for your freelancers, and best practices to improve your shift fill rate);
Copy a shift; and
Posting a Shift
If you’ve never posted a shift before, you’ll select the Post a New Shift option from either the Qwick for Business app or dashboard, then follow these steps:
1. Specify shift location
Specify the location for your shift to direct the freelancer where to go. You can either add a new location or select a previously saved one. If you’re adding a new location, type in the:
Address - Address of the shift location. You can be more specific in the location name and the arrival instructions if there’s a particular area you want the freelancer to arrive.
Location Name - The location name details where the freelancer will arrive for their shift, so be specific. You may have two locations at the same address but in different areas of the property. For example, “The Brittany Hotel - Pool Area” or “The Brittany Hotel - Sushi Restaurant.”
Parking Cost - Is parking free, reimbursable, or not reimbursable? Providing this information helps the freelancer plan for a timely arrival.
Arrival Instructions - Use this space to add important information the freelancer needs to know about arrival/parking. Detail anything unusual or unintuitive about your shift's arrival/parking situation. Little things such as landmarks to look for or which door they should enter help ensure they arrive on time and ready to work.
Note: Previously saved locations will automatically fill in your address, location name, parking cost, and specific arrival instructions. Take the time to edit this information if it's different for the shift you're posting.
2. Select when the shift will occur + break details
In this section, you'll be asked to select:
Shift start time
Pick the start and end times of your shift to inform the freelancer when to show up for the shift. The shift’s start time is when you expect the freelancer to check in with your onsite manager, and the end time is when you expect the shift to end. Please note, these times aren’t binding (i.e., a freelancer will be paid based on their clock in/out, which you will approve), but should be as accurate as possible.
Repeats
Indicate whether your shift is repeating weekly or not.
If the shift you're posting is repeating weekly (e.g., every Tuesday for the next three weeks; or every Friday and Saturday for the next four months):
Select "Weekly" from the Repeats drop down menu.
Specify the days of the week your shift will repeat, and click "Apply."
Pick the duration of the repetition by selecting your start and end dates from the calendar. (Note: Repeating shifts may only be booked for six months ahead of time.)
If the shift you're posting is not repeating (e.g., your shift is Tuesday at 9 pm):
Select "Never" from the Repeats drop down menu.
Pick your shift's start date from the calendar, and click "Save."
If your shift is recurring on various days (with all the same information, i.e., same shift type, time, location, etc.), select each date on the calendar to create and post multiple shifts at once.
Note: You can deselect a highlighted date from the calendar by clicking the date you wish to remove.
Unpaid Break
Indicate here if your shift(s) includes an unpaid break for freelancers, you can indicate it here (None/15/30/60 minutes). This time will be automatically deducted from their pay when they clock out. (Onsite Managers are responsible for facilitating any unpaid breaks.)
3. Identify shift needs
Specify shift type
Every Qwick freelancer is pre-vetted for the specific type of experience they have. Select the shift type that most accurately describes the work you need help with so we can match you with someone with relevant experience.
Decide how many freelancers you need
Whether you need one (or 50) freelancers, we have you covered. To ensure you receive the shift help you need, we will occasionally fill your shifts with more freelancers than the number you requested—especially during seasons when cancellations and no-shows are common. You’re welcome to send the extras home if the help isn’t needed. Click here to learn more.
Do you want a specific individual to work your shift? If you’ve rated a freelancer 5-stars in the past, you can request that they be one of the first to receive an invite for your upcoming shift. Please note this does not guarantee we will assign this freelancer to your shift.
Set the hourly rate
You have the freedom to set the pay rate as you see fit—the only cost of using Qwick is a 40% markup on this rate.
Indicate if tips are included
You can also indicate here whether the freelancer will be earning tips (and if so, whether you’re paying those tips out in cash or through the app for an additional 5% fee). We enforce minimum rates based on our data which identifies the best chance of filling that specific shift type in your market. (Last-minute shifts tend to have higher minimums.)
4. Describe your shift
Write the introduction
The introduction is the first thing a freelancer will see when deciding whether to accept your shift—so make it catchy! In a couple of sentences, describe an overview of the shift. For example, “Looking for a professional culinary person to serve a three-course seated dinner during a private wedding. Afterward, you’ll help the crew clean up and fold tables and chairs. Successful freelancers will work quickly, be team players, and work well in high-energy environments.”
List the shift responsibilities
These are the individual tasks that the freelancer will be responsible for during the shift. While at least one shift responsibility is required, we recommend detailing tasks the freelancer will perform. For example:
Greet guests
Stock bars as assigned
Assist guests with complimentary soft drinks
Serve food
You can rearrange multiple shift responsibilities with the drag-and-drop function.
Add shift requirements (optional)
Toggle this section on to select from a list of pre-defined requirements (e.g., able to lift 50+ pounds). You can also add custom requirements if you need to add a requirement that isn’t listed (e.g., you must be able to work in a fast-paced environment).
Specify expected attire and accessories
Inform the freelancer how they should dress for your shift by selecting from the provided options or indicating a custom attire. This section is critical because you can detail your shift's specific attire requirements. For example:
Short sleeves mandatory
Shirts must be tucked in
Tie required
Etc.
Additionally (and depending on the shift you’re posting), you can indicate if the freelancer should bring any relevant accessories. For example, you may select “bottle opener” or “wine key” for a Bartender shift.
Confirm onsite manager
The onsite manager is responsible for checking in freelancers, managing them during the shift, and confirming their clock-in/out times (if needed). Note: We deeply value the privacy of you and your team and do not share onsite managers' numbers with freelancers.
5. Review (and preview) your shift details
Once you’ve entered the information for your shift, you can edit each section of the shift description (and rearrange the order of the responsibilities) before posting for freelancers to accept. Confirm you’ve detailed all criteria to set the freelancer (and yourself) up for success.
6. Post your shift
Once you’re happy with your shift details, click Post Shift to begin the process of filling your shift. Qwick uses an intelligent algorithm to match you with the highest quality freelancer(s)—which may not happen immediately (especially if your shift is more than a few days away).
Editing a Shift
If you need to go back and update a shift that you've already posted:
Navigate to Upcoming Shifts to find the shift you want to edit.
Click on the shift to expand the shift details, and click "Edit."
You can adjust the following information:
Number of requested freelancers;
Hourly rate;
Shift description/introduction;
Arrival instruction details; and
Onsite manager information.
Note: If you're editing a repeating shift, a box will pop up asking whether you want to edit just this shift, or this and all future shifts in this series. Select your preference to continue with the editing process as outlined above.
Copying a Shift
If you need to post a shift similar to others you’ve posted, save yourself some time and copy a shift! Whether you're copying a repeating or non-repeating shift (more info in the Repeats section above), we’ll copy the details for you to speed up the process.
Locate the shift you’d like to replicate from the Past Shifts page
Click Copy (or tap “+” on the app and select Copy From Another Shift).
Go through the shift posting process (similar to the “Posting a New Shift” flow above), and fine-tune the details of this new shift to ensure they match your needs.
Canceling a Shift
To cancel a shift you've posted:
Navigate to Upcoming Shifts to find the shift you need to cancel.
Click on the shift to expand the shift details, and click "Cancel."
Note: If you're canceling a repeating shift, a box will pop up asking whether you want to cancel just this shift, or this and all future shifts in this series. Select your preference to continue with the cancelation process as outlined above.