How to get a job at Handy

If you’re skilled with your hands — cleaning houses, assembling furniture, fixing a clogged sink — it might be time to look into Handy. This company is a unique on-demand service that connects people who need various hands-on tasks (e.g., painting, moving furniture, mowing lawns) done with experts who can complete them. Whether you can hang a shelf, make customer support phone calls, build an Ikea table, or hook up a surround sound system, there are always people looking for specialized expertise.

“What I really like is that I can take a couple of jobs a day, and I don’t have to deal with the headache of finding my own customers and dealing with payments.” - Handyman, Boston, on Handy.com

Applying to Handy

Handy is not an employer, so you’re not directly working for Handy. Instead, Handy is a platform that directly connects you with the customers and other gigs who want to hire you for your services. You’re an independent contractor — and your own boss!

The online application is easy! For just about everyone who completes it through the Handy website, it takes a little more than five minutes, and it can be finished while sitting on your couch.

What you’ll need

• Your basic information (e.g., your name, phone number, email address, zip code, and the type of service you intend to perform)

• An approved form of identification (e.g., a passport, driver’s license, government issued ID; not school IDs or government benefit cards)

• Your social security number and authorization to work in the country you are applying in

• A background check — A criminal record disqualifies you from working with Handy, so the company verifies that you don’t have any records of this type and that you don’t appear on the sex offender registry. This is not a free service and you’ll need to pay a $25 registration fee to cover the processing of your background check.

• Prior work experience — you must have paid past experience with the services you are applying for (e.g., painting, plumbing, electrical jobs)

• A vehicle, depending on where you live — For example, if you live in New York City, public transportation is often the most efficient way of getting from place to place. If you live in a rural community, owning a car would be essential.

• If you are applying to work as a licensed plumber or electrician, you’ll need to provide proof of your license and credentials as well as have your own liability insurance

Next steps

• Attend Handy’s orientation program
  After your identity is verified and your background check comes back clean, the next step is an orientation program. This is where you’ll learn how to use the Handy Pro app.
  
  Once you’re approved as a Handy Pro, you can create your profile page in the app. And once your profile is set up, you can start claiming jobs right away.

Important fact to know

Handy does not provide supplies or equipment for you to do your job — you’ll need to bring your own tools.