Search Generalist

$30–40/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Generalist

Review daily web search queries, rate the returned pages and add concise annotations explaining your judgments. The role suits regular web users who can assess relevance consistently and complete each assigned batch within the same day.

What the work involves

You will receive a set of search queries each day, inspect the results and rate how well each page answers the apparent question. Each judgment may require a short written note, so the work combines everyday search literacy with concise reasoning and consistent application of rating criteria.

What Mercor screens for

The screening is likely to test whether you can identify search intent, distinguish useful results from superficially related pages and explain borderline ratings in clear written English. Specific subject interests or expertise, such as basketball or reality TV, can help demonstrate how you handle queries where context, current knowledge or specialist vocabulary matters. Other languages are a plus, but none are specified as required.

Practical details

Assignments must be completed within the day they are issued, which suggests day-based, largely asynchronous work rather than fixed live sessions. The listing does not state typical daily or weekly hours, and it does not explicitly confirm remote eligibility or location restrictions. Before starting, candidates complete a background survey covering age, location, languages, education, interests and similar details.

Pay band: $30–40/hr

What they look for

Regular web search use and search-result assessment
Strong written English for short annotations
Ability to identify the intent behind everyday queries
Careful and consistent application of rating criteria
Knowledge or sustained interest in one or more specific subject areas
Ability to complete assigned query batches within the assigned day

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: This tests whether search is genuinely part of your regular routine and whether you can describe concrete query types rather than merely claiming broad internet familiarity.
A strong answer: Give two or three recent examples with different intents, such as finding a fact, comparing options or locating a specific page, and briefly explain how you decided which results were useful.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by saying they search every day but giving no recent query, result or decision they can describe under follow-up.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.