'World's coolest job': Singaporean start-up seeks shoppers for month in Japan on US$10,000 salary
Social media savvy applicants sought by grocery concierge service for work and pleasure, all expenses paid
A Singapore-based start-up advertising the “world’s coolest job” is looking for two candidates to go food shopping in Japan for a month on a US$10,000 salary and all expenses paid.
The dream job will involve shopping and delivering for users of honestbee, an on-demand grocery concierge and delivery service that launched in Singapore in July and in Hong Kong last month. The chosen two will serve tourists staying in the northern ski-resort town of Niseko, Hokkaido prefecture, for most of January.
“This call for application seeks out the social media savvy, adventurous and spontaneous, giving them an experience they will never forget,” says Joel Sng, honestbee’s CEO. “Winning candidates can expect to enjoy among the best job perks available, such as trying out the world-renowned onsens [hot springs], as well as skiing and snowboarding down the powdery slopes of Niseko.”
Applicants, who must be 21 or above, have until December 18 to follow the @honestbeejp Instagram page and submit a 15-second video application with the app with the hashtag #WorldsCoolestJob, explaining why they are the best person for the job.
The top 10 submissions, based on the number of post likes, will be interviewed by a panel of judges and the winners will be announced on December 28.
Honestbee spokesman Nicholas Lim says the Niseko initiative, which is being supported by the Niseko Promotion Board, is a “pop-up” venture that will run through the skiing season from December 15 to the end of February. Many foreign tourists rent properties with full-service kitchens and cook for themselves, he says.
“There are not many grocery stores and visitors tend to focus on skiing,” Lim says. The two “shopping bees” will be buying and delivering groceries, but are also expected to share their experiences on social media.
“We want them to be the story and share their adventures. They will be doing cool stuff like snowboarding and skiing, and visiting famous restaurants. We want them to share their excitement,” he says.
Honestbee raised S$15 million (HK$82 million) prior to its July launch and plans to expand its personal shopping service permanently to Japan and other countries in the region in the coming year. The start-up describes itself as a “social impact business” that creates sustainable job opportunities for anyone looking for more flexible working hours. Honestbee says it is different from similar shopping services because customers can chose items from a number of different shops and will get same-day delivery.
