MetaJob Uses Crowdsourcing To Propel the Future of Work for the Gig Economy

As an industry, we’ve been talking about “the future of work” for some time now, but never quite like this. MetaJob, a Moon Creative Lab venture, is a job-matching service for gig workers that goes beyond simply enabling new ways of working without the boundaries of time or physical space. 

MetaJob is taking the “work from anywhere” concept and adding a twist of crowdsourcing: The company provides job seekers with unique virtual opportunities where they can offer their expertise on a topic or product they know a lot about. Think of it like an interactive version of Yelp! or Amazon’s customer reviews – where the gig worker can offer their knowledge of and experience with a particular topic or product to provide services such as virtual staff that guide people at metaverse event venues, or orchestrating party games in karaoke rooms where gig worker hosts are represented by avatars.

MetaJob aims to develop a casual, online gig workplace where people can make extra income in their spare time simply by using their knowledge and experience for a new type of work MetaJob calls “Word of- Mouth 2.0.”

What does “Word of Mouth 2.0” look like?

MetaJob recently collaborated with Mitsubishi Estate and Simon Co., Ltd. to introduce a new men's skincare brand, “BULK HOMME,” via a pop-up store at Gotemba Premium Outlets near Mount Fuji.

This pop-up store is unique: It required no in-person staff and displayed only sample products. After sampling products of interest, customers could purchase them online using the QR code associated with the product sample. But most significantly, customers could also talk to "fan staff" who use and love the products to consult and ask questions live via the staff’s avatars.

Being able to shop while listening to actual user experiences and points of view – vs. classic “sales talk” – is a major advantage for new customers, especially when a company enters a relatively new market where “sales talk” can feel empty without validation from people who have used the product. 

This “fan staff” idea is a novel concept of customer service that can help new businesses grow while providing opportunities for gig workers.

Another recent MetaJob example is an online consultation service for HIROBIRO, a website operated by Hiroshima Prefecture that provides information for people looking to move to Hiroshima. MetaJob provided HIROBIRO  with live, avatar-based counselors who have lived in the prefecture and can provide authentic, individual advice based on their own experiences as Hiroshima residents.

People who have actually lived in Hiroshima offer more credibility to potential residents than the staff at local government consultation desks, while the avatar-based counselors can work from home and earn extra income.

What’s next for “Word of Mouth 2.0”?

These two use cases are only part of what MetaJob is doing to reimagine the new future of work.

For example, in addition to live, avatar-based reviews or guidance from experienced users, MetaJob plans to implement functions and buttons – such as “Ask a knowledgeable person” or “Hear from users about their experiences” – on various websites, including metaverse content and services. When customers click on one of these buttons, MetaJob will then match them with the most suitable, experienced users according to the product or content the customer is interested in (over time, AI may do this matching work). 

If both parties agree, the conversation will begin by using avatars so that customers can ask questions and be able to hear about real user’s experiences.

The future of MetaJob is bright. Do you remember YouTube Japan’s commercial campaign with the catchphrase, “Sukina koto de ikiteku (Live by doing what you like)”? When the campaign began back in 2014, YouTube was not nearly as popular as it is today – but over time, it has become a widely used platform for people to create their dream jobs.

Although we can’t predict the future, MetaJob is hoping to build a similar platform that can increase opportunities for a new generation of gig workers to create their dream jobs, too.

Check out MetaJob’s official website for more information, or read this interview with MetaJob founder Naohiro Hoshino on our Moon Stories Blog.