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Work-at-Home Job Profile: Google Ads Quality Rater

By , About.com Guide

While Google as a company is not known for its work-at-home jobs (so those searching for Google jobs should be wary of work-at-home scams), the Internet giant does have a legitimate work at home opportunity in the form of its ads quality rater.

These temporary positions are often bilingual jobs, though there are also English-only jobs. These jobs are similar to what other companies might call an “Internet assessor job.” note that Google quality raters are actually hired through an outside firm called WorkforceLogic (additionally Lionbridge, which contracts with Google, hires for similar positions).

What Is a Google Quality Rater?:

An ads quality rater is essentially a human fact-checker for Google’s algorithm, or mathematical formula, for determining relevant search engine results. As Google constantly fine tunes its algorithm--both as a way to return better search results and as a way to keep up with the changing ways people use language and the Internet--it needs actual people to check that the results it returns to users are indeed what they are looking for. Google has search engines for countries across the globe, and therefore hires quality rater positions for many different languages. See more jobs in search evaluation.

What Does a Google Ads Quality Rater Do?:

The job involves analyzing and providing feedback on text, web pages, images and other types of information for Google, using an online tool. Raters log on to the online tool via their Google accounts to to select tasks to do on a self-directed schedule.

A quality rater reviews the results returned in a specific search query and rates them in terms of relevance. Some might be marked as “vital,” while others as “useful,” “relevant,” “slightly relevant,” and “off-topic.” Results can also be market as spam. Obviously this is a more subjective process than the algorithm, but Google gives raters guidelines on how to choose a rating for a result.

What Are the Requirements for a Quality Rater?:

In general, quality raters need in-depth, current knowledge of web culture and media, as well as the ability to deal with a broad range of interests and topics. Excellent written communication skills and web analytic capabilities are required.

More specifically, the requirements for quality raters are a four-year college degree (BA/BS or equivalent) or four years relevant work experience (so a college degree is not necessarily required but desired). All must have college-level fluency in reading and writing in English, but for bilingual rater jobs, newspaper-level fluency in the language of the job is required. In addition to fluency in the language, a deep understanding of the culture is required. Both the bilingual and English-only jobs require the applicant have a valid U.S. work authorization and that the work be performed in the United States. They must be able to work 10-30 hours a week and have a secure, private high speed Internet connection.

What Does a Google Pay Quality Raters?:

Google does not release data on quality rater pay. In fact, raters must sign non-disclosure statements. However, published accounts suggest about $14-5 an hour paid weekly.

How Do You Become a Google Rater?:

Search Google's job openings with the keywords "ads quality rater." Click on result and apply by sending a text (ASCII) or HTML (no Word documents) resume and cover letter to the address in the posting. The subject field of your email must include exact title of the position for which you are a applying, e.g., "Ads Quality Rater (Temporary) - English."

Applicants who are selected for further review, which could take several weeks or more, are given an online test. New hires must sign a non-disclosure statement because Google keeps information relating to the development its algorithm and other information about the company private.

Related information:

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