# Bidding on Employees Man Posts Himself on eBay as "Employee for a Month" By Rose Nazarali | Published 2009-06-09 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/employee-for-a-month-ebay References: [newslite](http://newslite.tv/2009/06/03/unemployed-man-puts-himself-on.html) & [cgi.ebay](http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hire-A-Fantastic-Employee-For-A-Month-Almost-Any-Work_W0QQitemZ370210555399QQihZ024QQcategoryZ121882QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Englishman Andy Palmer has been unemployed for a year and, in his fight against recession woes, has posted himself on [eBay](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mischief-by-chester) as “Employee for a Month." As a struggling mortgage adviser, Andy Palmer is offering 35 hours of his services a week in exchange for £1,997, 25% of which will go to charity. **Implications** - The recession led to millions of lost jobs; unemployed workers were forced to advertise their services in unusual ways. We saw this theme manifest in awe-inspiring ways, such as clever business cards, personal ads, personal promotional stunts and [auction-inspired bidding wars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/online-auction-format), as individuals pushed the proverbial envelope to stand out against thousands of prospective job applicants in their areas of specialty. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.9/10 - Popularity: 3% | Activity: 16% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Unconventional Job Search:** Opportunity for platforms or services that facilitate unique and attention-grabbing job search methods. - **Charitable Employment:** Potential for businesses to incorporate charitable giving into their hiring processes. - **Personalized Marketing:** Opportunity for advertising agencies to help individuals create personalized marketing campaigns to showcase their skills and stand out in job applications. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Job Search Platforms:** Opportunity for job search platforms to offer unconventional methods for job seekers to market themselves. - **Nonprofit Sector:** Potential for nonprofits to collaborate with job seekers by offering employment opportunities that involve charitable contributions. - **Advertising Agencies:** Opportunity for advertising agencies to assist individuals in creating unique marketing strategies to promote themselves in the job market. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Streamlined Hiring Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bid2work.md) - [Employee Resignations Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/souldboost.md) - [Pizza Box Resume Deliveries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/resume-deliveries.md) - [AI-to-Human Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rentahuman.md) - [Job-Themed Obstacle Courses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jobstacle-course.md) - [Self-Service Bidding Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rankbid.md) - [Restaurant Hiring Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/friendployees.md) - [Snack Artwork Auctions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mischief-by-chester.md) - [Extended Christmas Spirit Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/edubirdie-2022.md)