To supplement his meager income, Nigel found some helpful websites that acted as a work escrow service. Nigel created a profile, passed several assessments, and wrote several proposals. After monitoring the site for a few days, he lost interest and resumed his unofficial character-leveling business, but the money was starting to slow down now that players were getting banned.
Nigel decided to find work in some low-tech areas. When getting ready for school one morning, he noticed his mother’s copy of the ThriftySaver newspaper. It was folded in half, and several advertisements were visible. He browsed the paper for part-time jobs. Other than advertisements for mall Santas and fast-food positions, he saw nothing he was remotely qualified for. He flipped through a few more pages before an ad caught his eye: “Hardware Hacking Challenge.” Nigel didn't think he possessed the skills for it, but he read on.
“Do you have a mind for figuring out the impossible? Do you have the drive to figure stuff out on the fly? Can you think outside the box? If so, then apply posthaste! Video interviews will be conducted for the lucky few who can get through the initial screening process. Pay is commensurate not only with experience but the ability to solve the puzzles that I will set forth. The most successful candidates will have a mind for games, logic puzzles, and hacking (of course). One word of caution, my chums: If you don't apply yourself befitting to the level of effort that I deem worthy, then you shall be forever banned from my hacking-verse. Any accepted job that is not submitted within the agreed time will not be accepted, and the submitter will be banned from all future endeavors. A résumé, a written proposal, and a cover letter must be attached to each application. Any application submitted without these items will be destroyed.
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“If you have the skill, drive, and desire, you shall be greatly rewarded. Bring a lackadaisical attitude or work ethic to the job and you shall reap what you sow.”
The final section intrigued Nigel. He double-checked the age requirements—everyone over sixteen was welcome to apply, so long as they had a work permit if the applicant was under eighteen. The first requirement was easy since Nigel was almost seventeen. The work permit was a bit tricky since his mother would need to sign for it.