RiseGuide Hires Workers to Small Talk with Strangers

The company is recruiting three remote workers to practice conversation skills in public spaces for a $2,000 stipend.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Remote Work

Screen-print poster illustration featuring two coffee cups and a journal on a table, evoking the theme of social interaction. — RiseGuide is recruiting three remote workers to spend 30 days documenting small talk with strangers to address the loneliness epidemic. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you believe face-to-face communication skills are declining due to our constant phone usage?

RiseGuide is hiring up to three candidates to spend 30 days engaging in small talk with strangers across the United States. This remote initiative provides a $2,000 stipend and an expense budget to visit cafes, parks, and bookstores to document interactions for the company's mobile app.

Why it matters

The company aims to address the loneliness epidemic while testing whether communication and social confidence can be treated as trainable skills. These findings will be used to develop new communication lessons for the RiseGuide platform to help improve professional prospects.

The role pays a total of $2,000 for a 30-day term, with hiring capped at three positions. Data indicates 65% of Gen Z workers struggle with conversation topics, while 44% spend at least six hours daily on phones.

The players

RiseGuide

RiseGuide is a mobile application company focused on developing content to improve communication and professional confidence.

The details

Selected workers will document their real-world interactions through notes and videos to inform future app content and create a ranking of social-friendly locations. Applicants, who can be based anywhere in the country, must submit a self-presentation pitch video to qualify for the role.

The Harris Poll study on Gen Z communication skills was conducted in 2024.
RiseGuide released the job posting in October 2026.

Market Landscape

This program aligns with the 2024 Harris Poll regarding Gen Z communication skills by providing a practical training environment for soft skills. It represents a shift where companies are increasingly investing in social training to address the disconnect between digital habits and in-person workplace expectations.

Applicants interested in the role must be prepared to document their social outings and provide regular progress reports to the company. While the role is remote, the position requires physical presence in public locations like cafes and parks to perform the job duties.

The takeaway

The rise of such roles highlights how companies are moving to address social skill gaps in the workforce through real-world experimentation. Readers looking to improve their own professional confidence may find that practice in low-stakes environments like public parks or cafes serves as an effective, accessible training ground.