I tested a $150/hour AI job & this happened

You've seen the ads, right?

"Make $150 an hour training AI from anywhere in the world."

"Remote AI work - no experience required."

If you're like me, you wondered: Is this actually real?

So I decided to find out. I signed up for Alignerr.com last month and went through their entire process.

Here's exactly what happened…

What Is Alignerr?

Alignerr promises flexible, remote AI training work. According to their website, freelancers can earn up to $150 an hour on projects like content evaluation, audio transcription, and prompt testing.

They partner with a company called Labelbox and say they have projects for people with different areas of expertise.

Sounds perfect for digital nomads, right?

Well, not so fast.

The Application Marathon

The process starts innocently enough: create a profile and upload your resume.

That was already a hurdle for me. I haven't needed a resume in 20 years, since leaving my corporate telecom career to run my own business.

So I turned to ChatGPT and created a brand-new resume in just a few minutes. (If you're a small business owner without a current resume, AI can help you write one quickly.)

But even after uploading my resume, Alignerr didn't automatically pull in my information. I still had to manually enter all of my job history and skills. For a company working in AI, it was surprisingly...manual.

Next came a video interview with an AI named Zara. This part takes about 15 minutes, but you need to set up as you would for an important Zoom call: good lighting, clear audio, and so on.

I also uploaded my passport for identity verification through a service called Persona.

The Endless Assessments

Then came two skill assessments: English and General Reasoning. The website said each would take about 20 minutes.

In reality? It took me much longer.

It felt like my answers weren't being recorded properly, and the questions just kept coming.

I wasn't alone...I saw the same complaint from dozens of users in the Alignerr Discord group.

And there's no support team you can contact about it. You’re just stuck. Either you keep going and complete the assessment you started, or start again another time.

I decided to push through and completed both assessments.

The Reality Check

In the three weeks since I signed up, I've received exactly three project emails.

Project 1: An audio task where I recorded and submitted my voice as requested. Unfortunately, I never heard anything back.

Project 2: Required fluency in multiple languages. While I'm currently living in Guatemala and working on my Spanish, I'm definitely not fluent yet.

Project 3: Rubric-based evaluations requiring experience in coding, science, math, or engineering. Not my background.

The result? After all that effort (creating a resume, video interview, lengthy assessments, project applications), I still haven't been assigned any actual work.

What the Discord Reveals

The Alignerr Discord tells the same story.

It's full of people asking:

"Why haven't I been selected?"

"Why did the assessments take so long?"

"Is anyone actually getting work here?"

And no one seems to have answers.

The Bottom Line

Can digital nomads really make $150 an hour training AI with Alignerr?

Technically, yes.

But realistically? Individuals with highly specialized qualifications, such as fluency in multiple languages or advanced STEM backgrounds, are more likely to be selected.

For the rest of us, Alignerr could be a good side gig, but it won't provide a consistent or reliable income. And there's a lot of competition!

If you're serious about creating sustainable online income, keep building your own assets. Keep working on your business.

Don't wait for someone else to hand you work. Create your own opportunities instead.

That's the real path to location independence.

**Parque Central de Antigua Guatemala -** I loved our visit to Antigua last week! We walked from one end to the other, covering over six miles (14,038 steps!) on our self-guided tour.

💡 AI Tool Spotlight: ChatGPT for Resume Creation

Since I mentioned using ChatGPT to create my resume for Alignerr, here's the exact prompt that worked:

Help me write a resume tailored for [insert job title, industry, or type of work]. Ask me questions about my experience and skills. Do not make up any information or leave gaps in the timeline. I’ll fill in the details as we go. Ask one question at a time.

🔹 Why it works: ChatGPT can take your scattered work history and turn it into a polished, professional document in minutes. I like the individual question format because it allows you to cut and paste from other documents and helps ensure you didn't miss anything.

🔹 Pro tip: After ChatGPT creates the first draft, you may want to prompt again to "rewrite this resume to emphasize skills relevant to [remote AI training work]" or whatever specific opportunity you're applying for. Continue to ask for refinements until you are satisfied.

🌴 Travel Moment: Working From The Hotel Courtyard

I spent part of my time in Antigua last week working from the balcony outside my hotel room. It's such a lush, tropical area, with flowers everywhere and in every imaginable color!

This is exactly why I don't want to depend on platforms like Alignerr for income.

When you build your own online business, you get to choose when and where you work. You're not waiting for someone else to approve your application or assign tasks to you.

You're in control of your own schedule, your own income, and your own life.

That freedom is worth more than any hourly rate.

Until Next Week,

Tanya

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