A self-improvement app, RiseGuide, is offering a unique eight-week paid position for a "Global Charisma Scout" to travel across Europe and assess the social interaction dynamics in major cities. The role, which begins in mid-July, aims to address a perceived decline in communication skills, particularly among younger generations.
Research cited by RiseGuide indicates that 78 percent of Generation Z and millennial respondents reported that poor communication has led to financial or opportunity losses. The study also found that one in seven would not ask a stranger for help even when lost and without a phone, while over 40 percent never answer their phones and 58 percent admit to rehearsing conversations before making calls. Nine percent of those surveyed reported not speaking to another person in the past few months.
The Global Charisma Scout will be tasked with visiting eight cities—Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Lisbon, Paris, and Rome—and ranking them based on criteria such as the warmth of locals, their talkativeness, and the "ease of approach." The successful applicant will receive $3,000 per month, approximately £2,200, with flights, hotels, and experiences covered by RiseGuide. The ultimate goal of the project is to compile a published ranking that guides individuals on where it is most comfortable to initiate conversations with strangers.
Daily responsibilities for the scout could include engaging with strangers in various settings, from parks to cafes and public transport queues. Each conversation must be documented, and participants' permission should be sought for recording or photographing interactions. Alternatively, mementos from conversations, such as a cafe napkin or ticket stub, can be collected. The role requires the applicant to be eligible to travel within the European Union and to possess traits such as being energetic, outgoing, independent, and people-oriented. RiseGuide explicitly stated that a university degree or a traditional CV is not required; instead, applicants must submit a personal introduction video and links to their social media profiles.
RiseGuide highlights that this job is designed to push individuals out of their comfort zones, noting that approximately 10 percent of people would prefer to pay a sum of money rather than speak in public. The company views this position as an opportunity to challenge such data and is seeking individuals who embody the opposite of conformity. This initiative comes at a time when official figures in Britain show over one million young people are not in education, employment, or training, the highest number in over a decade. A recent review on youth unemployment warned of a potential "lost generation" if job opportunities for young people do not expand.