Make a quick buck

A new crop of websites will let you do just that

Kaitlin Madden, CareerBuilder writer

Ever wish you had a friend who was always available when you wanted to go out? Someone who always wanted to go bowling when you wanted to bowl, or who was in the mood for Chinese food every time you had a craving for veggie fried rice?

What about a personal assistant? Wouldn't it be great to have someone on call to pick up your dry cleaning or  buy your groceries?

Well, consider these wishes granted and then some. A new crop of websites has begun to cater to people with an immediate need, whether it be a baby-sitter, a  repairman, a professional-looking PowerPoint presentation or, yes, even a last-minute friend.

Bing: Tax tips for freelancers

While these sites are great news for those who need a  helping hand, on the flip side, they may be an even better resource for those looking to make a quick buck. Someone has to be that personal assistant or fried-rice friend, right? That person might as well be you. 

The assignment-based nature of these sites lets those who sign up as service providers choose the work that best fits their talents and their schedules, making them perfect for those who need extra cash, but may not have room in their schedule for a permanent second or part-time job.

Sound like something you'd be interested in? Here's a rundown of three sites that want your help.

Elance.com

Elance.com offers contract and freelance jobs in many fields; assignments can be found in engineering and manufacturing, design and multimedia, writing and translation, administrative support, finance and more.

Besides connecting contractors with jobs, the site also offers tools to help manage the workload. The E-lance "workroom" has applications for e-mail, time sheets and  file sharing. Plus, the site guarantees you will be paid for the work you do. Money is placed in escrow by the employer before the freelance job is assigned, and released to the contractor once the job is complete.

While freelancers can browse positions and apply to any they find interesting, employers can also search the profiles of contractors on the site, so be sure your profile is professional, and highlights your skills and experience.

TaskRabbit.com

TaskRabbit is a prayer answered for those in need of a neighborhood handyman, a temporary personal assistant or just a general "gofer."  "Runners," the people who sign up to complete the tasks, can choose assignments ranging from grocery shopping, to house chores, to helping with a move.

To become a runner, you must first get through a phone interview and a background check. After being hired, you can start bidding on jobs in your area. The bid process requires runners to name a price they think is acceptable for the completion of the task, and the person who listed the task accepts the bid of the runner with the best offer.

The site operates in Boston and San Francisco, and is expanding to New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Portland and Seattle. If you don't see your city on the list, you can suggest it on the site's  home page.

RentAFriend.com

The concept behind RentAFriend.com is simple; in essence, it's like a paid dating site for friends. Catering to people who are new to their respective city, those who are traveling on business and hate going to dinner alone, and people who are just sick of their current group of friends and are looking to meet new people, the site lists potential friends and their interests, allowing friend-seekers to choose the best fit. 

Unlike the other two sites mentioned here, contractors can't seek out the assignments they want. Instead, the friends-in-need seek out the right person for the job. So, like a dating site, the better your personal profile, the more likely you are to be contacted by someone interested in hanging out with you.

Sell yourself well and you could get paid for having fun and meeting new people. The site has a "minimum wage" of $10 an hour, and suggests that friend-seekers foot the bill for activities.

Bing: How to avoid work-at-home scams

Kaitlin Madden is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow @Careerbuilder on Twitter.