About FMATLabs

Q. What is FMATLabs?
A. FMATLabs connects talent from around the globe with companies who are looking to hire only the best. We have more than 100+ people from 90 different countries working full time (40 hrs/wk) for our clients and we are growing quickly as we have more customer demand than we can find good people. We are also a mission-driven company. Meaning, we believe in providing people with high-paying, long-term jobs/careers. We are not a marketplace in which companies are trying to hire someone at bottom basement rates for temporary work.

Q. Where is FMATLabs located?
A. FMATLabs is headquartered in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. We operate 100% remotely. So although we have a corporate mailing address, our global talent network works from any location where they can be most effective (in a cafe, at home, on the road, etc). FMATLabs has a network of amazing talent in over 90 countries.

Q. When was FMATLabs established?
A. FMATLabs as a brand was established in the late 2016. Prior to FMATLabs, it's FIBITS, established by Stephan Bryan in 2013. Initially FIBITS concentrated on design, web developing, mobile apps, brand promotion,etc. In 2014 and early 2016 FIBITS expanded its business by acquiring two technology firms on the same niche and elaborated services to engineering softwares, business intelligence, cloud develpment, VR, etc. In the late 2016, management revamped FIBITS to FMATLabs (Future Media And Technology Labs). Now we're a team of 100+ top talents from around 90 countries and well funded and growing quickly.

Q. Who is the CEO?
A. Stephan Bryan is the CEO of FMATLabs. Stephan’s passion is to drive the future of work in a global, interconnected, society. By enabling high-skill jobs growth, we can raise the standard of living across the globe. Stephan’s background also includes Director of Strategy at different MNCs as well as the CEO of successful tech startups.

Q. How can you afford to pay such high wages? Is this sustainable?
A. FMATLabs is a well funded company, but that’s not why we are able to afford to pay high wages. Our clients are searching for the best talent in the world. We are not paying based on location; we pay based on talent. We provide our clients with a rigorous testing process to ensure we’re hiring the best. Clients are willing to pay for the best talent.

Additionally, by operating remotely we have less overhead and therefore we are able to redirect saved costs to our talent network. In doing this, we can afford to pay the best talent what they are worth. Long term, our elite talent network is generating much more value than a workforce based solely on cost savings.

Q. How are you different from other companies like Elance? Like Hired?
A. Unlike these companies, our focus is not on freelancing, but instead on full time (40 hours / week), long term jobs. We believe the best talent wants challenging opportunities and long term careers, not short-term or part-time contracts, and would rather not spend their valuable time always trying to find new opportunities (i.e. freelancing), but rather in changing the world for the better.

Q. I’ve seen some negative things written about you – why is that?
A. There’s a saying that if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. So we’re not surprised that people question our model. That’s what happens when a company is disrupting a new space and shaking things up a bit. We believe we are having a significant impact on the way the world will hire in future. This is uncomfortable because it’s a big change. But this change is inevitable.

We have heard questions like:

• Are you one of those Nigerian scams?
  Again, rest assured – there is nobody from FMATLabs that will be sending you an email that states that you inherited a fortune in some random country and we need your bank account to transfer it … But since we are one of the legitimate companies offering real remote jobs (and we offer them at a high hourly rate) – we get lumped into a category of scams/get-rich-quick garbage that has existed around the internet for a long time.

This will change as more and more companies start heading in this direction. We are one of the pioneers, but this will work itself out in the future as jobs in the cloud become commonplace.

Getting Hired with FMATLabs

Q. What types of companies will I work for?
A. Our clients are Fortune 100 companies that have challenging problems to solve. Some of our clients include: Telkom, DRS, Thrive Capital, Inovia, Barclays, Viacom, Domino, Bloomberg, Plated, Dimension data, Gystnow, and list expanding quickly. We also believe in vetting our clients since we know that great talent wants to work for great companies. We help facilitate great matches for long term success.

Q. What types of roles do you offer?
A. Primarily we have technical, design, marketing roles. To find a list of all available jobs, you can find the following link on our website: http://www.fmatlabs.com/careers/

Q. What is the biggest benefit of working with FMATLabs?
A. We understand that, as a person of great talent, you have a lot of opportunities. We’ve been told the best part about FMATLabs is:

• great wages that are paid on time and consistently
• complete flexibility
• setting your own schedule
• working with other top performers / great team members
• working with people from all over the world
• increased productivity due to reduced commute time
• ability to spend more time with family
• ability to work from anywhere in the world
• diversity

Since we operate on a 100% remote/ virtual environment, at FMATLabs, you get to work with the finest teams around the world. We have a network of talent from India, Pakistan, Romania, Ukraine, Egypt, Argentina, USA, Italy, and more – in 90 countries. We believe that diversity is our greatest strength!
Working at FMATLabs offers a lot more benefits other than the ones mentioned. Suffice to say that we’re very excited to be hiring talented folks like you, and we welcome you to the future of work!
See more: Why Work @ FMATLabs

Q. What is the average length of a role at FMATLabs? What is my career path?
A. We are not recruiters and FMATLabs is not a short term freelancer marketplace. We believe in long term relationships, not outsourcing. When you take the time to go through the testing process and you are hired, you become part of the FMATLabs global network. We believe that the workplace of the future isn’t based on 30 year careers, but calculated strategic “tours” where you maximize your skill set in a particular job role, then pivot to the next role. We aim to facilitate your career growth by providing skills training, feedback, and new opportunities within FMATLabs. Each pivot, or tour, is an average of 1-3 years, but your duration with FMATLabs on a whole is unlimited.

Q. Can I give my current job 2 weeks notice before starting with FMATLabs?
A. We understand that many of our candidates are well sought after and highly respected. Though we are eager to have you join, we expect nothing less than a smooth and well-communicated transition period, as we would expect the same courtesy, and we fully respect your commitments.

Q. Is FMATLabs in my country?
A. FMATLabs has hired from over 90 countries. Chances are we’ve hired from yours. All you need is a strong Internet connection and the desire to work hard. See the list of FMATLabs jobs here.

Q. How do I get hired?
A. FMATLabs has a rigorous testing process. The following is a diagram of what our process looks like (note: we have temporarily removed the English literacy testing section from our hiring process).

Q. How long is the testing and do you pay for it?
A. Testing can last 1-4 weeks. We understand that it’s a lot to ask for you to take time out of your schedule to go through this process. We respect your time. By asking you to invest time in us, we will return the favor and invest in you. The biggest benefit of the FMATLabs testing and hiring process is that you can do it on your own schedule – no more missing work to run to an interview, you can take the test from home.

Q. I applied for a job and took the technical evaluation but did not get my feedback.
A. Please send an email to support@fmatlabs.com with your name, email, and job code/position applied to.

Q. I applied for the job listed in the “Marketplace”. Will I be working for FMATLabs or for a client company?
A. It depends on the position but either way you are part of the FMATLabs network. You will either be working with FMATLabs or one of our hiring clients, and this will be made clear to you during the hiring process.

Q. What is the average length of the hiring process from start to finish?
A. This depends on the job but an average of 1-4 weeks.

Working at FMATLabs

Q. How am I paid? What is the frequency?
A. Payments are made through a secured, third-party payment solutions provider, Paypal. You can choose to have direct deposit to your bank account or to a Paypal debit card. The typical frequency of payment is once per week, but some roles are paid monthly.

Q. What are the types of targets I will need to reach? Are they achievable?
A. We not only work with our FMATLabs team members but we believe in good management practice, so we effectively grade on both sides. We believe in a results oriented workplace with management setting clear objectives.

Q. Will I have benefits and bonuses while working for FMATLabs?
We replace the benefits that a traditional employer would give to you (things such as a company car, a fridge full of snacks, cushy office space, nap pods, massage chairs, etc) and instead give the extra income back to you to make your own decisions based on your own needs. We believe in giving you all your money upfront and letting you choose the benefits that work for you. Therefore, we do not currently offer a benefits package.

Q. Will there be any deductions from my earnings for purposes of paying taxes on my behalf?
A. No. As an independent worker, you are are entirely responsible for the payment of your income taxes, dependent upon the tax regulations and policies of your own tax jurisdiction.

Q. What are the hours I am expected to work?
You control your own schedule because you know what it takes to get the job done. That being said, there will of course be times when you’ll need to interact with your team and/or your manager. You’ll need to set your schedule accordingly. The rest is up to you.

Q. What is the leave policy at FMATLabs?
We insist that you take recharge time. We works five days in a week, closed for major holidays and then require that you take at least two weeks a year to refresh. Again, you dictate your schedule and what it takes to be most productive. If you need leave/holiday time, let your manager and team members know ahead of time and plan accordingly so that there are no gaps in productivity. Unplanned and unforeseen circumstances are generally anticipated as well. The expectation is set at 40 hours per week and can often exceed this amount. We trust that you can dictate your own schedule and we help support that.

Q. Can I keep my current full-time position and work at FMATLabs during my free time?
A. While theoretically it is possible to keep 2 full-time jobs at the same time, it is practically impossible without sacrificing efficiency and work quality and therefore not highly valued at FMATLabs. If you are hired, we expect you to commit full-time with FMATLabs. We understand and are open to other part-time engagements. If your productivity is affected and FMATLabs is not your top priority then you may wish to pursue a different company altogether.

Q. Is there a chance to be promoted?
A. Promotions are always a possibility. It entirely depends on 1) the position 2) your work performance and 3) the needs of the organization. Evaluation is ongoing. You can also always apply for higher level roles within FMATLabs that offer higher pay and/or allow you to learn a new set of skills.

Q. What is SmartLabs?
A. SmartLabs is a calendar management and productivity insights tool created by FMATLabs. It allows you and your manager complete transparency. It also allows you to measure your progress and what it takes to reach your targets. Teams use SmartLabs to collaborate on how to best reach their goals, measuring what works by analyzing the feedback that SmartLabs provides.

Q. What level of monitoring does SmartLabs provide?
A. Our clients have asked for various levels of activity reports. Depending on the settings for SmartLabs, which are adjusted according to the mutual collaboration in the working relationship with the hiring manager, SmartLabs has the ability to take screenshots, as well as snapshots via your webcam, at regular intervals. We recognize that this can be intimidating at first but we have seen very positive effects in terms of developing a trusting relationship with your manager as well as providing a feedback mechanism, and productivity insights, for both parties, that improve performance and job satisfaction.

Q. What happens if my contract is terminated?
A. Sometimes there may be a case in which our client and a FMATLabs independent worker will wish to terminate their working contract, for whatever reason. Within FMATLabs, we are working on developing training programs that allow anyone within FMATLabs to develop their skill set and move around within our network. If the contract is terminated for reasons due to poor performance or of an unethical nature, you will not be invited to return to work at FMATLabs, not unlike what you’d find in other company policies.

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