Back To The Future For Job Boards

My recent blog regarding The Future Of Job Boards sparked a bit of debate. A few issues arose from that debate, and I’d like to respond to each of them.

Before I do this, however, there needs to be some clarification around the definition of social media. Many readers assume they know what this means, but – when pressed- have difficulty defining it. And since it remains a hot phrase over the coming years, let’s establish up front what we mean when we use the term.

Social media describes a new set of internet tools that enable shared community experiences, both online and in person.

A community, in this context, is a group of people with common interests who connect with one another to learn, play, work, organise and socialise. Communities can be large or small, local or global. They can be public or restricted to members.

Okay, let’s move on to address some of the concerns and conflicts around what arguably is set to become the latest adaptation in the evolution of the Internet.

1) Social media won’t have the impact on the way the Internet is used: Wrong. Evidence, in the form of the large numbers flocking to Twitter and Facebook, not to mention forums like Whirlpool, demonstrating high levels of uptake of social media suggests there’s something about it that people enjoy. And it doesn’t take a genius in anthropology to figure out what that might be. Humans are social animals. We congregate in groups to share opinion, to gossip, to fight, to fall in love. Any form of communication that exploits this natural tendency will necessarily have dominion over more static formats.

2) Job boards can simply add a social networking component and this way will be able to deliver interactivity to the user, while maintaining their traditional role in the market: This looks like a bet each way to me. Are you a job board, or are you a social network? When customers get confused about the service your business offers, this ameliorates customer base and loyalty. Why would customers want to look at old and outdated jobs listed on the job board component of a business like this when they can hear about what’s hot straight down the line of a social network posting. The immediacy of these types of media makes the static environment of the job board obsolete.

3) Social media is probably where we’re headed, but it’s going to take a while to get there: Well. Der. No one suggested it would happen immediately. We’re discussing future directions here peoples. Keep up with the show.

4) It’s difficult to monetise social media sites: the value of these sites is not around the direct revenue they make, it’s around the value of the unique users. Users bring traffic allowing for the leverage and sale of other products.

5) Social media may overtake the recruiter’s role of moderator in the job-candidate relationship. This may herald the demise of the recruiter: The breadth of contacts a recruiter has, as well as the knowledge of what is happening with the major players in their areas of speciality will work to protect the role of the recruiter in the match-up process. While social media are useful, they are time consuming. Building relationships takes energy. It has always been the value of these relationships that the recruiter offers the process. This will not diminish, but can only be escalated, as social media make contact with more people from more industries, more accessible to recruiters.

Friday Funny

A young man struggles against the pressure to Twitter his life away…

Video Resumes – Lights, Camera, Action

A few years back Aleksey Vaynar pioneered the video resume.

His effort will be remembered as the way NOT to do it, and has contributed to huge cringe factor regarding the concept of video resumes. However, it could be that we are almost ready to give it another serious try.

The best software available I have seen is Talent On View, a video platform that enables recruiters and corporate businesses to take advantage of innovative technology during all stages of the recruitment life cycle.

It allows you to:
* Record or upload candidate videos
* Share videos with clients and hiring managers
* Allow candidates to upload videos remotely for assessment
* Send videos to multiple contacts at one time

I have also been testing the new SkypeCap application that allows you to record your Skype audio and video.

Another notable is Candidates Alive. This company offers the ability for the candidate to record themselves. The end product is a live link, professionally presented with your corporate branding to your clients.

Increasingly, recruiters and candidates are under demand to provide more information about themselves and their candidates to employers. These are tools designed to meet that demand.

In case you missed it…

Snakes on a Plane – Destination Bris Vegas

I opened my regional newspaper this morning to more doom and economic gloom. Some poor bloke, degreed, dungareed, but slightly morose-looking is apparently part of the latest lot to be retrenched.

You may have noticed; I enjoy subversion. So, here’s to it.

Are things all that bad or are companies using the recession as an excuse to offload deadweight? Despite reports of unemployment rates “soaring”, companies are still hiring. Here’s the latest from, job posting provider Jobadder, for instance. Watch out: The cobra is looming.

NEW QUEENSLAND OFFICE AND STATE MANAGER
JobAdder has announced the opening of a new office in Brisbane and the
appointment of Darren Watts as Queensland state manager.

Darren Watts has 15 years’ experience in sales and management positions in FMCG and has worked for a range of organisations such as: Sanitarium Health Foods and Coca Cola Amatil.

Darren’s most recent role was business development manager at Blueshift selling high end sales and forecasting systems. He will be responsible for growing and managing all aspects of the business in Queensland.

JobAdder managing director, Brett Iredale said “Queensland is an important market for JobAdder and we are absolutely delighted to have someone the calibre of Darren heading up the new office.”

Doom and gloom – or just a bloody good excuse?

Read more

Samepoint.com – The Conversation Search Engine

Some of us are at the point in our social media evolution where we recognise the importance of building a personal online brand.

This idea becomes even more pertinent as unemployment rates rise (or, at the least, hiring freezes mean those out of work will struggle just a little harder for a role).

In the past, it’s been difficult to manage your social media profile. All your stuff was disparate and difficult to track. Of course, the net’s adapted, and this adaptation has taken the form of sites like samepoint.com. Search yourself here (see mine) and it’ll give you the lowdown on all your social media activity. It also has a panel displaying recent conversations from Twitter. Here’s the other bonus (and now I’m beginning to sound like a TV flogger of knife sets), it’ll give you a rating by searching negative or positive comments in your personal information.

This site has a two-fold application. Recruiters can use it as part of their background checking. Candidates can use it in the way described, to check their online profiles.

Enjoy your new knife block. i hope the bonus steak set comes in handy. (Psst. Don’t just use it for special guests).

FlogMe – Going, Going SOLD

As a member of the Linkme candidate database I receive regular network updates,  including friend requests and messages. These email updates are signed off by the team at Linkme.

I have noticed in my last few of these emails that they are being signed off by third party companies. Here’s one that was prepared earlier:

“George sent you a message.

Follow the link to view the message George sent you about hey guys.

Receiving too many emails?

Click here to log in to manage the amount of emails you receive from us.

Alternatively, if you’re sure you wish to unsubscribe from this type of email completely, click here .

Cheers,

The Finsia Career Network team.
careernetwork@finsia.com

This service is provided by LinkMe

Copyright 2008 Finsia – Financial Services Institute of Australasia. All rights reserved”

What’s strange about this email is that when I log into my account to have a look I am directed through the Financial Services Institute of Australasia career portal. careernetwork.finsia.com
Importantly, by doing so I am now under their terms and conditions policy also. See here

Finsia’s Privacy policy; applies to users of the Portal. We use the personal information you give to us to provide you with services under this Portal.

Further, and even more disgustingly, for the past week I have received similar emails from Live In Australia, an immigration visa company.  Obviously, LinkMe is selling its members off to the highest bidder.

LinkMe has given folks the opportunity to unsubscribe to “this type of email”.  But why should I unsubscribe to something I haven’t subscribed to?

This is madness.

I Didn’t Do It

Last week the news sat smack-bang in the middle of denial territory.

Pauline Hanson denied starring in those glam nude pics. Gemteq denied forum allegations that they publish fake jobs.

Pauline reckons she never had a boyfriend called “Jack” and that she feels for the young woman in the bondage outfit featured in the photos.

Gemteq reckon the reason for the similarities between their credible job adverts and ads from overseas job boards is that they look to the latter for “inspiration”.

Shortlist March 13. He said recruiters had historically referred to other job postings for inspiration when writing ads, and this may be the reason for the strong similarities between certain Gemteq IT job ads and other ads posted on overseas boards.

See any similarities here?

I won’t comment on the Gemteq saga. Jobseekers can make up their own minds about the validity – or otherwise – of Gemteq’s job postings. But the issue raises an interesting point. How can the industry be regulated? Seek has made an attempt to set the standard by releasing a statement saying it is making attempts to obliterate fake ads from its job board.

Shortlist article March 13. SEEK is launching a new “job seeker charter” designed to encourage candidates to report job ads which might be fake or misleading.

And sometimes it takes the market leader to set an example of best industry practice. There’s also the RCSA, but they can’t achieve much with the few members they have.

Anyhow, I don’t want a regulatory body in the industry. This causes unnecessary bureaucracy. But surely all of this could be avoided if folks just acted ethically. I mean, and I’m not accusing Gemteq specifically, it doesn’t take much to figure out that posting fake jobs to reverse market candidates is not good for anyone. You don’t need to be goddam Aristotle to figure this out. It damages the industry enormously and ultimately, if you tarnish the industry to which you belong, your business will suffer.

Tread lightly, my people.

Friday The 13th Funny

Make sure you have your Nike sneakers on tonight…

Confessions of A Jobaholic

This can’t be that hard a task – finding a new job. I have experience. Knowledge. Some might even say there’s a charisma in the way I speak. Yep, okay. I’m articulate.  I play well with others in the class.

This won’t be difficult.

Monday 23: Log
Today I revised my CV. It was patchy in places and I wanted to make it concise. I altered it ever so slightly for the new career direction I’m considering. I used some example CVs on the net as a guide.

By the time I’d done this, and caught up on a few odd jobs that needed doing around the house (ignored due to the demands of my previous job), the day was over.

With my new CV complete, however, tomorrow I intend to blitzkrieg the job market. Job boards…here I come!

Tuesday 24: Log
I can’t believe how many opportunities the job scene holds. And people are saying there’s a recession!

Seriously, I sent my CV to at least 20 highly-suitable roles, and 30 or so roles more peripheral to my experience, yet still suitable for a person of my skills. Now, I guess I wait for a call from the recruiters…it should be a very busy few days. Made sure my mobile is fully charged.

Wednesday 25: Log
No calls from recruiters for interviews. Called a few recruiters directly, just to let me know I’m available. Unfortunately, they were all in meetings. I believe in persistence, however. I intend to call them frequently over the coming few days. They’ll see that I’m keen. They’ll believe in me, and they will take me on as a project. Of this I am certain.

While waiting for a call back, watched an episode of Dr Phil. What an interesting fellow.

Thursday 26: Log
Still no calls back from recruiters. Left a message with each of the main players in my industry.   While I was at it, thought I’d give some of the agents I posted my application with a call. Left a message where I could. One very promising lead: an application for a job. Secretary said he’d make sure the appropriate recruiter would return my call. Said I sound like an interesting candidate.

A hot, hot lead, I’d say. Better get as many episodes of Dr Phil in as I can. I’ll be back in the game by next week. Of this I am certain.

Friday 27: Log
Applied for a position as a traffic controller for the local council. While this is not at all related to my area of expertise – IT – I figured it would be good to hedge my bets. Just in case. No one called today. I guess this is a Friday thing.

Ate three packets of chips and watched ten episodes of Dr Phil in a row.

(One month has passed for our hero…)

Log
I forget what bloody day it is. Time gets hazy when you’ve nothing to do. Dole forms were processed today. My wife says I have put on “at least” 15 kilos.

Not one recruiter has returned my calls.

Dr Phil is a farkwit.  Of this I am certain.

* This story is based on a fictional character and no recruiters were hurt during the making of this story.

Desperate Times At MyCareer…

This morning I received this email from Ganesh Bettadapura at MyCareer:

Good Morning Geoff,

Just a courtesy follow-up to see how you are going with your Sales Executive ads listed under Work from Category on Seek ?.

I have been assigned as your Account Manager here at MyCareer. If you are looking to place any ads on MyCareer then please contact me directly so I can offer you some discounts.

There are several important features available on MyCareer which may help you get a quality response.

If you have any queries related to our products, features, discounts or benefits then please contact me directly.

Thanking you,

Kind Regards

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

F.Y.I – If you are looking for a quote for your ” Sydney Morning Herald ” ads then please contact me directly before the cut-off time.

Cripes. Desperate times at MyCareer. So desperate, in fact, that one of the new sales approaches is to spam Seek’s clients.

Interestingly, this happens also to be one of the approaches of many in the recruiting industry; offering services to companies who have placed an ad looking for staff. At best, it’s cheeky. At worst it’s annoying and does nothing to ad value to the business making the calls. There’s no way I’d advertise with MyCareer in response to the spam I’ve received. I hope they know this.

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