Vouching For 2Vouch?

2Vouch coming soon.

This is a site based on profiteering from the popularity of internet-based social networking.It works like this: folks sign up and get sent ads for jobs. If they think that one of their friends fits the requirements, they recommend the friend and that person becomes a member as well. If the friend secures the position, the person “vouching” for them gets paid a fee, which can go directly to them or their favorite charity. The beta for the site is well prepared and the instructions are presented to would-be participants in a clear and cogent manner (except the voice-over syncing in the clip is a bit off and reminds one of a Chinese martial arts film). This is always a good start.

I’m a huge fan of this idea and have often pondered its implications at four in the morning when my head is full of cyberspace and the flashing of the computer screen that haunts my days begins to intrude into my night-time. Sites such as Facebook have demonstrated that the drive to be popular and fill one’s profile with a plethora of friends drives many an introvert into sudden extroversion.

I’m bugged by a few factors, though. And I’m prepared to risk appearing overly-critical and ponderous in order to get the low-down on what others think about my suspicions.

Firstly, any business that relies on friends or acquaintances making a profit from one another has an air of the Amway about it. Just the knowledge that there is more to my friend’s recommending me for a job than the simple pleasure they experience from me being happier or taking one more step up the ladder of success – they stand to make money from me. And whether this goes straight to their hip pocket or to that of their favorite charity, they are still gaining something more tangible from my taking the job offered than the joy of an alturistic act.

There are all sorts of personal and political dilemmas that can be foreseen here that may lead people to steer well clear of the site. What about the promotion of jobs from colleague to colleague within the same company? What about the guy who vouches for his mate for a position but the mate refuses to take the job, thereby doing the guy out of a buck. Personal strain…hello, here we come.

And haven’t the old Jobs.com.au kinda tried to do this anyway? Is this another attempt to cut out the recruiter that is going to fall on its face.Let me tell you up front – I hope I’m wrong.

Get a Job, Gen Y!

Way back in 1999, Business Week proffered some sage advice. It told its readers this:

“The marketers that capture Generation Y’s attention do so by bringing their messages to the places these kids congregate, whether it’s the internet, a snowboarding tournament or cable TV.”

It seems that finally, after all this time, some folks in recruitment are taking on board the advice.Speaking of Gen Y’s, remember when News Corporation purchased the in social networking site MySpace and made some Gen Y’s very rich? CareerOne, also part of News, has now officially integrated its job search into MySpace.I’m sure you’ll agree that the page looks great. And I’m a bigger supporter than anyone of the growing need for businesses of all descriptions to use the internet as their primary marketing tool. However, there is a glaring problem with the way the team at CareerOne has executed this innovative marketing plan.Consider for the moment that you’re a 20-something gen-yer, ipod eared and determined not to take a 9 to 5 job, but aware that your parents are getting narky about your not paying board…food…your own toiletries…I’ll stop now, before I sound like a moaning Babyboomer.Anyway, you’re on MySpace, checking out your own profile, and think that you might start your job search. You type in “jobs”and search myspace. I’m pretty certain that the crew at CareerOne would like it if that particular search produced their page. Instead, this is what our Gen-yer would get:Sure, there’s a link to MySpaceJobs on the homepage, but guys, let’s face it, the only people who enter MySpace through the homepage are the Boomers and Gen-xers who go in posing as 25-year-olds!Point is and this one extends across the board in internet marketing, when you’re sitting in your board rooms, guys, when you’re huddled over your copies of the latest McKinsey propaganda, have a think about how users approach their search and make yourself available within the spaces where you want to advertise. Marketing 101.

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