Job Boards Are So Over. TalentSeekr Targets And Recruits Through Ads Instead.

Original Post: Job Boards Are So Over. TalentSeekr Targets And Recruits Through Ads Instead.

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Even though unemployment is at the highest levels in a decade, companies are still finding it difficult to find the best qualified candidates to fill the positions that are available. The reason for that is because more often than not, the best qualified candidates are already employed and not necessarily looking for new jobs. Certainly not on job boards like Monster.com or HotJobs. So if the best candidates won’t seek out job openings on employment sites, the jobs need to seek them out.



That is the idea behind TalentSeekr, which is essentially an ad network for jobs. Companies fill out what jobs they are trying to fill in what locations, then TalentSeekr creates and tests multiple ads across the Web—social networks, blogs, forums, search engines, you name it. Based on the response rate and quality of the applicants that come through the ads, TalentSeekr optimizes the mix of ad types (banner, text, video, creative elements) and placement. (Watch the video below to see how it works). If more qualified applicants are coming in through LinkedIn than Facebook, it readjusts the mix. (In fact, LinkedIn makes a lot of money through recruitment ads on its own site in much the same manner. TalentSeeker is attempting to apply the same principles in a more distributed manner across the Web).

“What we are doing is what job boards did to newspapers. Everybody knows the space is about to shift big,” says Ryan Caldwell, the CEO of EnticeLabs, the company behind TalentSeekr. EnticeLabs was founded in August 2007, and funded with $1.3 million in angel money so far.  It’s been operating in a private beta until recently, and already counts among its customers Dell, GE, IBM, Adidas, Rebock, eBay, Google, and Microsoft. In addition to TalentSeekr, which is aimed at companies looking to recruit, EnticeLabs’ other product is CareerAds, which is aimed at blogs and Websites looking to display job-focused ads.

TalentSeekr’s approach takes longer than filling a job on Monster, but if you are looking for 3,000 SAP consultants, it could be a better approach.  If you are looking to just fill a single position quickly, you are probably still better off with Monster or some other job board.  Hiring managers get a dashboard (see screenshot below) which shows the number of ad impressions, clicks, and ultimate applications resulting from the ads, as well as the geographic distribution. The average clickthrough rates for TalentSeekre ads can range from 0.15 percent to 0.37 percent (see table below).  Then among those who click, the application rate can be anywhere from 0.22 percent for medical jobs to 2.68 percent for tech jobs.  But with an average cost-per-click of around $1, and an average cost per qualified applicant of anywhere from $200 to $2,600, it still beats hiring a headhunter.



Job ad networks have been tried before by both large companies (Monster has its Career Ad Network) and small. A Y Combinator company called SnapTalent tried this before shifting over to career fairs, and ultimately deadpooling (their site is no longer online). Caldwell isn’t worried about the same fate happening to EnticeLabs because he’s gone after big enterprise with thousands of employees first, rather than the other way around. “This is not something where you can do a cute little startup,” he says, “you need scale.”

The other thing that gives him confidence is that big employers like IBM and GE are talking about shifting large online recruiting budgets away from poorly-performing job boards. Since TalentSeekr already tracks the performance of its ads, it can also plug into applicant tracking systems used by HR departments to get feedback into how the people hired end up doing in terms of job evaluations, longevity and other factors.

CrunchBase Information

TalentSeekr

EnticeLabs

Information provided by CrunchBase

Tough Job Search? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions!

Original Post: Tough Job Search? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions!

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Is your job search taking longer than expected? Most are right now. Certainly the difficult job market is making things harder. However, a great number of people could speed up the process by asking themselves five critical questions.
Take time, think them through, be honest, and your job search may improve dramatically!

1. What makes me unique? Companies are seeing dozens or hundreds of resumes for each opening. They interview several people as well. It doesn’t take long for things to seem like everyone is the same. If you can’t communicate in your resume and in your interview what makes you different, and more valuable to the company than every other candidate they see, you will be an ‘also ran’. Take assessment tests, ask friends, family and previous co-workers, and do a self-evaluation to figure out what you offer that others don’t. EVERYONE has assets and ‘uniqueness’. Discover yours and learn how to communicate it well.
   
   
2. What am I looking for? Many job seekers are too wishy-washy in their objectives. They only know that they need a new job, but aren’t clear on exactly what it is they are seeking. Using the same process to discover what makes you unique, narrow down your search to the type of job or career you want. When you are networking, people can’t help if they don’t know what you want. Have a clear target, and learn to communicate it effectively. You can find more help here.
   
   
3. How am I spending my time? Nearly everyone has heard the cliche’ that “Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself.” However, most people don’t put nearly the time or effort into their job search that is required. It’s difficult sometimes to know what to do. However, if you diligently plan your work each week, and work your plan, you will be far more productive than all of a sudden trying to figure out what to do next on a Tuesday afternoon. You can get additional guidance here, here, and here.
   
   
4. What’s my attitude like? Your attitude is one of the most critical aspects of your job search. If you are sincerely optimistic, and upbeat, you are a much more attractive candidate and you will approach your search in a positive way. If you are bitter, discouraged, defeated, or just crabby, your ability to land that next job drops dramatically. Attitude is critical! Be sure to read: The ONE Best Thing You Can Do For Your Job Search.
   
   
5. How well do I present myself? The way you present yourself to networking contacts, recruiters, and potential recruiters is critical to your success in landing a job. That presentation is a composite of professional appearance, effective communication, attitude, and being prepared. You have to be qualified to do the work, but they are most likely talking to several people that are qualified. Presentation makes the difference between who gets hired and who doesn’t. Spend time to work on your presentation and you will see better results. You can find pointers here, and here.

Do the self evaluation, and make the effort to make changes where necessary. You will find they will make difference in your search and give you a great deal more confidence as well!

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A Confession: I Network Because I Have To

Original Post: A Confession: I Network Because I Have To

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image by Sagar Patil

The Loneliness of Enduring a Change

I met an old friend for lunch today. She was talking about making a big change in her life, and we were talking about how scary that whole process is. We talked a long time about the sort of ups and downs you go through when you make big changes like that – the fear of being alienated, of making the wrong choices, of not knowing exactly what to do, but more importantly – doing it alone.

Making these big changes in our lives, as we were brought up to value stable jobs and live comfortably, is akin to abandoning our roots, values, and partly, the security of the family community. While this isn’t ostracism, the abandonment comes from a lack of understanding – family and friends just don’t know what in the world we’re getting into and can’t give us the guidance, mentorship and support we really need. It’s not that they won’t – they just can’t.

And it’s just not about money or a place to stay. It big hurdle about surviving a change is the rite of passage that you need to go through to get started, establish yourself in a new place, and finally succeed.

Change Hurts

When I made a decision to leave a comfortable life in Malaysia, I got really depressed and my wife had to push me to get the visa done because I did not have the energy to do it myself. It was depressing selling away all the IKEA furniture that I painstakingly and lovingly bought and put together, some not even a year old. The worst was seeing the lovely Edefors oak table being draped by my wife’s grandmother with a plastic tablecloth to “protect” it – a very Asian thing.

Needless to say, it was sad to see my friends and family for the last time. I wasn’t sure how to react – how do you put on a face in front of some of your closest mates and tell them you’re leaving for good? Everything had to be done fast so I didn’t have time. What time I had, we just spent like good old days having meals and good laughs. Through all this, we had our visa turned down once and my wife and I had several arguments in the heat of anxiety. It wasn’t the best of times.

Yes, once the apartment and furniture was sold off, a big burden had lifted off. We were elated when my course acceptance came in the mail in the nick of time. We knew we had friends and relatives in London who were welcoming us with open arms. We knew and loved the city. I was excited about the course, and the possibilities. We felt God’s peace and felt that it was the right thing to do. But it was still a painful process – I have the memories of those things we went through, a testament of our journey.

I Network out of the Need to Survive

At times like these, real and authentic relationships were the only thing that got me back up and running. I could’ve said we survived on dreams and inspirations, or on the timely opportunities of job offers, or on the creature comforts like having our own accommodation. But friendships and precious encounters I’ve had from meeting like-minded people – people who share the same vision and goal – are the sorts of things that plant my feet firmly here in London: family, friends, coursemates, new friends I’ve met from the industry, colleagues.

Thinking back – these relationships didn’t just fall into my lap. Some relationships happened only because I went out and searched for it. Some took a lot more effort and time. But I knew that I needed it in order to survive. And that’s what change does to you.

Change forces you to take hold of what you need most in order to survive for the long run. It’s like being stranded on an island and re-learning the fundamentals all over again – what it really means to live. I don’t simply talk about the people I’ve met and how things “worked out” for me – as though others should try networking like it was putting on a new pair of jeans. These people mean much more to me than just opportunities.

You can tell yourself all you want about how inauthentic networking can be and how artificial that whole experience feels. Or, you can tell yourself that it sucks being alone with your ideas and that you need genuine relationships and genuine conversations over things that you really do care about.

For me, I did it because I knew no other way.

We Want Jobs, Not Trophies

Original Post: We Want Jobs, Not Trophies

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Uploaded on January 14, 2008 by Randombassist

If you think the recession is over and jobs are everywhere, you need to think again. As if the class of 2009 didn’t have a hard enough time finding a job, predictions for 2010 are just as bleak. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (and via Culpwrit), U.S. employers plan to hire 7 percent fewer college graduates than the class of 2009.

Crap.

From my own personal observations, there have been several unique things happening to the public relations industry. Although PR budgets have been relatively more stable than in advertising, there still have been some jobs lost. Additionally, the entry level is increasingly difficult for college graduates to break into. I think this is happening for two reasons. First, more people are willing to take a lower level job than be totally unemployed; AAE jobs are being filed by folks with 3-5 years of experience and internships have an unofficial prerequisite of many previous experiences. Second, with all the journalists losing their jobs, many attempt to jump into public relations, thus leaving fewer jobs for public relations practitioners.

So what about us Gen Y folk? I don’t know about you, but I’d like a job when I graduate. That’s why Come Recommended is so sweet; they’re advocating for all of us by demanding equal opportunity employment for Gen Y. Here are some pretty interesting stats about our generation that should make you worry:

• Unemployment for people age 16-24 is nine points higher than the national average
• Typical full-time workers age 25-34 are making less than workers that age a generation ago
• Middle-management jobs have been reduced, so it is harder to move up the corporate ladder
• The 1-24 age group represents 15 percent of the labor force AND one-third of the unemployed
• The average student graduates with twice as much debt, yet the economy has fewer opportunities

Times are definitely changing, and it appears that it is not in favor of Gen Y at all. However, I know our generation has so much untapped potential. Our generation is changing the way we all communicate, entrepreneurship is more prevalent in our minds than ever and we are overcoming numerous challenges.

This is where we all come in. Start by checking out the We Want Jobs Not Trophies Web site. There is a lot of information on there on how to get involved with the campaign and begin advocating for the rest of your generation. Also on the site is a toolkit section that gives you the opportunity to run the campaign at the local level. This is a great opportunity for you to get some public relations experience while doing something that will help you in the long run.

Thanks to Heather Huhman and her team over at Come Recommended for leading this. We all can benefit from advocating for our generation, so I encourage you to check out the campaign.

Also, Come Recommended has some great virtual internships. The deadline is coming up for next semester, so be sure to check them out.

Downsizing Is No Longer Optional

Original Post:Downsizing Is No Longer Optional

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This includes, but is not limited to: people, things, pictures, papers, mementos, etc.

I don't want to sound like a Feng Shui  because a) I don't know much about it and b) it is true that my bed does, in fact, point towards the door. (Feng Shui insists, amongst many other interesting beliefs, that one should not have their bed facing the entrance of bedroom because this is how dead bodies are removed).

Getting rid of things sounds like pretty simple. But it is likely only to happen when you're forced to or if you move.

In April, I attended a conference with some of the world's most successful real estate agents hosted by LuxuryPortfolio.com. one of the most brilliantly run real estate website networks in the world - We (the attendees) were lucky to listen to a brilliant speaker. One of the points he drove home was how deep the real estate industry had gotten itself into, and how to prepare your business when things inevitably rebound. The rebound however might not be for a while - for some anyway.

He drove home a point:

If you have a employees that are there because you feel sorry for them, and they are on the payroll but dragging the organization down, get rid of them. They will be fine. You (the organization) may not be. Especially when the economy starts to move again.

It just stands to reason. Especially with all the new businesses springing up because of the economic downturn. If you've built an empire and are watching the candle flicker, it's because candles need oxygen to burn. There's only enough oxygen for the people (and other candles) that actually prop the organization up via hard work, commitment and dedication to the change that is really happening - but, it is happening outside the building.

In other words, if your business is being adversely effected by things other than the economy, it seems logical to assume that there are some things in need purging - like perhaps your entire business model? Maybe even purge the old ideals, as well because ideals aren't real - in fact they are opposites.

Once the candle goes out, it's going to be very difficult to reignite it.

50 Jobs You Can Do Over the Internet While Traveling

Original Post: 50 Jobs You Can Do Over the Internet While Traveling

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Have laptop, will travel. Even better, use your laptop to earn money while you travel, to pay for your travel. Here are some ideas how.

Background

In a recent posting to the
Digital Eve Israel Yahoo Group, a group member asked the following question:

“Any leads on how to find a job that can be done on my laptop, here and there, so that I can still pay my bills while traveling?”

This reminded me of the time when I was still a programmer at Amazon.com back in 2000.

Living in Paris but working daily over the Internet with people in Seattle, I wanted to visit my family in Montreal without taking a lot of vacation time either. Luckily, Amazon’s computer systems allowed people to connect from outside the office and that made it easier to convince my boss to let me go.

In the end, I only took off 2 days for traveling purposes and otherwise worked full days from my parents’ house, basically paying for my trip and expenses. A side benefit to Amazon was that having me in a middle time zone (6 hours behind Paris but 3 ahead of Seattle) made some projects easier to finish on time.

Working while traveling and telecommuting aren’t quite the same thing

Which is true. People usually associate telecommuting with a full-time job that lets you work from home regularly.

To best answer the question above, let’s set out some criteria that make more sense regarding jobs for travelers. Those jobs usually need to be:

• Jobs you can do over the Internet
• Jobs that can be done over a short time-span i.e. during your travels
• Jobs you can get on short notice

This last one is important in case you need multiple jobs to pay all your bills during your trip.

So we’re dealing with freelance jobs. However, if you choose well and deliver well, a short-term freelance job can become a longer-term freelance job that you continue from home after traveling.

Jobs you can do while traveling

With that in mind, the list below should give you all sorts of traveling job ideas. Each job title points at a real job description, and if the description isn’t a good match for you, just do a search on the job title to find more open jobs like it.

1. 3D and Flash Animator
2. Accountant
3. Advertiser
4. Administrative Assistant
5. Article Writer
6. Billing and Debt Collection Representative
7. Blog Programmer
8. Career Coach
9. Virtual Assistant
10. Advertising Poster
11. Copywriter
12. Customer Service Representative
13. Data Entry Provider
14. Data Specialist
15. Database Developer
16. E-book Writer
17. Email Template Designer
18. Flash/Web Developer
19. Graphic Artist
20. Caricaturist
21. Marketing & Lead Generation Campaigner
22. Logo Designer
23. Online Tutor
24. Personal Assistant/Secretary
25. Press Release Writer
26. Project Manager
27. Recruitment Researcher
28. Sourcer (not sorcerer!)
29. Resume Writer
30. Sales Presentation Designer
31. SEO Analyst
32. Foreign Language Voice Talents
33. Technical Support
34. Telemarketing Professional
35. Transcriptionist
36. Travel Planner
37. Typist
38. Video Editor
39. Web Content Writer
40. Web Designer
41. Website Translator
42. Stock Photographer
43. Voice-overs
44. Cartoonist
45. Real Estate Researcher
46. Business Consultant
47. Legal Advisor
48. User Guides and Manuals Editor
49. Game Developers
50. Travel Writer

If you liked this article, you’ll also enjoy
15 Reasons To Take A Temporary Job Now.

Have you ever worked while traveling for pleasure? How did you find the job? Tell us in the comments.

Subscribe to JobMob via
RSS or
email and
follow me on Twitter for more travel job search ideas.

-- Jacob Share, Job Search Expert and Professional Blogging Consultant

You're Ugly! You're Hired!

Original Post: You're Ugly! You're Hired! [Job Hunt]

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We love this column from Marty Nemko over at Kiplinger because it's sort of a go-get-'em morale booster to the ugly—only instead of boosting morale, it just gets more depressing as it goes on. But funny depressing. And after all the weird advice on watching your weight and avoiding hairpieces and wearing moderate makeup, Nemko makes an interesting case for why 'ugly' people are better hires.

'Why I Like to Hire Ugly People' [Kiplinger]
(Photo: foshie)