“What the .Jobs Domain Means for Job Seekers” plus 2 more

What the .Jobs Domain Means for Job Seekers
Why students need a backup plan for job search
Hiring Box Introduces its New, Patented Concept in the Job Search Industry

What the .Jobs Domain Means for Job Seekers

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 08:27 AM PST

The job-search community is buzzing over how a new network of websites at the .jobs domain will affect employers, who can list openings there for free, and other job boards, whose business models rely on companies that pay to list jobs. But largely left out of the conversation is what these 40,000 websites and their umbrella site, universe.jobs, mean for job seekers.

So today we're answering the question you really care about: If you're job-hunting, are the .jobs sites worth your while?

[See 11 Helpful Sites for Job Seekers.]

While the project has great potential, particularly because the domain is likely to rank high in Google search results, online job-search experts say the sites don't yet offer anything job seekers can't find elsewhere.

"It's not a great leap forward in terms of the job seeker's experience," says Chris Russell, a job board consultant and CEO of AllCountyJobs.com. "They're just duplicating content ... There are already too many job boards out there."

Finding a .jobs site that fits your needs is as easy as typing your occupation into your browser—say, for example, nursing or engineering —and adding .jobs rather than .com. You can also search by city: austin.jobs or washingtondc.jobs or seattle.jobs. City-occupation combinations like seattlenursing.jobs are expected to be live by the end of this week.

Click on one of the thousands of posts on those pages, and universe.jobs will redirect you to the listing on the employer's website, rather than asking you to apply through their system like some popular job boards. Others job-search sites, like SimplyHired for example, already offer that feature.

"We don't have an application database, so the job seeker applies directly to the company's website, which is exactly what employers want," says Bill Warren, executive director of DirectEmployers Association, which manages the .jobs domain. Ironically, he's also one of the founders of Monster.com, one of the companies that tried to block Warren's association from building out the top-level domain. (Warren left Monster.com in 1999 after serving as president, he says.)

[See Top 50 Companies to Work For.]

Career coaches often advise job seekers to steer clear of job boards—or at least avoid using them as their sole tool—and instead focus on networking or other more targeted approaches. Companies sometimes receive hundreds or thousands of resumes in response to job-board listings, which means a candidate's application might get lost in the shuffle. Networking and building a brand online may be more effective because it encourages your contacts to come to you with opportunities before they're posted on job boards.

DirectEmployers Association, a non-profit trade group of employers, is funding the venture with member dues, which run $15,000 annually, Warren says. But even non-member employers can list open positions on the site at no charge. That's appealing for small businesses, who often can't afford to post job openings on well-known boards like CareerBuilder.com or Monster.com, which typically charge several hundred dollars per post.

"Companies put less than 10 percent of their jobs on commercial job boards because of the cost," Warren says.

Because it's free, .jobs sites include positions that aren't listed anywhere else, Warren says. The automated websites scrape jobs from about 6,000 company sites, and 41 state workforce agencies upload jobs as well, resulting in more than 752,000 positions. About two-thirds of Fortune 1000 companies list their openings on universe.jobs, he estimates.

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Why students need a backup plan for job search

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 09:03 AM PST

DARREN LAFRENIERE

Globe and Mail Update

Published Monday, Jan. 31, 2011 11:51AM EST

Last updated Monday, Jan. 31, 2011 3:23PM EST

When entering business school, it is important to quickly establish the industries and firms you want to target for both summer and full-time employment. Early and diligent planning will help you more effectively juggle academic requirements and job interview preparation.

But when recruiting season comes around, what if you don't receive an offer for your dream job (your "Plan A")? Most students do a good job of developing a plan to obtain their dream job, but fall short of forming a plan to follow if things don't work out. Here is a healthy dose of recruiting reality that you need to be aware of that highlights the importance of not only preparing a solid Plan A, but also putting significant time and effort into a strong Plan B.

More related to this story

The competition for top jobs is stronger than you may think

Many business students mistakenly assume that they are only competing for jobs with their classmates. The reality, however, is that the top firms in major industries, most notably investment banking and management consulting, recruit on a national and sometimes international level (a "global recruiting model"). This means that you are not only competing for jobs in local offices with students from your own and other universities in your province, but also with top students from business programs around the world. Your grades, profile and interviewing skills may set you apart from your classmates, but you may not be in the top quartile of overall global candidates applying for the same job.

Many firms do not have hiring quotas

A question I am often asked by students is "How many candidates will this company be hiring this year?" The reality is that firms will only hire candidates that meet and exceed high entry requirements. The answer, then, is that they may hire one, 10, or even none.

Let's consider a hypothetical example from a management consulting job posting targeted to your school. Fifty candidates may apply, and the firm may bring in 10 to 15 of your classmates for a first-round interview. Of those applicants, three to eight may receive a second-round interview. Of those, zero to five may receive an offer. This means that, under the best-case scenario, 10 per cent of total applicants from your school may ultimately receive an offer. While this is just an example, and actual numbers will vary from this scenario and industry, the key takeaway is that a high volume of applications may not result in a high number of job offers.

The recruiting cycle may not allow time for you to readjust your focus from one industry to another

For many industries that offer positions highly sought after by students – largely made up of finance/banking, management consulting, and consumer packaged goods – recruiting occurs on-campus over the key periods of January to March for summer positions (current students), and September to November for full-time positions (graduating students).

While finance/banking recruiting typically starts first, followed closely by management consulting, and then CPG, for all intents and purposes it should be assumed that they all recruit in parallel. And while these industries are all looking for a core set of skills (leadership, analytics, etc.), the highly technical and analytical nature of some jobs results in additional interview requirements and processes. This means that if you target an investment banking job and do not receive any interviews or offers, you will have little, if any, time to adjust your application and shift your focus to preparing for management consulting interviews.

Of course there are job opportunities outside of the industries mentioned above (often referred to as "just-in-time" recruiting), but a majority of students will find themselves applying to jobs in the industries listed above since they are "first movers" in the recruiting process.

You only have one chance to recruit for a full-time position at your target companies

Hiring Box Introduces its New, Patented Concept in the Job Search Industry

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 12:12 AM PST

Miami, FL (Vocus/PRWEB) January 31, 2011

Hiring Box, based in Miami, FL, is thrilled to introduce a revolutionary concept in the job search industry. Created for both employers and job seekers, Hiring Box is a full service job search website that rivals internet based job search sites such as Monster, CareerBuilder and Craigslist. Not only does Hiring Box list thousands of entry, mid level and executive positions on their website, Hiring Box has positioned itself as the new leader in the job search industry by deploying hundreds of ATM style job search kiosks all over Miami Dade and Broward Counties.

Developed with individuals who may not have access to a computer or the internet in mind, Hiring Box kiosks are easy to navigate and employers are able to post jobs quickly and for free through HiringBox website. Individuals looking for entry level jobs, hourly paid jobs or part time work have access within seconds via touch screen to hundreds of work opportunities spanning a variety of professions in all areas of Miami and Broward. With a few taps of a screen (video introduction), job seekers are provided with a free print out and contact information for numerous relevant, unfilled positions in their area or 'zone' of Miami or Broward.

With kiosk costs covered by advertisements and sponsors, Hiring Box kiosks are free to businesses and community places and interested parties should simply contact Hiring Box. Businesses have the opportunity to parlay the placement of kiosks into an increase in customer traffic & revenue as they offer an added incentive to a variety of existing and potentially new customers.

To effectively reach and target the people who are in need of the services of Hiring Box the most, hundreds of kiosks have already been placed in strategic parts of the city and suburbs in sites such as Laundromats, shopping malls, libraries, churches, community centers, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, grocery stores and government centers.

Hiring Box has conducted an immense amount of market research to effectively target locations from South Miami all the way to West Palm Beach where the need of individuals that are unemployed or looking for new jobs is the greatest. Hiring Box is currently implementing plans to install kiosks in places like New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities around the nation.

Built with constant use in mind, Hiring Box kiosks are extremely durable and a team of technicians and maintenance personnel are available should the need for repairs arise. With constant changes in the work force, technology and with millions of people unemployed, the Hiring Box has their finger on the pulse of the job search industry and is ready to serve both employers and workers seeking Miami jobs regardless of their experience, education and level of expertise.

With a critical need for accessible, free and instant resources for job seekers all over Miami, Hiring Box is excited to provide real and measurable assistance for entry level workers who need job search help the most. Social and Government agencies are keeping a close eye on the revolutionary and innovative concept that Hiring Box has developed as businesses and advertisers are jumping on board.

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Job Search

Monday, January 31, 2011