Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Fee-Based Job Sites: Make More Money (Guaranteed!)

Some ideas that might increase registration conversion on fee-based job search sites.

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There are dozens of businesses that provide fee-based services to senior executives looking to change jobs, careers or find employment while in transition. Generally, job sites that cater to non-executive positions do not charge and allow candidates to register, post their resume and find jobs at no cost to them. For several reasons, experts recommend that senior candidates spend the extra money signing up with a notable placement service, or with a pay-site like <a href="http://www.mktgladder.com">Marketing Ladder</a>. Why? First, these free sites are inundated with candidates, and second, finding the really great executive positions on them can be like looking for a particular hair on a barber’s floor. What I’m confused about is why most of these companies that depend on candidate registration and payment seem to be missing an essential ingredient, (in fact, an obvious one,) in their online experiences: emotional branding and persona-based paths. The job search process, especially for senior folk in transition, is an overwhelming one. In today’s spending climate, not many people have the savings to withstand too many months of unemployment; in many cases, their experience is specialized, and they need specific responses to their needs. For candidates currently working, but looking to move on, privacy and security of their information is of the utmost importance. So why is it that most of the current executive job search sites that focus on self-help have such generic and bland emotional branding? Why do they all use generic imagery of suits sitting at some conference table? And why do most of them not focus on search tools that simulate what a good executive recruiter would do—ask a few simple questions that can get you to the right pool of job postings? I have a hypothesis. I believe that very little brand and candidate planning goes into the development of these experiences. These sites are making the same mistake that the original eCommerce sites did: focusing too much on the merchandise (the jobs) and not enough on the customer (the candidate.) One exception to this (though, Marc, if you’re reading this, my suggestions below will help you as well) is the <a href="http://www.theladders.com">The Ladders</a>. They’re organized by how executive candidates generally view themselves: as marketers, as sales people, as finance geeks, as recruiters, and as general senior management. They’ve left out Operations, but perhaps that’s coming soon? So, anyway...I’ll put my money where my mouth is. Below, I’ve listed five things most of these sites can do to increase their registrations, and therefore their revenue. Because I’m so sure that some of these ideas will work, I’ll guarantee that any site that implements all these suggestions will at least double their current conversion rates, over a period of three months (provided you maintain the same level of marketing as you had previously.) If you don’t, I’ll give you three full days of my consulting time, at no cost, to help you with your customer acquisition and general marketing plan. Create a “gift an account” section. It makes no sense that job search sites that depend on candidates for revenue should not follow a simple principle of eCommerce: each candidate has people who care about them, and who want to help. Allow them to help by creating an easy way to gift an account. Instead, most of the current sites have sections called “Refer a Friend.” If I’m looking for a job for myself, trust me, I’m not interested in referring a friend--I want to be the only one looking at a particular job. I might want to refer a friend after I’ve found a job, but not before. Just for fun, here’s a <a href="http://www.brutalclarity.com/images/uploads/ladder.jpg" onclick="window.open('http://www.brutalclarity.com/images/uploads/ladder.jpg','popup','width=814,height=473,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false">before</a> and <a href="http://www.brutalclarity.com/images/uploads/ladder2.jpg" onclick="window.open('http://www.brutalclarity.com/images/uploads/ladder2.jpg','popup','width=814,height=473,scrollbars=no,resizable=yes,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false">after</a> using <a href="http://www.mktgladder.com">Marketing Ladder</a>. Create a simple, rules-based filtering tool in addition to the current search mechanisms. Dell Canada has an alternative shopping mechanism they call <a href="http://www1.ca.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/jump_easy_buy?c=ca&cs=CADHS1&l=en&s=dhs">Easy Buy</a> that asks four simple questions to the novice computer buyer using a simulated salesperson that recommends a good-better-best set of of systems. Conversion rates are higher, and accessory-upsell is better. You’re an eCommerce site, so behave like one. Create tracking mechanisms for your various search and browsing mechanisms. Find out what the top search terms are, and use them to bubble content and jobs up to the surface. Run analyses on browse-paths and drop-off clicks. Refine your navigation and content based on this information. Personalize some parts of the experience based on what persona the user profiles into. Allow friends to browse for friends. Spouses and family browse for jobs for recently-unemployed candidates almost as much as some candidates do themselves. Take advantage of this. Meaning, create a browse-path that allows a well-wisher to describe who they’re looking to help find a job for, by asking a few simple questions. For example: What is his/her current title? What field/industry is he/she in? How much did he/she make at her last job? Then, allow the well-wisher to send a set of potential jobs to the candidate, along with a gift account for 7 days. Why would you give them a free account for seven days? Because you’re getting the email address of a real, looking-for-a-job candidate with information on their industry, position, and last salary range. You can’t buy real-time information like that. If a member has to relocate for a new job send her an email 30 days in, checking on her, asking if things are all right, and providing them the option of communicating with other people who have recently moved to the same city. Obviously, the people who she’s put in touch with have also accepted such an offer. This will not only provide you with the ability to update yourself on her progress, but create a like-minded community of former subscribers who can become evangelists for your business. http://www.brutalclarity.com/index.php/61/
 

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