Job boards are amazing tools. It is no secret that they represent the leading edge of future recruiting and job placement. The economy, convenience, and downright effectiveness of virtual HR just cannot be beat by any medium of traditional hiring practices. Yet, the modern job board is incredibly under-utilized by most Human Resources and recruiting professionals. They seem to be more of a mystery than a problem solver. Well, let me de-mystify the job board for both Job Seekers and Employers…. 

The Job Seekers: when I was first introduced to the online job board a few years ago I posted my résumé and just assumed (by virtue of my outstanding qualifications) that employers and recruiters would just beat a path to my door. So, I posted up and waited…and waited…and waited. Were they crazy or something? Didn’t they know who they were passing on? All I got in my net was a few automatically generated e-mails from the board. Not a very personal touch.  

The Employers: a few years later I found myself on the other side of the fence. I was recruiting for what I thought was a dream position in PR. I whipped up a fantastic job description replete with benefits and a comprehensive pay-package and cast the line. After three weeks, the only nibbles I got were from candidates 15,000 miles away or grossly under qualified. What in the heck was going on? Did they know what kind of job they were passing on?  What was missing was a relationship. And, like any relationship it takes effort. Even a few minutes to pick up the phone for a follow-up or a “Hey how’s it going” will reap huge rewards. If there is one thing I have noticed, it is that everyone likes to feel important. What better way to build a relationship with an HR Manager or a potential candidate than to treat them like they are the only person on the planet that matters? Very often, depending upon your perspective, they could be!