Marketing Careers
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by The Newshoundon Apr 21 |
Aquent drops jobs board for interaction strategy
International recruitment company, Aquent, has decided to launch a new corporate website without a search/job board function, replacing it with what it describes as “open access to all its recruiters”.
With the ultimate aim of connectivity and visibility, candidates will now be encouraged to search for an agent who specialises in their area of interest first.
Based on each agent’s profile, applicants will have the ability to connect with the consultant directly either by phone, email or social network, or apply to any of the specialised jobs that the consultant lists on their profile.
“Candidates are tired of applying to jobs via info@cyberspace.com, where their application disappears into the ether and they never hear back. They don’t even know if the job is still open or even whether it even existed in the first place and, worst of all, they don’t know who the person is who is handling their personal data,” explains Aquent International CEO Greg Savage.
Aquent aims to embrace the social media model as an intrinsic way of doing business, according to Savage, who believes that a lack of personal interaction is doing the industry no favours and now is the time to do something else.
On the agent’s profile, visitors will see their face, all their contact details, including any social networks they belong to, find out what they are passionate about, read their testimonials and be able to apply for jobs via this person’s profile.
“With more recruiters going out of their way to be uncontactable, and hiding behind job reference numbers and email addresses, we have created a totally transparent way for talent and clients to connect with our people. Besides job boards don’t find people jobs. People find people jobs”, says Savage.
In December 2008, I got really cross with how I (as a marketing communications professional) was treated by recruitment companies - Aquent included - that I started a website to highlight all that is wrong (and sometimes rarely right) with the recruitment process. Even It Up! provides free information to all jobseekers about the recruitment practices of direct employers and recruitment companies. Its like Choice magazine, but for jobseekers. Since starting the website, I have been quoted in mainstream press, appeared on Channel 7s Today Tonight, been interviewed and podcast by recruitment industry experts, and am growing site members and Twitter followers at a rate of knots. I also have a blog that has a global following! Our employer/recruitment assessments - provided by jobseekers - now number nearly 50.
My contention is that recruitment - and all that that entails - is a brand issue. Those businesses that do it well will reap the rewards; those that dont will fail miserably, especially now given the GFC. Oh, and before Im accused of sour grapes, people dont mind not getting a job... they just wanted to be treated with respect and fairness through the process - something that is sadly lacking in todays job market. Check out Even It Up! at www.evenitup.com.au
"Is this AQUENT method of covering up the fact they may not have many roles?
If so then I am just stating the obvious....." By statingtheobvious.
Is this Aquents method of covering up the fact they may not have many roles to recruit?
If so then I am just stating the obvious....