The chicken and egg problem?

Hi

I am currently having a recruitement website built, where users can post their CVs and for a small fee employers can advertise their jobs and search for candidates. I then have a problem do I try and promote the site to job seekers or employers first - without jobseekers will employers be interested - without employers will jobseekers be interested.

What would your suggestions on a strategy?

I am currently writing a blog which I will link to the site

Many thanks

 

Hi, I handle an Australian online job search site. I think you should focus on getting employers to post job openings on your site, after that you can promote your site on jobseekers since your site have the content/info that they need.

 

The chicken was before egg! You should promote to emplyers first...that's of course my opinion.

 

I suggest having jobseekers first register to your website. Then go in for the employers....as you are asking them to pay

 

I think you should get the available openings from their employers, as these items are the content of your site. Then, you can advertise to jobseekers.

 

no employers = no job seekers
no job seekers = no employers
the best solution is think of unique idea. Job search portal is an old idea and early bird eat the worm.

 

Just because it is an old idea doesn't mean it is bad. My idea is for a niche area of which there are not many recruitment sites

 

How about let employers post job vacancies for free until the site gets off the ground? An employer isn't going to pay for it if there are no employees to recruit but if it's free then they might think, why not?

 

I agree with Chris369, let some employers post for free to start things off to get some conent on your site so jobseekers will have something to search.
You could offer employers a special package - 1st 3 months free, or X amount of free postings with a paid package

 

By coincidence I'm in the process of starting a job site too. I'm nearly done with the coding and customization and should launch it shortly.

I'm also leaning towards focusing on employers first, and making it free to list jobs for the first 90 days (or something like that) in order to employers to register and post some job openings. I agree that without content it's going to be pretty hard to have job seekers want to come to the site.

Once I do have those 90 days of job postings, is there anything special to do to promote the site? Just the typical PPC/forum posts/SEO stuff, or are there other ways that are unique to job sites? Would appreciate any insights.

Also, in case anyone wants to check out the site and provide any feedback, here it is: www.esljobsworld.com

 

This is a common problem experienced when a site is designed to bring two types of people together. One does not work withtout the other but one must be willing to have a go with a leap of faith (so to speak).

To launch I would recommend offering free 12-month subscriptions to employers so that for 12 months they can advertise anything absolutely free.

Remember people LOVE free stuff so sell that concept, the value is in the FREE service you are giving them in the hope you can convert their job vacancies.

If its free they have nothing to loose.

Ocne your site builds a "critical mass" you can then work on your revenue model/stream.

There are many sites that have this same issue so it might be worth asking owners of sites with the same issue and that have overcome it.

 

HI, I think everybody has given good advice, I think I will go the free job postings for 3 months when everything is up and running. The blog I am doing is going Ok it seems to have been listed in google pretty quick which is great and as soon as my site is up and running I will put some adverts on it.

Thanks

 

Good luck with it all! Personally I would offer a longer period of free postings.

Or perhaps even offer a longer one for the first X employers that sign up.

Give people INCENTIVE to get in quick!

 

Ruby you are spot on. A site that exchanges between two parties needs a critical mass before it can run by itself. Thisi s tough as emploees will get employed and then they're gone.. The same with the employer.. You need to have fresh parties comming on board all the time.

I think another Job site would be tough to launch unless you got a real twist that the media can jump on.

Remember: just because you can make a better hamburger doesn't mean you can survive next to McDonalds.

I have also had this chicken and egg business problem to solve. I studied dating sites, auction sites, banner exchanges, swap sites, forum launching, and bidding engines.

The main issue is that sites like this start with low activity and therefore need something special to attract people. The core strength of a site like this is the amount of active members. That is why ebay is booming. I am sure any of us could design a simpler auction system, but could we attract that many people?

So in summary I think the biggest thing you need to worry about is not which one you should attract first but how you plan on turning them into long term repeat users.

 

Zorde, you make some good points there. If any body has got some good marketing angles I would really appreciate the advice.

Thanks