EmploymentMetrix.com

Beyond.com’s Mobile Job Apps Are Predicted to Experience a 1000% Increase in Downloads

The way in which people have secured employment has certainly changed over the years. While employers of retail establishments may still place “Help Wanted” signs in their windows or place ads in the newspaper, they’re probably missing out on reaching thousands of candidates if they don’t place their job opportunities online, because the first place job seekers turn to nowadays is certainly the internet. And while the internet is amazing (nice job Al Gore) it has certainly amplified our need for immediacy, which brings us to the Smartphone.

With more than 20% of mobile phone users owning a Smartphone and with the current unemployment rate at a steady 9.6%, it is no wonder that the number of mobile app downloads for job searching is exploding.

We asked Jason Stevens the Mobile Applications Manager at Beyond.com, the world’s largest network of niche career communities, for his expert opinion on mobile apps as well as searching jobs on the go.

EmploymentMetrix: Do you think Smartphones are here to stay?

Jason: Yes, whether it’s an iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, Palm, etc…we’re only going to see more of them. By 2014, it is predicted that the internet will be more frequently searched on a mobile device than on a computer, which is very impressive. In fact, Beyond.com has experienced a boom in our mobile app downloads already, so much so that we predict a 1,000% growth from last year.

Additionally, several companies are planning for the future of mobile apps as organizations are investing hundreds of thousands of dollars to build apps as they see that platform as the future, so that is also a good indicator.  

EmploymentMetrix: When searching for a job what types of job apps are downloaded most frequently?

Jason: When searching for a job the job apps that are most frequently downloaded are those that are geared toward a specific industry or niche. Also, in general when it comes to apps, those that are branded from a trusted organization are typically downloaded most frequently. So if you already have a relationship with a user, they’re more likely to download your mobile app. 

But overall, the job apps that I’m seeing a lot of downloads for, and when I say a lot, I mean hundreds of thousands of downloads, are for niche job boards like TechCareers.com, HealthcareJobsite.com, ManhattanJobs.com and so forth. Which makes sense, if you’re in the market for a new job, why sift through hundreds of job opportunities that are not in your field or in your area? Searching by a specific industry or in a specific area is the fastest way to find a job.

Just to give an idea of the free mobile apps that are most downloaded for business purposes here is a look at the top mobile business apps in iTunes:
EmploymentMetrix:  What are your future plans for the mobile space?

Jason: Right now our apps, allow job seekers to search and share relevant jobs as well as read valuable articles and watch videos to help them find a job faster. As we continue to explore the mobile space we are working toward allowing the user to do even more from their mobile device.

We will also keep on top of the latest mobile trends and make the necessary investments to offer our users a quality product.

EmploymentMetrix: Do you value the feedback you receive from your users?

Jason: User feedback is the most important feedback we receive. If our users have suggestions—we want to hear about. In fact, we’ve already made several updates to our job apps based on suggestions from our users.

Given the increase in Smartphone use, it won’t be long until we hear more and more reports of successful job searches being conducted strictly through mobile job apps.  In the meantime, keep on downloading!

 

Powerful Social Website Platform Strengthens Commitment to Community Focus and Its Members

It was announced yesterday that Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, had acquired Orbius, a powerful social website platform that allows businesses to create and govern their own full featured social or professional networking community website for their members, employees or customers.

So what does this acquisition mean?  Well, according to Beyond.com, CEO, Rich Milgram this acquisition shows Beyond.com’s commitment to it’s community focus and will allow its members to evolve beyond the employment experience into new ways to connect and engage throughout their career, business and life. Milgram, also added that “This is an exciting time for business professionals and we want to help them as much as possible.”
 
Thought of as a “Facebook for small businesses,” the Orbius platform and technology has been very successful in providing flexible, scalable and search engine optimized social websites enabling businesses to provide content and community rich website features to connect and engage users through forums, blogs, calendars, videos, expert columns, feeds, groups and other forms to encourage personal and business interaction.

“For years, Beyond.com has remained focused and committed to providing our members with valuable and relevant communities in which to connect and interact across a variety of industry, geographic and specialty areas,” said Milgram. “Our members are embracing these communities and are hungry for more content and information and want to create their own online persona and evolve their personal and business networks. We continue to develop new ways in which to facilitate this evolution and the Orbius platform will enable us to further this vision.” 

How Did the Philadelphia Job Market Fare in August 2010?

Interested in what’s happening with the job market in your neck of the woods? Well, if you’re from the Philadelphia area, you’re in luck—Beyond.com CEO Rich Milgram, shares how the job market in the Philadelphia area fared in the month of August and what he predicts the market will look like for the area in the coming months.

PhillyJobs.com is part of the Beyond.com Network that is made up of thousands of niche career communities based on industry as well as geographical location. If you’re interested in finding out more about your area of interest? Just ask, we’re happy to help. In the meantime check out what Rich had to say about the Philadelphia job market—find out everything from the hottest job titles, top ten industries, what’s happening with entry level jobs, and much more.

 

Online Recruitment: Past, Present & Future

The evolution of recruitment has certainly changed over the years.  Back in the day you would post an ad in the local newspaper and wait for the resumes to come in via mail or fax, but now that everything is so instantaneous and there are so many paths that the recruitment process can take it is hard to pin point where the online recruitment process is going to end up. 

Luckily, a few weeks ago, Mark Anderson, Senior Director of Enterprise Sales from Beyond.com presented on the topic of Online Recruitment, how it started, where it is now, and where it will go in the future at HR Florida. 

Thanks to everyone who attended Mark’s session and for those of you who were not able to be there, you can watch it here:

Beyond.com Joins The Network, Replacing Yahoo! HotJobs

Beyond.com, Inc., the world's largest network of niche career communities, today announced it has been selected by The Network, the largest online recruitment solution in the world, to be their exclusive provider of recruitment services in the U.S. market for their multinational clients, replacing Yahoo! HotJobs. The Network is used by more than 1,000 customers with access to a pool of 100 million jobseekers across 121 countries. The relationship represents a natural partnership for Beyond.com, particularly on the heels of the Yahoo! HotJobs (NasdaqGS: YHOO) acquisition by Monster.com (MWW 11.03, -0.03, -0.27%), and The Network's need for U.S. representation by a leader in the career space.

The relationship allows numerous multinational organizations, many already leveraging The Network for their hiring needs, to fully utilize the Beyond.com Network of thousands of niche industry and geographic career communities to obtain even more relevant candidates for their positions. In addition, Beyond.com will be in a position to expand its portfolio worldwide through the extended reach of The Network.
 
The Network's addition of Beyond.com adds another market leader to its growing community within the online recruitment market including representatives in over 100 countries such as StepStone, a division of Axel Springer AG, Germany's largest newspaper and third-largest magazine publisher, TotalJobs.com, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE 100 company and one of the world's largest publishing and information companies, Jobs.ch (Switzerland), Workopolis (Canada) and Jobstreet (Asia Pacific), among other dominant market players.

"We are honored to join a global organization whose members include the leading job boards around the world that have demonstrated success to thousands of employers and millions of candidates," said Rich Milgram, CEO, Beyond.com. "As the need for global recruiting becomes more and more critical, we are proud to be positioned as the natural Network partner for the U.S., and we look forward to working in tandem with our fellow partners in the member countries to provide unsurpassed global recruitment solutions."
 
Steven Lewis, International Director, Totaljobs Group and Managing Director, The Network says: "We are delighted to welcome Beyond.com to our global alliance and look forward to leveraging its relationships and reach to provide a more integrated service to recruiters looking for international jobseekers. Their proven experience in the U.S. and depth of network will be extremely valuable to our international clientele."

Beyond.com Reports More Than 48% of Industries Experienced a Quarterly Gain in Jobs in Second Quarter 2010

Beyond.com, Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, today released its Second Quarter 2010 Career Trend Analysis Report, which revealed more than 48 percent of industries experienced a quarterly percentage gain in online jobs posted, signifying a healthier economy leading into the second half of the year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the unemployment rate was unchanged in the month of July, holding at 9.5 percent. However, Beyond.com’s data indicates the job market is showing slow and steady signs of a recovery and hard-hitting sectors such as retail and travel are beginning to expand once again. 

According to the Beyond.com quarterly report, which gathers information across thousands of top-tier industry and local career sites, more than 73 percent of employers were looking for full-time employees, an increase of 12 percent from the previous quarter.  Healthcare and Medical represented the largest percentage gain in overall jobs posted (5.57 percent), followed by Sales and Sales Management with 2.24 percent.   

Jobs continued to grow into July, increasing by 1.17 percent over June.  In July, entry level positions showed the largest increase of 39 percent and Merchandising, Purchasing and Retail jobs representing the largest jump among industries with an increase of 137 percent.  Customer Service had the next largest increase (77 percent) and Travel, Hospitality and Restaurant following behind (41 percent).  This is a positive sign to see, especially since some of these industries had dropped during the previous quarter. 
 

 “We are excited to see job numbers continuing to grow and hard-hitting sectors beginning to rebound,” said Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. “In June, we spoke to hundreds of HR managers during an industry conference and were excited to hear about their plans to hire in the months to come.  We expect to report slow and steady job growth into next quarter.”

To view the complete Career Trend Analysis Report and Industry Outlook Reports for second quarter 2010, please visit http://www.Beyond.com/Media/QuarterlyReports.asp.

Hear more highlights from Beyond.com CEO, Rich Milgram on the Q2 2010 Career Trend Analysis Report…

SHRM 2010 Recap

Now that we’ve been back from SHRM for 12 hours, we’ve decided to recap our SHRM 2010 experience.  First off thanks to everyone that stopped by the Beyond.com booth, wore a badge, and more importantly wore one of our shirts.  In fact we had so many attendees in our shirts that we went through our three-day supply in the first hour of the expo on Sunday night that we had to order more shirts for the next two days. It was crazy! 

The Shirts: So what was the deal with the shirts?  If you were spotted wearing our shirt on the expo floor you had the opportunity to win $500 on the spot—all for wearing the shirt!  How awesome is that?  So let us formally congratulate our three lucky winners:

• Day One Winner: Adam Winter
• Day Two Winner: Amy Kastberg
• Day Three Winner: Shannon Scherer

As a SHRM attendee it’s always fun to see what is out there, who has the best booth, who has the best swag (giveaways), who has the best presentation, etc… so let’s recap, shall we?

Best Swag: While SHRM 2009 brought us the SHRMWow from Benefit Focus, SHRM 2010 brought us…a lot of iPads.  While we’re not saying that no one stood out at the show, there was no one real memorable giveaway, that is unless you count everyone who was walking the floor in a Beyond.com Monopoly shirt. 

Best Booth: There were many impressive booths this year so here are the booths we were most impressed with (besides our own...haha):

• Snagajob.com: Had the ski lodge-feel complete with faux fire, grab for cash machine, and yeti (who only made an appearance on Sunday night and then apparently returned home).
• Monster.com: Had a great match game complete with a compelling presentation.  Also, I couldn’t even count the number of flat screen TVs that donned the booth.
• HealthHub: If you didn’t see the HealthHub robot you missed out.  Not only did the robot speak and interact with the crowd thanks to the man behind the curtain or should I say in the isle, but also the robot was also quite the dancer.
  
• OC Tanner: Once again OC Tanner impressed the crowds with their large booth presence and fine presentation skills. 

We also asked SHRM attendees what their favorite booths and giveaways were and here’s what they said:

For more SHRM favorite videos compliments of Beyond.com or to watch the reactions of Beyond.com’s three $500 winners visit our YouTube Channel.

 

 

 

 

Capture the True Energy of the Philadelphia Marathon at the PhillyJobs.com Cheer Zone

Are you planning to attend the Philadelphia Marathon on November 22nd? Well if you are, PhillyJobs.com will be sponsoring an interactive and fun-filled Cheer Zone at 21st and Chestnut Streets that you won't want to miss! This area is a premium location for spectators and news reporters to gather together for a complimentary hot chocolate, meet local community members and cheer on this year’s half and full marathon runners.  

“As a local organization, we are proud to rally our team to sponsor such an important event in our community which promotes determination, strength and endurance, all positive qualities that improve overall well-being on and off the course. We are excited to cheer on the runners, have the opportunity to meet local community members and join in the excitement that this event brings to our local community,” said Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com, Inc.

Full event details are below.

What:  To support our local community, PhillyJobs.com will be sponsoring an interactive and fun-filled Cheer Zone during the Philadelphia Marathon 

When:  Sunday, November 22, 7:00AM – 10:00 AM
 
Where:  21st Street and Chestnut Streets Philadelphia, PA

Who:  Enthusiastic PhillyJobs.com employees, spectators and media contacts that would like to join in the fun and cheer on this year’s half and full marathon runners.

Details:  The PhillyJobs.com Cheer Zone is a premier location and perfect vantage point for news reporters to capture the true energy of the crowd, interview members of the community and capture excellent footage. At the Cheer Zone, PhillyJobs.com will be playing Philly-themed songs to energize the crowd, providing complimentary hot chocolate to spectators, passing out oranges to participants and most importantly holding motivational signs while cheering on this year’s runners.

If you are looking for optimum camera angles and the loudest cheering group at the marathon, we encourage you to stop by the PhillyJobs.com Cheer Zone at 21st and Chestnut Streets.  For more information, please contact Tara Berger at TaraB@Beyond.com.

How Small Businesses Benefit From Niche Recruitment

The idea behind niche recruitment was essentially built with the small business community in mind.  Many local job sites, such as PhillyJobs.com, were founded to help small businesses target local candidates with the skills and industry experience required for their open position.  Because niche sites are tailored to a specific industry or location, small businesses can significantly reduce their time and cost per hire by posting their open positions to niche job boards which also allow them to target passive candidates who visit these sites to do their job, not necessarily look for a new one. 

Niche job boards offer many of the same recruitment products and services as general job boards (and at a lower price), and also include a few other offerings that are especially helpful to small businesses, such as:

• Live Chat:  Niche sites cater to the CEOs of small businesses, which many times can act as the Sales Director, Marketing Professional and the HR Manager all at the same time.  With so many things going on at once, it is important for small businesses to receive personalized attention through multiple channels of communication.  Sites such as Beyond.com, care about each client equally and provide a fully staffed customer service/client support department that is available Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST to take all incoming calls, as well as engage in Live Chat support, which is available through the Beyond.com website. 
• Targeted Email Campaigns:  Small businesses can also consider tapping into targeted email marketing campaigns available through niche career communities to help strengthen their corporate brand and achieve targeted results for their recruitment program.  Although many large general job boards may offer a similar service, niche job sites are able to pull a targeted list of job seekers based on industry or location, allowing small business to tailor their campaign based upon a variety of criteria to receive more effective results.
• Free Resume Search:  Small businesses can take advantage of “test driving” a resume search database to view real blinded resumes on niche career communities such as Beyond.com.  Because many small businesses are working with a limited recruitment budget, it is helpful to gain insight on the of resume searching before committing to buy.  Resume searching allows small businesses to reach passive and active candidates and obtain fresh, qualified talent in a few easy clicks. Employers can choose from a variety of resume searching packages, as well as purchase a single resume view based on their blinded resume search.  It’s all about being flexible, which is typically a huge selling point to small businesses.

These are just a few of the reasons why small businesses should consider incorporating niche job sites into their recruitment program.  Has your small business had success with niche recruitment?  Tell us about it!

PhillyJobs.com Changes the Face of How Philadelphia Searches for Jobs

PhillyJobs.com, the premier career destination for job seekers and employers in the Philadelphia region, unveils a new website that firmly positions the career portal as the leading online destination for area jobs, career resources and relevant content for job seekers and employers throughout the Delaware Valley.  In addition, the new website offers an increased community focus through interactive discussion forums, professional event listings, local Philadelphia employment news and comprehensive career content from local experts and industry insiders. 

PhillyJobs.com has been serving the Philadelphia community for more than a decade and has built upon its rich history in the region and deep knowledge of the local job market to deliver the functionality, career content and breadth of resources job seekers and employers have come to expect from the region’s largest dedicated career community. 

By enhancing the overall site functionality, employers and job seekers are able to connect on a more personal level than ever before.  For employers, PhillyJobs.com delivers access to a wealth of tools and resources to maximize their recruitment efforts.  For job seekers, the site serves as a one-stop-shop, with everything needed to find a job and ultimately advance their careers.  From job listings to networking opportunities, career resources to local content, there are numerous possibilities for job seekers to explore their career options and connect with other local professionals.

“Unlike Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com, Beyond.com is committed to providing targeted local and niche recruitment to our job seekers and employers,” said Rich Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com.  “We are continually investing in our individual brands, such as PhillyJobs.com, to ensure we are delivering the most innovative recruitment tools and resources available.  With the majority of professionals searching for jobs within 25 miles of their home, PhillyJobs.com allows professionals to target jobs in their local community and employers to tap into top candidates in the region, improving their overall recruitment experience and further positioning PhillyJobs.com as the leader in the local recruitment space.”

Beyond.com plans to continue its investment in the Philadelphia region with several new promotions, community service initiatives and local activities planned in the near future.  Check out the new site by visiting www.PhillyJobs.com.