By now, you’ve probably heard the story of Susan Boyle’s triumphant appearance on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ (and if not, take a look!). Apart from the incredible positive change in her own life, I think Susan’s story holds a few lessons for job board and career site owners:

• You are judged on your appearance: Watch the video. Until she begins to sing, Susan is an object of the audience’s preconceptions and derision. So ask yourself: does your site look as professional and impressive as it possibly can? If it doesn’t, your (unheard) audience may be just as derisive and dismissive.
• Results matter: What is the turning point in Susan’s moment on stage? It is when she begins to sing. She has the goods–she’s not a poseur. Again, give your own business a hard look: do you deliver the results you promise for your employers?
• Be ready: Susan was. Face it, if she hadn’t sung her heart out when she had to, neither you nor I would know who she is. But she was ready, and she did. Is your site ready to deliver when an employer or job seeker comes calling?

I never thought I’d be using a YouTube sensation as a business example for career site owners. But then again, I suspect Susan Boyle may not be finished teaching me a few things about creating success.

Tagged as: career sites, job boards, user experience