2022: the shape of things to come
If you check into my archive, you may notice that I did not predict the pandemic or anything like the shape of things to come. In fact, at times I've even said that I won't or can't predict. Ahem. So…
Laying fiber: why you need to routinely review and upgrade your technical infrastructure
I live in a small college town in the US Midwest. If you know anything about the US, you know what that means for internet access: mediocre internet speeds, high prices, limited provider choice, and unpredictable upgrade paths (unless your…
Question your complacency – and map your way forward
After the nadir of the pandemic, the current hiring frenzy feels pretty good, right? Most of the folks in the industry that I talk to are seeing big increases in candidate and employer activity. Investments are also rising, as are…
Platforms, pipelines, ecosystems, and hubs
As with most industries, the recruiting industry is partial to faddish names and acronyms. ATS, PPC, 'talent pipeline', RPO, 'hiring marketplace', PPA, platforms, and so on, and so on. As systems grow in complexity, so do the names describing them…
What is a job board doctor, and why would you need one?
Note: I'm always surprised when I talk to folks and they say, "I didn't know I could hire you! I thought you were just a blogger." In fact, I've had clients that actually encourage me to be more aggressive in…
The eternal question: build or buy
One of the most common questions I get from startups is whether they should build or buy the software for their job board. It's a question that wasn't that common 10 years ago - simply because the options for job board…
Thinking like a job seeker
If you've read me for any length of time, you know that I believe job seekers are the driving force for our industry. They are why employers are willing to talk to us and willing to pay us. Their success…
The pandemic is an opportunity to rethink, rework, and retrench
Note: This is from last spring, during the early days of the pandemic. Since the virus is still with us - and will affect a good part of 2021 - the Doctor thought it would be worth a re-read. Enjoy!…
A tale of two job board companies
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times for job board companies. Sorry, just had to use that! But indeed, for some job boards, right now is pretty darn good. And for other job boards, it's…
The final rule for designing a recruiting site: keep it simple
Over the past several weeks, I've proposed a few rules for designing an effective recruiting site or job board: remember that users aren't rational, and keep the focus on the candidate. Well, now it's time for the final rule (that's…