Jobs Searching Needs To Change

Looking for a new job, or generally being open to new opportunities, can be very frustrating with limited options available for job seekers to gain access to the hidden job market or be more proactive in their search. The result being that job seekers are left feeling frustrated and out of control. 

So why is this? 

The main reason is that current recruitment processes operate back to front. The standard way that companies source products or services is through suppliers promoting them online so that companies can search for what they are seeking, sometimes using an aggregator, and then make an informed decision on their purchase.   

Recruitment, however, generally operates the other way round with employers needing to advertise their vacancies or utilize a recruitment agency to try and attract suitable job seekers to apply. This, however, is reliant on job seekers either seeing and responding to the advert or being registered with, or sourced by, the recruitment agency. Doesn’t it seem crazy that something as important as recruitment is left to chance!

It is also worth noting that job seekers are not always the best at making decisions about their own suitability for roles, often having either fixed opinions about what they are looking for, or simply not being aware of the types of roles they would be suitable for. This is compounded by some employers not promoting their opportunities particularly well.  The result being that job seekers often miss out on job opportunities that they would have been suitable for.  

Furthermore, research suggests that more than 60% of jobs are never advertised by employers.  When you consider that on average in any one week there are about 180,000 new jobs advertised in the UK, this represents a huge number of jobs that potentially suitable job seekers never even get to hear about.

What are the options?

The current options available to job seekers to tap into the hidden job market or be more proactive in their job search all have issues or limitations: 

Uploading their CV to a job board and/or flagging they are ‘open to opportunities’ on LinkedIn

Many job boards enable job seekers to upload their CV so that employers can review their profile and approach them directly. Additionally, LinkedIn enables job seekers to flag that they are open to hearing about opportunities.

The primary issue with these options is that the job seeker’s profile and contact details are made publicly available. This significantly compromises their position with their current employer and can result in them receiving uncomfortable or inappropriate calls and emails from employers and recruiters. This service therefore compromises the job seeker’s privacy making it an unattractive choice, particularly when they are in employment.   

Approaching employers directly

Whilst this is suitable where the job seeker has a few select companies they wish to work for, it is a very time-consuming exercise and unfeasible if they want to approach a wider selection of employers.It is also reliant on the job seekers CV ending up on the desk of the right person with them having the time and inclination to read and action the application. Additionally, many organizations have strict recruitment protocols and simply will not accept direct applications. This option is therefore only suitable where the job seeker has a small number of employers they wish to approach, however there is still no guarantee it will work.

Effectively promoting their profile on LinkedIn

Whilst this is always a good idea, LinkedIn has c35m UK profiles which have limited coding resulting in complex searches needed to source relevant candidates.  The result is that very few companies, or indeed recruiters, have the time and resources needed to conduct thorough searches. This is made even more challenging with limits placed on the number of messages that can be sent together with a minimum response percentage requirement. Additionally, with prospective candidates not wishing to compromise their current position, there is only about 10% of profiles that are flagged as being open to opportunities making the search even more challenging and time consuming.

Is there a solution?

In my opinion the solution is to simply move towards a more traditional supply model where job seekers can promote themselves directly to the employer. This enables job seekers to get their profile directly in front of an unlimited number of employers and gain access to jobs that are not advertised. It also shifts the initial selection of suitability to the employer which not only saves time being wasted by job seekers on applying for inappropriate roles, but also opens-up more opportunities to job seekers who might be unaware of their suitability for a variety of opportunities. It also enables job seekers who might not be actively looking to keep an eye out for those perfect opportunities that are not always available when they are looking to change jobs.

The only reason that this model has not been adopted into the recruitment market is that recruitment is a two-dimensional process with any solution needing to ensure that the job seekers current role and contact details remain anonymous until both parties have agreed to engage. 

I therefore decided to develop a platform and app that delivers this solution, and I am delighted to bring Jobs2UDirect.com to the recruitment market.  The platform is unique in offering job seekers the ability to confidentially promote their profile directly to employers.  This enables the job seeker to gain direct access to employers through creating one profile and puts them in control by being able to assess job invitations before allowing their personal and contact details to be shared.  The platform therefore opens up the hidden recruitment market providing job seekers with access to the estimated 60% of jobs that are not advertised.  The platform also offers job seekers and employers the ability to promote themselves using video technology improving both engagement and assessment.

Operating alongside Jobs 2U Direct is DirectHiringSolutions.com, the employer platform. Direct Hiring Solutions enables employers to search, review and invite job seekers that are registered on Jobs 2U Direct to their vacancies.  If the job seeker accepts their job invitation, they then gain access to their personal and contact details.  The platform offers employers a unique pay-on-success solution that significantly reduces costs, whilst also enhancing assessment and engagement.  Additionally, the platform offers employers a free job advertising service that reduces the administration and cost of managing job boards thereby removing any financial risk associated with job advertising. 

The platform supports Permanent, Temporary, and Interim roles as well as graduate Internships and Placements.  To register on the platform, visit www.jobs2udirect.com or download the app, search for Jobs 2U Direct.  

If you are an employer, then visit www.directhiringsolutions.com.  For further information on the platforms or our affiliate schemes feel free to email me at david@directhiringsolutions.com.