About online recruitment, e-HR, PDA, HR SEO and people

First monster branded project in CEE

2005-11-30T11:51:00.000+01:00

I hope I am not wrong. It seems, that first project under brand of Monster in Central & Eastern Europe is online in Slovakia.

After CVOnline.SK left cover of top visited portal Zoznam.sk, Monster took this place. Activity for Slovakian market worked till now under cover of jobpilot/Monster. It seems, that people in Monster already took the decision, how to proceed in market expansion.

This is signal, that brand jobpilot is really death and Monster is coming.

What are plans of Monster?

2005-10-23T16:07:00.000+02:00

This week I read article about acquision Korean online recruitment leader JobKorea.co.kr by Monster Worldwide.

Today evening called me one guy*, who worked for one of CEE job board with offices in CEE but with very strong market position in BALTIC STATES (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), and wanted cell phone nr. of top manager** of Monster, because he wanted apologize for delay. They were meeting today in Poland.

Why?

Because they don't know cell nr. to reach each other, they are not so close friends. May be they meet just to share some info or both of them like beer ;-)
This manager is gonna work for Monster and will plan more operations in this region.
Monster will acquire his formal company (he is or at least was shareholder) and he will lead it. He just left to prepare all. (this possibility I like most!)

Lets see what will happend with Monster in Europe and how much they wanna invest, because CEE is smaller then some cities in Korea or China or India... :-)

*/** I know the identities and real names, but for forecasting of activities is not necessary to publish it.

how they want replace interviews?

2005-10-22T00:21:00.000+02:00

"98% of organisations use interviews as part of their recruitment process," said Richard Alberg. "But conducting interviews is not only time-consuming, it can also be an unreliable method of selection, particularly when the outcome is based on the ‘gut feel’ of the interviewer. This white paper explains how organisations can improve the effectiveness of interviews." (source: Onrec.com)

--> how they want replace interviews?? If I am owner of company, I will not hire anybody with bad feeling but brilliant CV...

News from last months

2005-10-22T00:00:00.000+02:00

During last 2 month I found some news or leads which I would like to share with you.

1./ Very nice search technology is presented by Larry. Try it and you will see the future! This kind of technology I would like to use it in my projects as well. I hope that guys who are developing czech best fulltext search are able to do it.

2./ As Joel alerted on his blog, domain .jobs could be buy for really good price!

3./ I found new job board focused on CEE region. Browse to EuropeTalent.

Get ready for cool lead which I am going to post tomorow ;-)

I am back

2005-10-21T23:49:00.000+02:00

... or return of the king?
Sorry to all of you, that I haven't keep this page updated. Now I am really going to change it and post at least 3-4 posts weekly.

And there are some topics! I will take part on development on fully new job board. Who is interested to help me on testing, don't hesitate and write me to mart(at)inbox.com.

applicant tracking & relationship management SW as your sales article?

2005-07-31T18:56:00.000+02:00

I am looking for one of my client, SW company providing system for HR departments, for partners outside of Czech republic. They have developed for 4 years SW providing applicant tracking & relationship management tools for corporate clients, recruitment agencies and executive search firms. They are very successful here.

If you wanna have very good sales article, let me know. We all will benefit. Don't hesitate contact me for more! -> martin(at)hrtrend.net

Microsoft for online recruitment provider?

2005-07-31T18:52:00.000+02:00

Today I have red very interesting news on Joel's blog. Topic is Microsoft and his possible enter on online recruitment market field. The alert for this message is new company of one of MSN web and RedMatch - SW company for online recruitment. What can happened, if Microsoft enter this field?
In easy answer it will be the biggest global competitor to Monster!

And what more? What are the steps?
1./ Microsoft provides large global network of MSN and can lock huge amount of visitors immediately. Don't forget Hotmail users.
2./ Microsoft thanks cooperation with Redmatch and own CRM can offer special software suite for HR to be in connection with MSN HR page. Some SW like MS Applicant Tracking System would open them door to many international companies. MS has many clients using MS products and this is their policy. Only MS.
3./ Microsoft launched some short time ago new full text search. I am sure they would use vertical search like Yahoo. Again, no technology border.
4./ They can connect this type of service with other products - CV templates in Word, fast communication thanks Messenger (this I would like - ask directly HR manager) or JOB toolbar
5./ They can force more companies to use .jobs domain for job search.

I hope they do it better then I think they can do. It will be definitely fresh air to this industry....

Who is using LinkedIn or OpenBC?

2005-07-09T23:44:00.000+02:00

In last month I have started very active to use LinkeIN and OpenBC. LinkedIN is database of contacts of your contacts and yours. You can get in touch with very interesting people and they dont have to be nessesry directly friends of yours f..
OpenBC works more or less like LinkedIN. Biggest difference could be nationality of registered users. LI is more american... OBC more european...

if you are there, write me to jup8seznam.cz ....

HRTrend.net is comming online

2005-07-05T02:51:00.000+02:00

In few days I will start my own HR magazin HR Trend (now you can see beta, but some things like logo for example will change) focused on new trends in human resources management and of course online recruitment.

My publishing carreer is about 1,5 year. With my business partner we started p.e.r.s.o.n.a.l.i.s.t.a..com. He decided not to run it and leave it to me. He just asked money, which are much much higher, that we invested. If I count, that last month he hasnt published any article, the price was very high.

I lost one year of my life and I am starting new. I am just keeping my articles, but fight to get much readers as possible is starting.... wish me luck

3! hot news from Czech-Tal

2005-07-04T00:40:00.000+02:00

Biggest czech provider (company LMC), member of Onrea, signed joining contract to ERA and The Network. Lets see, how is it to be in one aliance for two competitors (LMC & CVO)

CVO started with PreSelector Europe service, same which is used by Monster.com. Finaly we can see some standards!

LMC lost their case with Seznam (another online recruitment provider) about brand name. LMC provides prace.cz (common word like "job" or "work") and were traing tell us "it is our brand" ;-) At least justice showed, that is not blind and allowed Seznam use Sprace.cz (all services of seznam.cz are branded like Ssomething -> Sauto, Smobil...etc)

Opera is better than Firefox?

2005-06-21T17:30:00.000+02:00

I have tried all browsers with market share over 1% and I have to say, my winner is Opera. I am not IT-guy, I am advanced user and my satisfaction is with Opera much higher. Second place is for Firefox. Decision was not easy to make, because both of them were very good! Only after whole day using Firefox without restart, fox started eating my memory.....and collapsed. I am sorry foxie.

Did you know, that Opera is better than Firefox?

Google is most popular non-czech page in Czech republic

2005-06-21T17:21:00.000+02:00

Survey of iAudit International shows, that with 51,5% is Google.com the most popular non-czech page. This proves my idea, that job-search via Google could be successful service even here in Czech.

1.	Google.com	51,5
2.	Yahoo.com	13,5
3.	Msn.com	8,5
4.	Microsoft.com	6,6
5.	Icq.com	6,4
6.	Geocities.com	1,3
7.	Passport.net	1,1
8.	Passport.com	0,9
9.	Apple.com	0,3
10.	adobe.com	0,2

See, that giant like Monster.com is even not in TOP10 and czech people better search for Adobe or Apple products. Google-image is incredible!

P.S.: If you are not sure, that you know Czech republic, check pictures of our wonderful places!

New centres of grow

2005-06-17T13:53:00.000+02:00

Every day, when you can read positive messages about online recruitment, is very nice. Today I have found article about online recruitment market in India and his grow about 80%.

"The CEO of Naukri.Com, Mr Sanjeev Bikhchandani, has stated that the domestic e-recruitment market is expected to grow by 80 per cent during the current fiscal.Speaking at the Myris India equity show, Mr Bikhchandani said, “The total e-recruitment market which was around Rs 80 crore during the year ended March 31, 2005 is expected to raise by 80 per cent aggregating to Rs 144 crore in the current fiscal. "

Do you know some other markets, when you can grow so fast? China, may be. (Did you know about Monsters acquisition in ChinaHR.com?)

Online recruitment conference vol.1

2005-06-17T02:46:00.000+02:00

Conference about online recruitment in Hungary is already behind us, how long will we wait for something like this in Czech? :-(

"There have been few such HR conferences in the past years that were followed with such interest from the employer side."

Jobsearch by Google! Why not?

2005-06-16T19:42:00.000+02:00

I am very happy, that my theory will prove. After I wrote several articles in Czech about full search engines and their interests in jobs listing Joel send me email (thanks Joel!) - Google to provide job listings search soon?

I guess so, that in few months (may be in one) Google will start service like this. There are many reasons, the top3 are:
1./ Google is very very effective tool (I would say weapon) for searching and why not to use this possibility?
2./ Google is no.1 in searching and they have to hold this position, if competitors are starting with this services.
3./ Jobs listing is very good market and compared to other searches, companies are used to pay very good prices. (Check prices of Monster)

And, as I know creative people of Google, they will come with some excellent new features! I am looking forward GoogleGuys!

Is there any reason to hide prices?

2005-06-13T14:23:00.000+02:00

What I don't understand is way of thinking of some providers, which are don't placing price list on the web. I would like compare prices, but don't have time to call every company and ask. Can you imagine some shop, where you wanna buy f.E. a TV and there is no price? Everyone is coming now, use Froogle or another service and see, what the real market price. Are services like one-job-ad-posting so different?

Only reason I found out is create price in connection company name. Strong brand = rich company = higher prices. We are still on wild wild east :-(

News in czech online recruitment

2005-06-13T14:03:00.000+02:00

I have now small job for one recruitment agency. My client is looking for people to go work on cruises for 6-8 month and till now they haven't use internet at all. This now my job. I make new analyse for them and I was surprised about many things.

There are still many free services, which are trying compete. They create you only costs - you spend your time - but no success! No one email with response. And they bother you with some newsletters. What is worse, that some companies make first experience with them and then don't trust any more to internet recruitment.
Some companies finally found out, that additional services are way, how to rise revenues.
And best on last place, fulltext search in job ads has started. I like this style and hope it will prove my theory, that this is exactly new way of online recruitment.

PDA in online recruitment is an advantage

2005-06-11T18:36:00.000+02:00

In my previous post I have mentioned strong possibility for using PDA technologies for better procedures management. What is for problems there, why companies don't use m-HR (mobile HR, when e-HR already proved value)?

First problem is low penetration of this type of Handel's. As Jupiter Research shows, PDA penetration is still single digit, about 7% (in USA, but world average will be not much different).
Second problem is lack of application and software, which can be used on PDA technology. In other branches (sales f.e.) are many developers, who are producing m-Applications (like Sunnysoft in Czech rep.), but no one started with version for other OS. For existing software, like CMS (candidate manage systems) or TRM (talent relation management) should be no problem open access for different OS. That mean, if companies will demand this type of applications, providers should start with them.

What using PDA can bring the company?

For all recruiter can it be advantage of accessibility and be mobile. They can enter database every time, check messages, send CVs to the client and have all data and notices one-click far.
Employees (recruiter) are able to work outside of company. Many long interviews start be boring very soon and thanks this technology they can go to part or for coffee. They performance will rise. Thanks technologies like bluetooth or wifi they can connect to internet everywhere.
Very good communication tools based on messaging or Voip (best example is Skype)

Very good step how to change this are surveys, which are motivation for other companies to change low technology penetration. This year survey of Intel and IDG voted for czech beveradge company Kofola as "Mobile Company of the year 2005" for very good IT equipment (laptops and PDAs) and company wi-fi network. Globally shows very good example Sun with project iWork.

HR SEO for revolution

2005-06-11T15:32:00.000+02:00

I have found very supporting article on eGOVmonitor. I don't know, how is it in other countries, but in Czech is the government not very active in starting with new activities. I am very glad to read articles like e-recruitment: online revolution.

“I am delighted to take this opportunity to demonstrate to local authorities the benefits of e-recruitment, to share best practice and to give them the latest facts and figures behind what I believe will be the future of the recruitment industry”

Then the HR SEO will be the best practice and search solutions help recruit locally.

Cool app for my PDA

2005-06-11T15:22:00.000+02:00

I am big fan of PDA and see many possiblities, how to use this technology for online recruitment. On my PC I am using Miranda IM for messaging and I missed application like this for my PDA. Now I have found one and it is very cool. Try VeriChat.

Why companies in CEE are not using HR SEO?

2005-06-11T14:57:00.000+02:00

I don't know the situation in rest of the world very exactly, but HR SEO in CEE countries is not very developed. In last years companies from hotel, travel, shopping business have started invest not small amounts of money in this type of advertising. HR SEO is standing much much back.

What are the biggest and most frequently problems?

Companies from HR business (or HR departments) very often don't know about SEO very much, advantages and influence, which this activity has.
About product marketing deciding people, who has marketing background, very good skills and knowledge of marketing and are update about new tools and possibilities. In HR department are very good professionals in human resources management, psychology etc. and often have no idea about new trends in internet marketing. They are used to work with some jobboard and that is enough.
HR professionals see other activities where to promote their jobs and services.
Jobseekers are not used to search for jobs in search engines and for jobsearch are going directly to jobboards.

How to solve this problems?

Promote marketing part of human resources management and show the succeed in search engines. When this activities are successful for selling products, there is no reason for failure in services.
Show the cost cutting thanks SEO
Use internet standards for optimising and know, that there is not only product marketing, but recruitment is same important.
Understanding of principle of .jobs domains and developing career sites on this domain.
Targeting on .jobs domains from search engines
Promoting job-search to jobseekers (if high-quality jobseekers will use search engines, companies will find way there and thanks HR SEO will try to be visible as much as possible) - but the numbers are very good allready now, as the report from Navrcholu statistic service shows, 91,6% of internet users are using for searching (pity that not for jobsearch) fulltext engines.

HR SEO market looks to be really big. SEO companies will start very soon offer this type on services and soon, when first company uses this methods, their competitors will start compete them to be on first pages as well. And. Services like Work.com are coming and there will be HR SEO must!

See the market share of Google.com on czech search results

Seznam.cz	51,6%
Google.*	21,7%
Centrum.cz	7,8%
Atlas.cz	6,8%
Jyxo.cz	1,9%

Why I have created this blog?

2005-06-11T14:04:00.000+02:00

It is a very good question. I wanted share my opinions on future development on trends in e-HR and thanks your comments and posts on other blogs find out, what in some years will be in. As you see English is not my mother language, I come from CEE Europe and in last few years I always worked for some e-recruitment providers. I come from small country and there is really very few people, who are able to talk about online recruitment and really understand this topic. This is second reason for creating this blog and for choosing English language.