looksmart - 161 verticals, but jobs ain’t one
October 30th, 2005
Second tier, yet widely known, search engine Looksmart has added 161 different vertical searches to their offering.
This is apparently part of a comeback strategy by the once-celebrated search engine.
There’s only one problem. Where are the jobs?
A complete look at all 161 verticals reveals everything from autos to local info to health to travel. But no jobs.
Now, I’m not going to get too critical at this point. Certainly someone at LookSmart is, um, smart enough to think about adding jobs as a vertical - particularly if "goin’ vert’" is their strategy.
Therefore, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and anticipate that jobs will soon be part of this new offering.
The question will be, Do they build their own beast, or partner with someone for the technology?
To date, the strategy by such smaller engines has been to get in bed with Indeed, SimplyHired, or both if you’re Bloglines, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens with LookSmart.
(I can just hear Indeed prez Paul Forster on the phone to a LookSmart business development VP as I type.)
October 31st, 2005 at 3:14 pm
*** The origin of this anonymous post’s IP address resides at ComputerJobs.com. ***
Um….. http://www.looksmarthowto.com/p/page?sb=cat&pg=cam
October 31st, 2005 at 3:27 pm
It’s not a vertical job search, a la SimplyHired.
October 31st, 2005 at 9:33 pm
Bill
Found similar page(s).
Joel-not sure your point……….for the longest time Looksmart’s career section was fueled by Careerbuilder as the lead and some third tier players (net-temps) in co-branding type relationships.
It now looks like the content is paid for and provided by a multitude of sources. Do different key word searches and major boards pop up, staffing companies and training companies (isn’t that what you advocate?)
Not sure your real point?
What value would their end users get from an aggregator?
In some posts you hammer these guys, others you atta boy em, what is it?
-OS
October 31st, 2005 at 9:49 pm
Happy to reply when you come out from behind the curtain.
November 1st, 2005 at 8:24 am
Joel
It has been nice chatting……..but I think I have shared with you and Jason at Jobster that I am NOT in a position to say my name or company affiliation.
I do enjoy your blog, and Jobsters as well.
However, on 2 occasions(SEO-why do it yourself when you can benefit from Monster)(now this) where I question your logic, you go to “not without a name”, come on….
Does it matter who I am?
I’ll read and hold off from posting.
Cheers.
November 1st, 2005 at 10:22 am
*** The origin of this anonymous post’s IP address resides at ComputerJobs.com. ***
If someone challenges you, simply ignoring them because the post is anonymous damages your credibility in a big way, Joel.
There’s nothing wrong with being wrong or acknowledging a difference in opinion. There are lots of other experts in both SEO and HR/Recruiting… I’m one, a VP for 10 years at a major board.
Hell, Ann Landers, talk radio, 99% of blogs and forums online… all anonymous.
November 1st, 2005 at 1:13 pm
Thanks Bill!
Funny, I would think Joel would maybe thank those folks that engage in dialog on his blog.
I think his ego is getting to big for his head.
Also funny how the bidders on his Ebay auction are all annonymous………hmmmm.
November 1st, 2005 at 11:23 pm
Bill,
There are two sides to every coin.
OS peppers me about Monster and TMP. His IP address is in Boston (Monster HQ). If he’s connected to Monster - which I have to assume - I have no interest in a dialogue with him via a pseudonym.
As far as I’m concerned, he’s the one with the big head if he thinks he’s important enough to be anonymous.
Now he’s trying to plant a seed that my eBay auction is somehow flawed or fixed? Give me a break. Go away. Life’s too short.
If you don’t like the show, change the channel.
- Joel