We’re about a year into the “eHarmony of jobs” phenomenon. Startups like Jobfox, itzbig, Climber and Trovix all claim to revolutionize the hiring process with kickass matching technology.
Although accolades and awards have been showered on them all, the ultimate vote comes from their users. And it’s time for a check-up.
If you’ve used – and dislike as a result – any of the above sites, I need you.
The big caveat is that you have to be willing to reveal yourself to me. You can be anonymous in the final blog post, but I have to know you’re legit. Of course, if you’re willing to be named in a story, even better.
I can get a list of fans directly from the companies, which I’m sure to do. However, haters are a little more difficult to find, thus this message.
So, got a negative impression after using an “eHarmony of jobs” job site? Contact me at joel[at]cheezhead.com today.
Popularity: 13% [?]
May 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I love Jobfox. I got a job off of there about a month ago, and I thought the site rocked. Dang, Cheezhead, why are you such a hater yourself? Probably because your name is Cheezhead, and nobody takes you seriously.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Not hatin’ at all, “Melanie.” Just trying to find some answers for an objective post. Feel free to contact me, as I’m happy to chat with lovers as well.
May 21st, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Come on, Joel (Cheezhead)! You’re better than this.
For full disclosure, I am the PR head at Jobfox. As a vendor, I look to your Weblog for fair and open views about the online recruitment space. My concern is you only want to hear the negative. Speaking as a former journalist, I look for balanced coverage. Seeking only negative comments is misleading. Heck, if you ask for negative comments about anything – including glowing products such the iPod – you’ll certainly hear from the squeaky wheels out there. But Joel, does this really add anything to the coverage about our industry?
Keep it real, Joel. Don’t undermine all the integrity you’ve built with Cheezhead.
May 21st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I thought that you made it abundantly clear that you intend to show both sides and that you (and everyone else) knows that you can get a good reference s from the sites themselves. I am sure that Barry can provide you some great and glowing testimonials.
It sounds like Barry might be afraid that the same negative issues may come to light (maybe he already is aware o some common complaints from users). For example, if I read negative post after negative post that the iPod had a problem with battery life I might think there could be some truth to it and early on I would have been right becuase there was. Is Barry trying to discredit possible issues before they even come up?
May 21st, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I think it’s great to ask for negative experiences – the only thing the companies can do is learn from them and improve, right? Why is Barry so afraid?
May 21st, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Cry-Barry!
May 21st, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Bottom line is Joel is more about stirring the pot and elevating his brand. 90% of the blog postings here is like The National Inquirier of the Online Employment Industry.
Some of it is informative, some of it is entertaining and ALL of it is pot stirring self promotion for the name of SEO for Cheezhead.
Cheez don’t take it personal…just got to call it as I see it.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:48 pm
No fear here, only passion about what we’re doing for recruiters and candidates at Jobfox. My only wish is to keep Cheezhead as a balanced and informative atmosphere for discussion. (Just surprised that Joel would seek out only “haters,” in his words.)
Jobfox is willing to engage in this dialogue with anyone who is up front with their affiliations (especially since hiding behind fake names is a typical wannabe vendor tactic). Otherwise, we look forward to new opinions and ideas. Without a doubt, as “Someone Said” posted, this is a great way to help move the online recruiting industry forward. We’re listening.
May 21st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Wow, interesting responses given that Joel has written several glowing reviews about all 3 companies so far. What’s wrong with a little negative feedback about new companies?
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Heck, if I were Barry, I’d gladly welcome critiques of my service. As a job board Director, I find negative comments are the best way to improve service. Don’t forget, behind every negative comment there are usually a few positive ones behind it.
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I was given a free trial by a bunch of Ex Monster reps now pimping the eHarmony solution and the site just didn’t yield a single result…Plain and simple truth, perhaps John McGovern should write another book Barry, what a fraud!!!
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
You got a free trial and you say it is a fraud?
May 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Hey Barry – Jobfox sucks.
1) they “IM’d” me at IN EARLY-MORNING HOURS, which woke me up, to tell me I was a 10 for a job I was in fact a zero for! (The job required a certification I don’have.)
Stop believeing your own press. Your matching thing is so far from what you claim. And this dude has been really fair to you…
May 27th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I’ve just visited this site for the first time and thought reviews were quite interesting. Actually I’ve found a number of new sites here that I didn’t know exist. Thanks for such complete coverage.
May 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Is itzbig only in the Houston area?
I have already tried Jobfox and Climber but none of the jobs were really matched very well. I would like to try itzbig to see what results I get there.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Reply to Michael:
I’m the CEO at itzbig. We are currently only in a limited number of cities: Dallas/Ft Worth, Austin, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, and we recently entered Houston. We plan to roll out nationally, but first want to iron out any wrinkles in the product before we expand. If you’re in one of those cities, plz do give us a try. If not, you can still register and we’ll notify you when we launch in your area.
I think some of the early hype about “eHarmony for jobs” sites has caused a bit of backlash. But that shouldn’t cause us to lose sight of the phenomenal potential for a site that can do a good job of instantly matching jobs to candidates and candidates to jobs. It’s harder to do than it sounds, but it is doable. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to demonstrate that to all of you some day, either as candidates or as recruiters.
May 29th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
As by the name I try to see things the way they should be seen.
To take either ends of the speactrum for anything is wrong. I discount the “I did’nt find one candidate or I did’nt have one job match me” juts as much as I do the “I filled every job or every job was a match to me”
Usually its in the “middle”. All of these are a good tool for candidates and employers but none are the one thing that will solve all the problems. That does not exist and would be very expensive to the employers and not free to job seekers if it did exist.
With everything there are pros and cons for each and those vary depending on the individual. I would assume anyone who is looking for a job or anyone who is looking for talent would embrace any tool that would aid in that process.
If I want only jobs that pay $100,000 per year and my skills are only worth $50,000 and there are no matches then does the product suck? If I want A talent but I am only willing to pay C talent money then do the products suck?
If I want better gas mileage then I have to give up the power of a v-8…..if you ask the guy with the Hummer then he will give you a different answer…..are wither of them wrong?
On a side note…..Rob Mcgovern wrote a book (correct?) not Jim Mcgovern.
I was a candidate who was looking for a job and one of these products IMd me about a job, even if it was not a great fit I would be thankful…..perhaps I should b e out looking and not in bed sleeping.
May 31st, 2008 at 7:53 pm
To the Middle:
They IM’d me at 3 in the morning!!!
I was especially NOT thankful (as you imply I should be) for that because it was in the middle of the night!!! The night before I started my new job, and needed to be up at 5:30 AM! If you are going to make a snide nasty comment — why don’t you READ what you are commenting on, istead of trying to get some sense of self esteem by trying to put someone else down. What I relayed was FACTUAL.
What is also FACTUAL is that the Jobfox tool sucks. IT does not work. They matched me as a 10 and I was a zero – because the job required a MS certification – which I do not have and do not even mention on my resume. The only thing that “MATCHED” was the profession group.
All of your ASSUMPTIONS are wrong!
BTW – I now have a job and I did not get it through any job board. I think the people who run these job boards are like bottom feeders trying to capitalize on people’s desperation. And Rob McGovern’s book was the most sexist pice of shit I ever read. If you have it look at his crap advice about women and make-up! “Don’t wear too much that you look lie a whore – but make sure you have enough on so that you don’t look unkempt and like you just rolled out of bed!” What if you are a woman who does not wear make-up? If your face is clean, what is the problem? There isn’t one.
The middle – I think you must me somewhere on the middle of Mars!
June 2nd, 2008 at 9:37 am
With all due respect to Rob McGovern and his accomplishments, I agree that his comments about wearing makeup and actually insinuating that ANY woman look like a “whore” is insulting at the very best. When I read that part of his book, I had to put it down. How dare he make such arrogant assumptions that any woman present themselves as a “whore”. Perhaps he judges women by what they look like and if they get the job based on what makeup she’s wearing versus her skills.
Maybe he should have as as part of his questionaire: Do you wear makeup? Answer: Yes. Next question: Do you look like a whore?
How very judgemental.
August 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am
I recently stumbled upon jobfox during my jobsearch and found aspects of it so annoying and frustrating that I started researching reviews to figure out if this is even a legitimate job board or an elaborate scam. After giving them my life story, I quickly found it frustrating that with nearly every move I tried to make within the site they tried to get money out of me. As one of the millions of unemployed people in this country, I cannot afford to pay a site that doesn’t seem to provide a modicum decent free service money in the hopes that perhaps they won’t be so crappy if I fork over cash. All I can say is I won’t be appling for any jobs through this site anymore if I can help it and definately won’t be giving them any money.