What do you do whenever your company’s concept doesn’t quite take off, and you’re left with a steady stream of bills and zero profit?
Sell out to eBay!
That’s exactly what Miles Houck, founder of video resume Web site VMploy.com, has decided to do. He just put the entire company up for sale on eBay, including the domain name, Web site, and licenses. The bidding started at $.99. When I last checked, the amount had risen to $305.
VMploy’s Senior VP of Marketing, Brian Krogstad, said, “We have invested two years refining this concept and customizing the application to introduce this new employment approach. This is an exceptional opportunity for the right buyer that understands the importance of the concept VMploy.com represents as well as the significant growth potential once partnerships are formed with existing online job and professional networking sites.”
Houck said they’re bailing because of an “exciting new venture” that has yet to be announced. What could be more exciting than video resumes?
If you’re in the market for a video resume company but need more convincing, check out this guy’s marketing pitch (halfway down), and try to look past the fact that he appears to look like Keith Urban on methamphetamines.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Even The Daily Show is mocking the idea of video resumes :-)
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=179235&title=chasing-the-dragon-chinas
August 19th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
As a full resume, yes video resumes are not the way to go. As a one to two minute introduction, complemented by a full text resume, I think that Video is a great tool that enables prospects to sell themselves to potential employers. Video also enables employers to screen the communication and presentation skills of prospects.
After looking at that site, I think that they take video to a whole new level but enabling 1 on 1 virtual interviews online (yes, with video and audio). What a great way for job seekers to do preliminary interviews online and save gas in these tough economic times.
I think that done properly, the concept is great!
August 19th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I think what Blair of WA said in his comments on this post says it all.
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/the-inside-job/2008/8/1/video-resumes-are-a-really-bad-move.html
I doubt that they are bailing and it looks like they have a pretty solid concept.
August 19th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I like the video resume idea but aside from the US news article this doesn’t seem to be about video resumes. It seems to be eBay bashing.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
I don’t know if it is eBay bashing or just bashing in general. Seems to me like 90% of the articles on this site bash somebody.
August 19th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Well, if you look at this favorable Chezzhead article written by the man himself about Vmploy’s competitor (and CheezHead advertiser) VisualCV, maybe you’ll see why Cheezhead is bashing Vmploy.
http://www.cheezhead.com/2008/08/18/visualcv-free-itunes/
It looks like Cheezhead advertisers get great articles published on this site. Look at the VisualCV banner on the upper right hand side of this page or just look at this:
http://www.visualcv.com/joelcheesman/joelcheesman
Talk about bias…. wow, I’d be ashamed. What happened to balanced reporting???
This site is a joke. I wonder how much VisualCV paid for the article or paid for Joel would be closer to the truth…
August 24th, 2008 at 7:58 am
It only sold for $5,935.99