I couldn’t make this stuff up.
Yet another niche job board, StreetSmartJobz.com, has launched with the aim of targeting non-degreed professionals. Not only is the name ridiculous and demeaning to the audience, but the web site is a visual disaster that looks like it was thrown together during a smoke break.
Here’s a snippet from the founder’s bio:
By my early 20’s I had been working for a large grocery store chain for a few years, had gained skills, experience in the grocery business, and wanted to move into a sales career. I figured a sales job in the grocery business would be the right start for me since that is where I had experience. Most job ads for sales reps said college degree required or college degree preferred. I had no college degree.
One night about a year ago, while watching the TV program “The Big Idea Donny Deutsch” Donny challenged his viewers to in his words “think about something that pisses you off!” he said there is a good chance it pisses off millions of other people too. You might have a big idea! The answer was easy … it was and still is “college degree required.”
So why not a job search website for people like me without a college degree to find jobz where no college degree is required?
Todd Lowe, Founder
Todd, you know what pisses me off? When people replace the letter ’s’ with ‘z’ in a moronic attempt to sound more “urban.” But that doesn’t mean I’m going to start a company just because it irritates me.
Popularity: 15% [?]
September 15th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
You failed to mention the handsome photo of the founder on the frontpage. I’d follow that guy to hell and back :).
September 15th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Despite the look, the name, and the lack of professionalism of saying “pisses” on a job board, it will be interesting to see if this site gains traction. There are an awful lot of people out there that don’t have college degrees, and this might turn out to be an excellent idea for them. We’ll see!
September 15th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong but I was unable to find a single job on this site. According to Google they have a total of 10 pages indexed. So is he trying to suggest that you can NOT obtain a job without a degree? Sorry to be so critical, but this seems like a joke!
September 15th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
You need to get over yourselves here people. So the dude has an idea. Do you have the actual total number of job boards that actually DO SUCK? The number would probably amaze us all.
So Homey has an idea that a job board with jobs for the working class people who weren’t forced to go party at State College for 5 years cuz that’s where Daddy went and you want to slam him?
I wish him all the luck. Hell – you’ve not said anything about the dumbasses who have obviously spent tons of money trying to make a job board fly where the candidate gets paid to take a job!
September 16th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
So Cheezhead uses a “Z” to differentiate its product from the dairy product, is Joel Cheesman a dolt for using a play on words, by the way what is a dolt. Come on, get your witz about you and remember marketing 101 – your product might be the same but with a memorable name you could just make it big.
I work with thousands of people as an outplacement specialist and I get many who do not have a degree for whatever reason and having a job board where employers can conduct alternative searches among those who are experienced is a healthy sign and hopefully a useful tool.
I hope you guyz and galz are successful. Put the acrimonious criticism to bed and don’t wake it until 2020, we’ll all be better off not being angry at one another. There is enough anger in this country over politics and it doesn’t help anyone. Encourage everyone you meet and they will remember you.
Go get ‘em
StreetSmartJobz.com
September 17th, 2008 at 2:11 am
Is this blog’s author for real? She is critical of using a ‘Z’ in the name and says it is an attempt to be urban. Has she not looked at the name at the top of her site? Why does this site have a ‘Z’ in its name instead of spelling cheese the conventional way? I visited the StreetSmartJobz.com and it seems Todd is onto a great idea. Our company hires people without college degrees and we do look carefully at their background and how successful and hardworking they have been. We will be checking this site. I also agree with the poster above that we should be more positive to each other and our efforts. Enough negativity already! The blogger should be ashamed and should apologize to Todd.
September 17th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Vanezza, what company did you start? Oh, that’z right, you don’t start businessez, you just profit by criticizing them. Well, you know the old saying, those who can’t do teach, or in your caze, blog.
September 18th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Haha Wow! The fact that you slam this guy for using a “z” to sound “urban” on a “CheeZhead’s” log is freaking hilarious. This must be embarrassing Vanessa. In fact I would change it if I were you…thats really bad.
September 27th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
By the name you can see I try to see both side”z” of the issue.
This is one that I feel is rather simple. If you want to go to his site and look for a job then do it, if you dont then dont.
If enough people go then he stay”z” in business and if not then he doesnt.
There are PLENTY of sites out there that deserve more heat then this one and they are sites that get a great deak of traffic and revenue.
State of the union:
Monster – stock at a 52 week low and their product is almost the same as when they launched it.
CB – The best and most respected reps are leaving every day and it will impact revenue and renewals.
Hotjobs – enough said
Jobfox – The matching doesnt work, they are now offering 1 week trials and top people are leaving the organization
StreetSmartJobz.com – good luck, perhaps someone can get it right.