When I started digging into the “new and improved” Monster.com, I couldn’t help but think back to Ask.com launching Ask3D. The company hailed it as “A Truly New Way to Search,” giving users three columns of results, including filtering, pics, video on top of regular search results. Some really smart people said it would challenge Google, particularly on the heels of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign. Remember those? That was June 2007.
Didn’t happen. Fast forward to today and Ask has more-or-less gone back to its former self and essentially given up on its efforts to dethrone Google. Google’s momentum and mojo was too much to tackle.
Monster is working against similar forces. And although you could argue they are the Google of our industry, that’s simply not the case. Years of segmentation, competition, verticalization, commoditization and neglecting the job seeker have taken its toll on a once mighty company. I doubt any amount of coolness or job-seeker refocus will alter the winds of change that have been blowing for a long time now.
That said, the new Monster is a noble effort.
“Monster has made a significant investment in product and technology in an effort to design and develop new tools and applications that help job seekers manage their career,” said Sal Iannuzzi, chairman, president and CEO of Monster Worldwide (MWW). “The result is an entirely new site experience which allows job seekers a more engaging and dynamic way to find the career that best matches their talent, background, aspirations and professional goals. We set out 18 months ago to deliver the best seeker experience possible. Given what is going on today with the global economic crisis and its affect on employment, we are even more gratified to be able to provide these valuable tools to seekers.”
Visitors to the new site are met with a variety of videos touting everything from “Monster is not just about jobs anymore” to “Monster’s new job search is easier than ever! To apply for the job is 65% faster than before!” Using real faces at the company is a smart move and helps put a little humanity on an organization many buyers feel is too big to understand their individual challenges.
Additionally, registered users can add widgets to their homepage, similar to iGoogle. This is a nice time saver option for job seekers and helps put more control in the users’ hands. Nice touch if you look at Monster as your be-all destination for job search, which I doubt many do. An interesting move would be to allow users to add third party widgets outside of Monster’s jurisdiction.
The new search results page has sacrificed banner ad overload for featured ads in a Google AdSense-style format. A search for sales jobs in Cleveland revealed opportunities with local companies around town. However, changing my location kept the advertising to the Cleveland-area, so I’m guessing they’re checking IP information to serve ads instead of on-page content.
In looking at the list of results, job seekers can scroll over an ad title to get a snapshot of the position in about 150 words. Scrolling over other icons reveals mapping information, salary information powered by Salary.com and an action button where users can save certain results. There’s also a movie icon, which I assume will provide employment branding videos at some point, but I failed to locate any examples. The results are laid out in a way that users don’t have to load page-after-page to see job data. A nice feature, but it will undoubtedly impact banner ad revenue negatively by decreasing pageviews dramatically.
A past interview on the launch revealed a more algorithmic approach to results versus a date order list, which seems to be the case with more granular queries. One search revealed a posting from 12/5 as the top result with more recent postings coming after. Seekers can also filter their search in a wide variety of ways.
Going to a job posting reveals a similar interface to what we’ve seen from Monster in the past. In a framed environment, you’ll most likely see the job posting as it looks on an employers’ main site and post resumes through the company’s applicant tracking system. No registration via Monster or e-mail required (or implied) to apply (I’m looking at you, CareerBuilder). Jobs shown as posted directly on Monster give users a ShareThis-style icon, but it only allows for e-mailing the job to someone. A bit misleading considering many who click on that icon expect the ability to post to a Facebook account or Twitter. Looks very 2.0 wannabe.
Career Tools
Outside of basic job search functionality, the biggest seeker-side changes come in the shape of the company’s new career tools. Unfortunately, it’s also the biggest disaster. Through sections that include “Career Snapshots,” “Career Mapping,” and “Career Benchmarking,” the company has created an absolute quagmire of confusion. I know I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I found using these tools entirely too time consuming and certainly not worth the effort unless I was really, really motivated to find employment.
“Today’s ‘new’ Monster not only provides the resources to help people find a job now, it also helps people begin to identify and plot out career aspirations over time,” said Iannuzzi. “We’re delivering on our promise to make Monster a personal, relevant and exciting place to search for the perfect job. Simply put, there has never been a better time to visit Monster.com.”
Career Snapshots apparently tells you if you’re on the right career path or not. Through a series of questions, it’s goal is to help put people on the right path to a new job or position. There’s also a forum-style component, where others in your space can comment and give advice. This area is empty today and I expect it to be pretty empty (spam excluded) in the future. It’s also not much help if the field isn’t already in the database. There’s not much of a career path for an SEO, I guess.
Career Benchmarking is supposed to help you understand how you compare with others in your particular field. Most notably, do you make as much as your equal at another company or would you make that much more in a different city. Good idea in concept, but like the other tools it’s not the most user-friendly thing on the planet. Payscale is a much better option.
Career Mapping serves as, well, a map to take you from where you are now and where you might want to go in the future. Again, a good idea in concept, but the tools are tough to understand. I’m sure the engineers who built it understand it, but not me. And I really have to wonder if you’re an engineer or accountant or marketing professional, do you really not understand the opportunities in front of you? If not, you probably shouldn’t be doing what you’re doing in the first place.
Conclusion
Hit-and-miss. I like what they’ve done with the job search functionality. But I think they’ve wasted a lot of time on the Career Tools portion of the program. I like that they’ve taken out a lot of the nonsensical banner ads (you can still find them if you dig hard enough) and made them more targeted. And their ad network could be an interesting play in the months to come.
No doubt the moves they’ve made will receive acclaim by many. It may even turn people who have given up on Monster in the past to give them a second look. Will it turn the tide currently in favor of destinations like LinkedIn, Craiglist and Google? Only time will tell (but don’t hold your breath).
Popularity: 12% [?]
January 12th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
You are a hack my friend! What’s the difference between you and Perez Hilton? Only that you wear glasses.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Joel,
Nice review, very detailed. It’s interesting (at least to me)…we actually have a pretty similar take on the experience and the design but take a little different route on how we got there. And as a prize I tossed in a couple of predictions which I am pasting below:
“My 2009 prediction: look for Sal to get a parachute & for Monster to either acquire a non-search or other non-job board related company amidst a massive stock buyback or they will be acquired sometime late Q3 or early Q4.
Whatever the case by 2010 I think Monster will be significantly different than what you see today & it won’t be because of new AJAXey type interface.”
If you’re interested in my little diatribe here is a link to it. It’s posted as a comment on Eric Shannon’s review of the changes which was very positive. http://tinyurl.com/9yfcs7
January 12th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Hey Joel!
Great comments.
Congratulations to Monster and team for delivering this major change. I’m not sure, but I think this is the first majore release in the last 4+ years. Keep it up!
I’m wondering if Monster did any kind of split testing or Industry “confidential previews”. If they really wanted to be the best, I assume they would have tried to get input from their harshest critics.
Are these changes “Game changers”, far from it…
GeoTargeted Results-
They are simply catching up the to market. Indeed.com (and probably other sites) have been using GeoTargeted results, based off IP addresses, for at least 9+ months, if no a lot longer. GeoTargeting is just the first step in creating better search… there is still a lot more to do.
Integrated Next Steps:
Providing Next Steps, like salary surveys for the job, and other Mashups… been done…
Removing the UI impediments–
FINALLY!
January 13th, 2009 at 2:36 am
I hate the new design. I don’t want my salary to be put out there no matter what. I want people to ask me. I don’t like how SLOOWWW everything works now. Good try Monster but I don’t see Monster gaining any ground from this.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:20 am
I like what I have seen so far from Monster. The best item they have is the Career Ad Network, we added this to pur job pack and have gotten incredible results. We have found that we are getting more desirable candidates, not just the people who are always looking.
If you use the job boards, try the Career Ad Network, it was worth it for us. We cut out one of the boards and added this product to all our jobs and we are happy with the quality results.
January 13th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Cheezhead,
I lost all respect for you. Your review is ridiculous. I enjoyed your bashing of Monster in the past—-they deserved it. The product was outdated, technology was old and they had no vision. But the improvements they made on both seeker and employer sides are amazing. The management in Maynard is finally on the right path. I’ve been the customer of theirs for years (CareerBuilder too), and Monster is now way ahead of their competition.
You should be man enough and admit when you are wrong. You just lost your credibility.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Johng: u lost me…the review was ridiculous because…? because it was negative? or positive? how was it negative or positive?
January 13th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Love the new design and LOVE the new pricing! Monster is going after market share and making up for some lost time. Yeah they have had their issues but who hasn’t in this market…even the giant had to release how many people? I dont care what CareerBuilder claims, candidates will go to both of the boards in a tough market. CB can not go about business charging client full fees for postings. Monster is on the right track and this should be something to watch into the new year. I have never been a big Monster fan but I think they finally figured out the playing field is getting smaller and it was time to get serious. CB will claim that their product is better and has more traffic…funny though..they are still asking for email addresses from candidates and trying to force companies to purchase all the extra high profit items at the checkout stand. It has that feeling of walking into 7-11 for coffee and walking out with an over priced 12 pack. Competition is what this country was built on and that is what will make us stronger. Keep improving and nice job Monster!
January 14th, 2009 at 5:39 am
Has Cheez lost his objectivity? or is he jaded by his own prior words when it comes to job site critic. Maybe you have some Cheezy…valid points?… perhaps… but Monster has done a good job overall. I’ve been using Monster since OCC merged with Monster Board. It takes REAL work to create an application and ONLY a few words to criticize the work.
Keep up the hard work Monster You have improved. Now if you can only figure out a way to help all those who need work…. NOW. With 3.3++ job seekers for every job out there, help the masses find innovative ways to find new careers in addition to Job sites, and promote it. Then you will build some candidate loyalty. PEACE
January 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am
“monster still really dumb, buys trovix” !!!!!!!!!
You and your buddies article showing a can of hormel “SPAM” is exactly what you you did in the above comment on your main page.
You are a fool and are losing the “negative war” you have held with monster. Most people giving you ANY credibility are your buddies above.
BTW - are you still taking advertising from companies that you speak highly of or don’t bash.
Your Glasses went out with the Elvis Costello decade and they probably just have glass and not real len’s….
January 14th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I’m a huge fan of monster.com but my only beef w/ this design (as well as previous versions) is the wasted space on the bottom half of the home page. What is stopping them from moving the poll to the right (under “Reach Your Potential”) instead of wasting 500-600px on real estate towards the bottom?
It always seems as though 99% of the effort goes into the top half of the page and the bottom half is an incongruous collection of… stuff.
January 14th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
It must be just me then but I think the new monster is just plain awful.
They should know by now that most job hunting is done during working hours so why have video explaining how great and fast the site is?, it’s not so effective with sound off and anyway If the new site is that great and fast job seekers will soon get the message, they don’t need to be told.
Secondly the very thing Joel likes about the results, I just hate. Run your mouse down the results to see them and you can’t read the next job down because the text box is now blocking it! I also find the site significantly slower, so where they get this 60% faster claim from heaven knows! Maybe if you spend a day building your customised page and career map you benefit from faster results?
Thirdly, a job seeker goes to a jobs board to get errr Jobs and a good selection that match, double quick. sorry but monster are not facebook, or myspace or some other social networking site, the jobseeker doesn’t want to build or have the energy to build a customized monster home pages, they are not showing it to others, job seeking should be a short term thing, so I can’t see it catching on, the window dressing is both a total waste of time and is both messy in layout and confusing to understand as far as im concerned.
Finally, monster take note… you are Not the only jobs board in town but one of many. Trying to make monster a final destination is never going to work imo, but i dont blame them for trying. I think they have seriously dropped the ball now. My moneys on a takeover inside of 12 months.
Claire
January 14th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
So I’m always looking for a better job, and I have a resume out there on Monster, and careerbuilder. And I scan the internet every once in a while to see what’s out there and available.
So I was interested to see a new monster.com, and I actually think it’s pretty good. You mentioned how weird the career tools are, and I agree, but they weren’t THAT hard to figure out. I’m sure for a super-busy blogger/twitterer/consultant type, you don’t have time to click around and play with it… but I spent like 15 minutes using it, and figured them all out. I didn’t make much of the career benchmarking thing, but the career snapshots was actually pretty cool. It allowed me to look for jobs based on a more think-and-click way, rather than having to type in a keyword. I’m pretty young, I don’t really have a career yet, and so it’s nice to have my options laid out in front of me.
I really like the homepage, actually, since this was the shittiest part of the old site. You just put the ‘widgets’ on your page, and then you can go directly to your resume, directly to a saved job search, directly to a job that i want to apply to that I saved… it seems a lot easier and more intuitive than having to click on a menu, then on the next menu, etc. I log in, and there’s my home page, and I can check on everything from there. Sure, I’ll still use other websites, but with this monster site it seems a lot easier to just check in every once in a while and see what jobs are available. I don’t have to do the search again or anything.
I don’t know what’s up with the profile thing, is that useful? Why do they have it? Is it just so they can collect lots of information on people for the purpose of selling advertising? Well I just didn’t fill it out, I can still apply to jobs and post a resume without it.
You totally missed one other cool thing, the browse in teh job search. It’s easy to miss, it’s in like the corner of the green search bar. you can pick all these criteria, and see the jobs, and then be like, ‘ok, I want all the same things, but in Phoenix!’ and it shows those to you. ‘ok I want all those things, less of them! all right, more of them!’ That seemed really good to me.
Another thing that’s good to me, is that Monster seems to have a pretty big global presence. I live outside the U.S., and I’d like to go live in maybe one or two more places. They seem to have LOTS of job postings in other countries, and though most of them are for jobs higher than my current skill level, hey, at least I can dream…
I liked it quite a bit. Yeah, the hover-over thing on the jobs listing page got in the way a bit, but I figured out how to press the X button.
I think the reason you gave a negative review, is because you’re an industry guy who spent a bit of time on the site just for a review. But I think that people who use it a lot while they’re looking for a job will like it a lot. I do.
January 14th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I love the new Monster. The site is really easy to use. Much better than any other job board. Keep up the great work!
Joann
January 15th, 2009 at 8:47 am
John, I totally agree with your review. The site is much faster, functionality has been dramatically improved. I do love the browse job feature. Overall, I think they’ve done a great job. I lost hope some time ago that they could release something useful. Nice to see I was wrong about it.
Mike-a 5 year Monster customer (3 year CareerBuilder customer too, but not for much longer as my contract expires in 2 months)
January 15th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Really dont like the new site, way to slow and error messages appearing constantly. Never mind its one of many!
January 15th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Looks like CB’s other big owner (Ganett) is about to file BK (they are having mandatory days off).
Seems Monster is actually putting money into the site and trying to get better and you have to expect CB is going to do the opposite.
I bet CB is sold WAY BEFORE Monster since both the Tribune Company and Gannett are going to need money
January 15th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
People are still USING CareerBuilder or Monster? How quaint.
CareerBuilder is crashing and burning. Monster might have a few years where they can live off of upwards momentum.
But people are getting smart and realize that CB and Monster offer NOTHING. They are selling people thin air. Better to use an aggregator like Simply Hired or Indeed.
January 15th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
cheesedik,
you have a read hardon for monster. did they piss you off, or did you just hear a lot of bad stuff from someone who worked there before but couldnt cut it?
January 15th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
I just ran a search on Monster for a sales position and the first one that came up is dated 9/3/08 (the most recent one was down around #10), the salary manager icon pulled up an IT Managers salary range, the #15 job was an Oncology Clinical Nurse and almost 1/3 of the jobs were from staffing firms. Is that an improvement???
January 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Big Angry Words… Better to advertise on an aggregator? Are you nuts? How many people outside of professional job seekers or sales personnel for the big 3 know to use Simply Hired or Indeed to find jobs?
January 16th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Geez aint anyone tough enough to insult Joel using their real name ? Always hiding- at least he bashes (when he does) as himself.
And picking on his glasses? My gawd how lame you are.
January 29th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
I have no problem with the review or the reviewer. There’s just one simple thing I need to know:
What good is a website if you can’t use it?
I’m on “old Monster”. Naturally, my bookmark takes me to my established account, but even when I do a generic search, or type Monster.com in the URL window, it always brings up my account or my page.
Still, whether I’m in “My Monster” or a home page not affiliated with my information or name, there should be some place - some button to click - some tab to pull down - some box to select - SOME THING that lets me sign up for the “New Monster” format! It would be fantastic to finally be allowed to upload my PDF resume (which I’ve been told is possible with the new site) instead of being limited to a Word document (fine for those who have access to Word).