Cheezhead was an accident. A fantastically rewarding accident.

Before Twitter and Facebook, blogging was the quickest and cheapest way to create Brand You. So, when launching HRSEO in 2005, it was a no-brainer to blog in order to do those things, as well as create a positive image and maybe drive a sale or two. Any readers would have been a pleasant surprise, as I was focused on building a business and keeping a roof over my head.

But readers came. And as they came, sales followed. And thus began how much of the next 4 years would play-out. What started as a simple subdomain on Typepad quickly became the stand-alone site you see here today.

In 2008, I made the decision to hire employees and open an office, dedicating more time and energy around existing and new businesses. The plan was to continue doing more of the same. And then, sort of unexpectedly, opportunity came knocking.

Which interestingly takes us back to 2003. I first met Jobing CEO Aaron Matos in Cleveland while I was with CareerBoard, a locally-focused job board and my former employer. I became quickly impressed with Jobing’s leadership, team and direction. A relationship was born from then on that only strengthened with the visibility garnered by Cheezhead and the paths that continually crossed thereafter. And although it seemed tongue-in-cheek through the years, an inevitability that we would one day work together seemed like a foregone conclusion.

And that day is today.

This post serves as official news that Cheesman Group and its properties, including Cheezhead, have been acquired by Jobing.com. I’ll be joining their amazing team as Senior Vice President in Phoenix.

For loyal readers, questions will likely abound and hopefully be answered in due time via follow-up posts and commentary. However, rest assured, the timing, the organization (especially its people) and the opportunity were ideal, both from a personal and professional level. As Jobing’s newest employee, I will assume duties that take me everywhere from blogging to community building to search engine optimization to interactive marketing to, well, you’ll just have to stay tuned, I guess. But it should be lots of fun.

Evolution is inevitable and I’ve always embraced change and opportunity. The friendships and connections I’ve made over the last 5 years are both humbling and rewarding. I can’t thank readers enough for their support and goodwill. No doubt Cheezhead-as-you-know-it will change with the times, but Joel, the person, isn’t going anywhere. I’m also expecting all of Cheezhead’s team to be joining Jobing in Arizona to continue the success we’ve enjoyed.

In many ways this is just the beginning. Rest assured, it’s a good thing. Cheezhead has grown, evolved, made mistakes and hopefully done most things right in its first iteration, and it’s been one heck of a ride. That said, I’d like to ask for your continued support, not only for me, but for my entire team as we take this big step forward.

In addition to Cheezhead.com, I invite you to follow the acquisition’s ins and outs at Twitter.com/cheezhead, Twitter.com/jobing and/or Facebook.com/joelcheesman. And for the official announcement over at Jobing.com, visit http://phoenix.jobing.com/cheezhead-joins.

Jobvite, provider of next-generation recruitment solutions, has completed Series B financing led by ATA Ventures totaling $8.25 million. Jobvite said they will use the new funding to accelerate product innovation and meet growing customer demand.

According to a press release, CMEA Capital, who led Jobvite’s Series A financing, also participated in this round. Jobvite secured $7.2 million in Series A funding in 2007 from CMEA Capital, bringing its total funding to date to $15.45 million.

A Jobvite rep said the company has experienced strong sales growth over the past year, increasing its customer base by more than 300 percent. Customers include Accuweather, TiVo, Zappos.com, Mozilla and Yelp.

The company’s core product is an on-demand application that enables the whole company to participate in hiring and allows recruiters to tap employees’ existing professional and social networks to increase referral hiring.

Earlier this year, Jobvite introduced industry-first API-level integration with the leading social networks, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, to match jobs to referral prospects.

“This recession is fundamentally changing recruitment, pushing companies to become more cost-effective, innovative and strategic. Companies are looking to the technology industry to make this possible,” said Dan Finnigan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jobvite. “Our growth this year proves we’re serving a big need and delivering immediate ROI to our customers. With this new investment, the strong additions made to our team this year, and the on-going advancements in our technology, I’m looking forward to what Jobvite will do for our customers.”

Jobvite also appointed Hatch Graham, Managing Director of ATA Ventures, to its Board of Directors.

“Jobvite has assembled an outstanding team, built an exceptional, growing roster of customers and proven the demand for its innovative products,” said Hatch Graham. “I’m impressed by Jobvite’s vision for the future of the rapidly transforming, multi-billion dollar recruiting sector and delighted to be a part of the opportunity. Now is the perfect time for expansion.”

“We’ve liked the way Jobvite has brought the benefits of SaaS and social networking together to solve real problems for its customers over the past year. We see a growing market opportunity as more companies look to reduce expenditures while ensuring the quality of their greatest asset: their people,” said Jim Watson, Managing General Partner, CMEA Capital. “The management team has proven it has the ability to both innovate and execute. That’s why we’re increasing our investment.”

On September 23 and 24, I’m going to be in Toronto for the second annual RecruitFest. It’s the RecruitingBlogs.com conference event. It’s unlike any other get together in the HR – Recruiting – Talent Development industry. A regular review of the RecruitFest Facebook page will give you some idea of what’s in store.

Most conferences, inside and outside of the industry, follow the same old formula. You’re either a presenter or you’re the audience. Even the less structured unconferences have a hard time with the dynamic. The idea that authority figures have the answers is nearly hard wired. If that’s what you’re looking for, RecruitFest is the wrong place to find it.

The essential idea at RecruitFest is that we are our own best teachers.

The people who lead ‘tracks’ at RecruitFest are there to facilitate a conversation, not to pontificate and spew expertise. In a Web world, the difference between ‘expert’ and ‘not-expert’ is less distinct than it is on TV.

It turns out that you can learn more in a conversation.

The “I’m the teacher and you’re not” model has its uses. If you’re brand new to an arena, it’s easier for a one way conversation (lecture style) to be useful. Boot camp, introductory seminars, deep technical training and familiarization with precise procedure are all useful circumstances for a top down form of education.

Pontification (fortunately for me) also has its place. Strong opinions with substantive underpinnings can provoke extremely interesting conversations. Many people use strong opinions from others as a way of testing their own thinking. When focused opinion and theory are delivered properly, they enable others to think for themselves about issues they might have missed.

But, at RecruitFest, the idea is conversation in a community context. We learn together because we like learning and we like being together. Any of the tracks at RecruitFest could begin with the phrase ‘for your consideration.’

Even the Animal Radio Show, which will be broadcast live from the event, is about clarity of thought. Over the years, the Recruiting Animal has perfected a confrontational style of engagement that is both rigorous and entertaining. It is unlike anything else in the industry.

There is a generational difference at work. Take a look at the RecruitFest Facebook Page. What you’ll find is a ton of grassroots promotion by Gen X and Gen Y practitioners. It’s not your father’s Recruiting Conference.

Here’s why you should come to Toronto for the 2009 RecruitFest.

The essence of Recruiting in the future is collaborative relationships among people who share a worldview and business objectives. It’s not going to be a recreation of Recruiting the way your grandfather did it. It’s going to be all digital, non-hierarchical friendly and laid back. RecruitFest is an example of an event that’s designed to practice what it preaches.

Lately job board bashing seems to be all the rage in the recruiting blogosphere.  This article is my attempt to set the record straight and dispell the myths and rumors out there.

First, let’s be clear about the term job boards. There are many types of boards: general, niche, local, matching, etc. To classify all them as dying is stereotyping the entire industry. The fact is, there are many niche and local job boards who still have a lot of value to offer employers when it comes to recruiting talent.

However, I tend to agree with some who have said the big 3 boards have peaked in terms of sales and usage. But they are not going away overnight. No doubt social media has come on strong this year as the latest and greatest tool to recruit. But it is not the be all end all: it’s just another tool in the toolbox.

There are hundreds if not thousands of successful job boards, particulary in niche and local markets that provide a solid recruiting experience. We’re just another talent shortage away from seeing even more of them pop up. Yes, there are too many job boards that have sprouted, but this downturn will serve to trim the herd and keep it healthy.

Here are my top ten reasons for the continued existence of niche and local job boards.

• 1. Relevance: niche/local boards deliver targeted traffic of local job seekers or industry specific industries.
• 2. Cost: posting jobs on these smaller job sites often cost much less than the big guys and provide more bang for the buck.
• 3. Job Description: does anyone think the job description is going away? Recruiters need somewhere to post it.
• 4. Social Networks: I think these pipelines are best for sourcing and branding, not for filling immediate needs.
• 5. Hard to fill: in any economy there are always talent shortages in certain industries. Job boards will always exist to serve those needs.
• 6. Leads: recruiters are trained to use job boards. They’re not trained to use social networks. They still need leads for open positions.
• 7. SEO: job boards are better at driving search engine traffic to jobs than any employer or social networking group will ever be. Most candidates start their searches on Google.
• 8. Small business: they need job boards; we are their ATS! Small businesses create the most jobs, and their business owners need a quick and simple solution.
• 9. Evolution: job boards are morphing from just places to post jobs into valuable, relevant online talent communities.
• 10. Effectiveness: job boards still work. I should know since I run a few of them.

Inc.com, an online resource for entrepreneurs, has released the 2009 Inc. 5000, a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Ranking is based on percentage growth in company net sales over a five-year period.

Here we examine a handful of companies that have shown tremendous growth and profit to capture the top five spots in the human resources category. Hundreds of HR-related companies including job boards, software suppliers, applicant tracking systems, and search firms made the list, but these five are breezing past the competition.

1. Workway

Founded in 2005, this Burbank-based company provides recruitment and staffing services at 20 locations nationwide, as well as payroll and billing, training, outplacement services, and on-site account management. The company also manages a Web portal incorporating a collection of blogs, videos of job recruiters, and industry news.

Workway has grown a whopping 2,058.1% since 2005, when it claimed $3.5 million in revenue. Now it’s reporting sales of $75.9 million and has increased its staff to 85 employees.

2. KBW Financial Staffing and Recruiting

Based out of Bedford, NH, KBW Financial Staffing & Recruiting, specializes in permanent and temporary placement in accounting, finance, and human resources. This staffing firm has grown 1,546.1% since their inception in 2005 and have seen revenue increase from $262,998 in 2005 to $4.3 million in 2008.

3. TAG Employer Services

TAG was founded in 2000 in Phoenix as a one-stop-shop that administers payroll, insurance, and other human resources services for small businesses. The company now has 43 employees and has grown 1,396.0% in the past five years to report revenues of $19.7 million in 2008.

4. Search Wizards

Atlanta-based Search Wizards provides specialized temporary staffing and recruitment services to companies seeking to improve their own recruitment process, to temporarily add a team of people on a per-project basis, or to integrate new employees into an existing team. They’ve only got six employees, but the company has grown 827.5% in the past five years and recently reported revenue of $13.8 million in 2008, up from $1.5 million in 2005.

5. Corporate Brokers

This Maryland company places temporary and permanent staff in numerous industries and locations across the U.S. Founded in 2003, they’ve grown 806% since 2005 and are currently reporting revenues of $7.6 million.

Click here to see who else made the list.

While this recession has affected many Americans, it has been especially hard for certain segments of the U.S. workforce. Diversity groups have lost more jobs than the average, and unemployment went up for veterans, older workers and workers with disabilities. It has also been very difficult for recent college graduates to find suitable employment.

The statistics are alarming. In July 2009, while the national unemployment rate was 9.7%, unemployment rate among American’s with disabilities was 15.1%, and among returning veterans it was 9.8%. As of July, less than one in five got a proper job after graduation from college this year – a stark contrast to the 68% of China’s 2009 college graduates who have become employed. Latinos have a 12.2% unemployment rate, and the number of unemployed African-Americans in New York City rose four times faster than their white counterparts.

Clearly, there is an urgent need to cater to these special segments of job seekers with relevant job posting content and with the proper tools to find a job. However, there is no clear dominant player to help all these special groups in a meaningful way.

The big three of the traditional job boards continue to follow a ‘one size fits all’ model and have very little to offer to these segments. The so-called ‘aggregator’ search players have also not shown much interest on these fronts. 

It is the smaller niche sites that have dedicated their efforts to help these special groups. These leading niche sites have gained important ground in serving their relevant audiences, however critical mass in any area has yet to be reached.

What can work is a model where a cooperative network of smaller sites can be pulled together under a common framework to reach these special groups. Essentially, the market needs a destination where these groups can come together.  It needs a place where the right jobs for the right audiences can be searched.  It needs a place where employers who want to reach all of these audiences can do so with a single click of the mouse. 

In this day and age, employers need to watch their time as much as they watch their budgets.  Being able to access this type of network in one place will help them all around. 

In this sea of the growing unemployed, members of these diverse and unique groups can lose even more ground in the race to find the next job, as the latest statistics have indicated.  Also, if a candidate falls into more than one of these groups, they need to easily see every job opportunity that is available to them in one place.  A network of smaller sites can help achieve this experience.  

Yes, there are networks of job sites out in the marketplace right now.  But many of these are mere domain names bundled into a group.  It is only if the current leading niche career sites come together under one platform will true value for candidates and employers of these special groups be achieved. 

The conditions of the current economy have brought these issues to the forefront, and now is the time to for such a network or ‘exchange’ to develop.

Monster.com has tossed out MonsterTrak, their old collegiate stomping ground, in favor of a newly refurbished site that has more jobs, tips, resources, and networking capabilities.

According to their website, MonsterTrak is now MonsterCollege. It’s being touted as a one-stop-shop and community network for college students and grads. The main features include career tips, a networking community, and access to fresh hiring news.

Why MonsterTrak switched to MonsterCollege was not made clear on the site, and from this vantage point, I didn’t see too many major changes or enhancements that would clarify why the switch took place. But here are a few things I did notice.

The website still bears some semblance to the old MonsterTrak, except for a few additions. The new forum, for instance, allows members to post questions about resume writing, grad school possibilities, internships – pretty much anything that a young scholar might want to address before entering the workforce.

Another tool is the projects section, where members with creative aptitude can upload their portfolios and projects for public viewing.

And the main draw of the site, the job search menu, is back with, according to Monster, a bounty of new jobs and internships.

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Is a high rate of unemployment and a low chance of finding exactly the right job driving American workers out of the country?

How to keep the American workforce – especially younger and Generation Y workers – in the United States is an issue that recruiters and employers are increasingly having to deal with.

The problem isn’t that there aren’t enough workers to fill positions, as there are often several available job seekers for any one opening. However, many of the country’s more skilled workers are getting frustrated with taking pay cuts and jobs below their experience level, so they’re seeking new opportunities in new places.

U.S. News & World Report last year found that a large number of American citizens had already left for other countries and even more were planning to do so in the near future. Many of those leaving the country are entrepreneurs, teachers or high-tech workers, while others are unemployed and simply looking for more opportunities.

It has been estimated that workers leaving the country are costing America about $30 billion in payroll, not to mention a loss of critical expertise. And foreign governments only make it easier for workers to be successful there.

For instance, the Panamanian government gives microinvestor visas to entrepreneurs who put up at least $50,000 and employ at least three Panamanian workers. In other places, such as China, it’s extremely inexpensive to start your own business when compared to costs in America.

The exact number of Americans living abroad is still under debate. The government attempted to find out that number in 1999, but the process was thought to be too inaccurate and too costly.

A series of Zogby polls commissioned by New Global Initiatives found 1.6 million American households had determined to relocate, an additional 1.8 million households were seriously considering moving and 7.7 million were “somewhat seriously” considering it.

So where are all the workers going? While Europe continues to be a big draw for American emigrants, even more people have relocated to Canada or Mexico, while others are moving to Australia, New Zealand and Asia, and a new trend has people leaving for Central and South America.

The Association of Americans Resident Overseas recently found that 5.25 million Americans are living in more than 160 foreign countries. About 109,600 reside in Africa; 754,000 are in East and Pacific Asia; 1.48 million are in Europe; 586,000 are in the Near East; 97,000 are in South Central Asia; and 2.22 million are in the Western Hemisphere

A recent article from The New York Times found that China is a popular spot for many younger workers. Even those who have little or no knowledge of Chinese are having a lot of luck amid the country’s booming economy. The lower cost of living and fewer dues help Americans profit quickly in China.

Younger workers are more drawn to the experimentation going on in China’s economy and are more willing to take risks and try something new. Entrepreneurs benefit from the country’s stable economy, with unemployment in urban areas at only 4.3 percent and an overall gross domestic product that rose 7.9 percent last quarter when compared to 2008.

Employers in China are often willing to hire American workers, because they sometimes posses skills that are harder to find among Chinese workers, and those who speak English can help Chinese companies to better navigate the American market.

Factors like these allow American workers to climb up the career ladder faster than they ever would in the United States, which helps add to the appeal. And although experience in China or any other country doesn’t always translate to a free pass for a job in America, many young Americans working abroad do plan to eventually return to the United States.

So what can recruiters and employers in America do to entice those in the workforce tempted to leave to stay?

The unconference movement has been gaining a lot of traction as of late. Instead of the traditional conference format, where attendees sit in a room and listen to a presenter for a good chunk of time, unconferences allow for a more open format that seems to result in a more interactive learning and sharing experience.

In most cases, unconferences allow presenters and attendees to focus on what they’d like to learn or speak about during that particular event. Most have a very limited set schedule and some have no schedule at all. While there have been a few unconferences in past years, the movement seems to be picking up.

ERE held its Social Recruiting Summit 2009 this June and touted the event as a first-of-its-kind unconference about social recruiting. The event, which only had a partial agenda, was so popular that it sold out.

Next was the BarCamp Recruit event that took place in July in Newport Beach, Calif. Gretchen Benes and Chrisa Mott put together this unconference for recruiters that also was mainly focused on social media. The event was meant to increase knowledge about new technologies and create opportunities for cross-fertilization between people and new ideas.

Then there are the more local-oriented unconferences, such as WISPRR’s annual Recruiting UnConference in Wisconsin and MN Headhunter’s Minnesota Recruiter UnConference. Events like these allow professionals in a specific area to get together and talk about the local recruiting world.

Following on the success of its first unconference last year, and a Las Vegas unconference in May that piggybacked the Kennedy Information Recruiting Conference, RecruitingBlogs.com is now planning to hold its second annual unconference.

RecruitFest, which is labeled as part educational powerhouse and part party, will take place September 23 and 24 at The Intercontinental Hotel in Toronto. RecruitingBlogs.com Founder Jason Davis said he isn’t interested in competing with larger events, but believes the best networking often happens before and after traditional conferences.

“Well, it’s very basic but very powerful,” he said. “It’s much different from a regular conference in that no one will be speaking at you. Attendees will be part of a group that is moderated by a track leader and they will both learn something and teach something.”

This year’s speakers include Geoff Webb, Stephanie A. Lloyd, Jerry Albright, Julia Stone, John Sumser, Marie Journey, Jason Davis, Jenny DeVaughn, Gerry Crispin and the Recruiting Animal.

Subjects to be covered include business development, social media and third party recruiting, as well as a special colloquium on candidate experience. RecruitFest’s set sessions include: Recruiting Disruption; Strategy into Reality; 50 Principles of Success; Live from the Couch; Where Talent and Social Media Intersect; and A Conversation: The Candidate Experience.