We hear a lot about Web 2.0. About how it’s here now and is a major upgrade. Life-changing. Definitely experience-changing and way easier than before. We can buy things, learn things, find people, discuss anything, join communities, connect dots really fast, and even find jobs and spouses and build life styles and this time things are really different.
Kind of.
The Web isn’t a program and it doesn’t have releases and the buzz about 2.0 is more cool terminology than anything in particular. True, Web services are getting progressively granular. Sites now know a lot more about us when we get there than our IP addresses. But progress of the Web is a continuum and not confined, thank you, to upgrades.
Our Web experience is only as good as finding what we want and getting what we need, so benefit is only as worthwhile as the quality of content and tools on the sites we visit. Simply Hired knows this. The stylish ID of Web 2 or 3 or 71 is babble to this Company. SH trajects off old models, old mistakes, old generalities (and the new repeats of those) to put real focus on enabling the experience of finding a job that just doesn’t have to be the grim, threatening, isolated schlep made by just about anyone who has had to find a new place to work.
Simply Hired provides a human response with tools that, oh for example, let job seekers talk to each other about their experiences – sharing accounts of which recruiters are bozos and which aren’t (notice to recruiters: behave yourselves and respect people); about what jobs are really as described (notice to HR departments: be accurate about positions and organizations); about the frustration of not getting the job of choice (note to self: check to see if you could have done something better).
Dialogue is a good thing and the more real time exchange among people involved in the same process, the better. It’s important to hear you’re not alone and you’re not nuts. And the product of this opportunity for candidates to talk among themselves enriches the process all the way around. HR Departments, it’s good for you, too. You’ll meet a better informed, more relaxed candidate prepared to have a more productive discussion and make an informed connection, and your evaluation and selection process will be on far more solid ground.
And, hey, a little humor doesn’t hurt just about any process. Simply Fired’s accounts of getting the ax put a lot in perspective. While our work is also our livelihood and pretty key to our sense of who we are, hitting the wall with any particular job isn’t the end of the world. There’s a lot to learn about human behavior and maybe about what you don’t want to get into next time.
Bottom line is that while the Web progressively reflects better penetration and granularity, change isn’t in step functions. It’s still all about how well a model works to anticipate, recognize and serve the user. Simply Hired is about progressively enabling the quality of engagement between employer and job hunter not only by understanding the requirements, procedures, and outcomes on each side but by providing the tools to help shape more effective ones.
