What you said: JobBoardDoctor readers speak out

Last week I sent out a request to you, my attentive reader. I asked if you would give me some feedback on the JobBoardDoctor blog and consulting services. Guess what? In only 5 days I received 100+ responses! So first of all…

Thank you. I truly appreciate your comments and thoughts.

Next, let’s see what you said. I think you’ll find it interesting!:

• Everyone likes new sites: 96% of respondents either loved or liked the semi-regular rounds I do of new sites and services.
• What’s going on?: 95% of respondents either loved or liked the news and analysis I provide of industry developments and changes. As one person said, “I really like that you say so when you don’t like something”.
• Give me money: Not surprisingly, 80% enjoy the articles on increasing revenue. Go figure.
• Research is cool: 55% of you have downloaded research from the JBD research area.

With regard to research, I asked for ideas on additional topics to examine in the future. Here are a few highlights:

• “Exploring the field of job apps as well”
• “Employer Branding”
• “I would appreciate some more thoughts around shifting the brand positioning from a job board to other models (like Glassdoor… what else is emerging in emerging markets or Asia for example). And how should we shift our business for catering the needs of Generation Z?”
• “How machine learning is influencing recruitment services for both recruiters and jobseekers. The effectiveness of recruitment solutions for mobile devices”
• “Intersection of job seeker behavior and ATS”
• “Job seeker community building, big data trends”
• “Talent acquisition trends by company size (enterprise, SMB, etc.)”
• “Segment spends. How much is spent advertising for secretary jobs versus, inside sales vs ruby on the rails programmers”
• “Legal matters affecting jobboard industry (like labor laws), hiring trends.”

I also asked about my work as a consultant, and what you think I should be doing – in particular, my new efforts to provide training. When I asked “Which of the following learning methods would you *most* prefer with regard to JobBoardDoctor training?”, this is what I got:

• In-person instruction via workshop – 7%
• Online instruction via learning platform (like Udemy, etc.) – 18%
• Online instruction via live webinar – 25%
• Ebook – 21%

Finally – and most importantly, I asked for your input into what you would like to see on JBD – and what should change. You told me:

• “Generally very good, keep it up! Maybe some interviews as its always interesting to hear what the best job boards are thinking. Why not a podcast? Also some gated content”
• “I’d like to see a series on the different business models, perhaps more in depth looks into SEO trends, overall I like the site, I read or at least skim most of the articles via email, which I must say I don’t for many others….”
• “Keep cultivating trust with all vendors in the industry. Keep impartial if at all possible – Although don’t be afraid of expressing opinions. The market is just a little bit full of BS and “The newest and greatest disruptor technology””
• “More on sales to prospects (both online and in person), how to monetize beyond listings, using the job board to springboard into other opportunities”
• “You’ve helped me sift through the noise to uncover what’s important.”
• “More on UK market. More on branding/marketing and pricing models”
• “Probably too much to ask, but not sure you provide enough deep insight into what drives value for job boards…you focus almost exclusively on view of job boards from 30,000 feet, and always on technology. But much of job board success is related to marketing and sales, not just technology.”
• “…the doctor should start going global…”
• “How do you think search engines are going to develop? How will this affect job boards developed in late 90s, earlier 2000s? OLD versus new platforms- better for business- or is google still rewarding longevity in business Is there an association for niche job boards in UK, EU”
• “I really appreciate the simple, restful format of the weekly emails. Please don’t be persuaded to make them fancier or more complex.”
• “The site could be jazzed up a bit :)”  (JBD Note: it’s coming soon!!)
• “What you currently do is a perfect mix. Thank you for that.”

And that’s just a portion of what I received! Thanks again to everyone who participated – I read each and every response several times, and already have modified some plans for 2016 in response. Remember – you can always reach me via the Contact form – so don’t wait for a survey. Just talk to me. Thanks!