Want to drive away jobseekers? This is how

Note: The Doctor is offsite this week with a client, so here is a post from 2009 (!!) that is still relevant. 

If you’re looking for work, nothing can make you throw up your hands faster than a job board or company career site that sucks (well, ok, maybe a fight with those idiots handling your health insurance, but we’ll save that for another day).

This begs the question: why exactly does a job board suck? What constitutes a ‘sucky job board’? Does it drive away jobseekers?  Let me propose a few characteristics:

1) Requiring registration before you can look at a job’s details: this is just ridiculous. Why, oh why? You’re creating a wall between the reason your job seeker is there, and the actual job seeker. Unless you’re just into masochism, it doesn’t make sense.

2) Making the process of applying to a job painful and time-consuming: Again, this should be easy, folks! Let me upload my resume, add a bit about myself, and be on my way. And if you do make me jump through hoops, at least tell me why.

3) Trying to sell me something every single moment: Monster and CareerBuilder, I’m talking to you! Interstitials in job boards should be outlawed. Seriously, how many job seekers want to accidentally sign up for a visit from their neighborhood Navy recruiter?

4) Slowness: I’m talking glacial internet slowness-I hit the ‘Apply’ button, grab a cup of coffee, and return to find the site still grinding away. Don’t give me Java-this and Flash-that if your servers and T1s can’t handle it! Please!

What do you think? If you’ve ever sat in the job seeker’s seat, tell me what your pet peeve is.

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