Ask HN: If you could hack job search, then how would you do it?

7 points by yataa 13 years ago | 8 comments

For example:

- Abolish tech recruiters (that have no idea)

- Go beyond keyword searchers (include phrases like: "2 years experience in..."

- Set the search results to only show you jobs within your local area

What are some of your ideas?

debacle 13 years ago |

There are plenty of jobs. There are plenty of applicants.

Sometimes good applicants get a shit job or no job, and sometimes bad applicants get a good job. A large percentage of the time, someone is being underpaid. Sometimes, but more rarely, people are overpaid.

These are vast inefficiencies in the system that need to be rectified. The problem isn't job search, it's placement - the kind recruiters do.

Job search is a misnomer, because you'll never have complete information. Good companies will post woefully inaccurate job descriptions out of inexperience or naivete and bad companies will sometimes out and out lie. In addition, you have to consider job priorities (on both sides) and cultural fit.

So the real issue is actually about getting more perfect information. In order to do that, you have to eliminate the incentive to deceive and also provide tools for getting better information from companies that don't currently know how to get it.

Finally, at least in the US, you need to fix the culture a bit. The percentage of online job postings that do not list a salary is a joke. Anyone worth their salt (who is actually casually browsing job postings) isn't even going to consider those listings - the potential that they are a waste of time is vast, and there are plenty of other open positions out there.

Maybe the best solution is to develop a format for job listings that is standardized, similar to the MLS system, and create a playing field where there is incentive to collaborate between recruiters and also a method of looking a historical job listings from companies (and actually seeing good data). It's a tall order, but if you localized it to NYC (and it actually produced results) you could see yourself counting a lot of cash.

hsuresh 13 years ago |

There are at least 2 types of people that are looking for jobs: One that is actively looking and second, passively. Most of the job search is addressed at the former. I'd pick the second type of folks - there are no specific channels for this section.

The way i'd go about it is this:

   - build a site that lets people log in via LinkedIn or upload a resume

   - the service then sends a monthly email with top 5 opportunities.

Opportunities shouldn't just be keyword matched - it should sell those jobs - maybe they offer a better position, better perks or even a new city).

If you build this, keep me posted :)

kevinrpope 13 years ago | |

I believe http://streetid.com/ are doing something similar for the financial world

mgallivan 13 years ago | |

I believe LinkedIn and Glassdoor already do this.

alid 13 years ago |

The big disconnect to me - transferable skills, aspirations and personality factors (such as drive and passion) are overlooked far too often. Yet these are the most important factors to me in a hire. This might be too formulaic, but instead of resumes per se it I'd like to see an in-depth profile that users can create for themselves from a standard form. A large universe of skills are listed…e.g. detailed facets of backend, frontend, databases, entrepreneurship, graphic design, lion taming, hoola hooping…where users note their years of experience, current skill level, and aspirational skill level. Also info on things like their willingness to relocate etc. Demonstrates what they know but also their commitment to learn and grow. Come to think of it standardizing things like this could cut through a lot of bull and disrupt the recruitment industry - companies could search the detailed data to find close matches and approach candidates directly. Hope this helps!

lsiebert 13 years ago |

I'd have to hack search by connecting job recruiters with places where people are learning job skills. For example, there are tons of people learning to program at my local junior college, which is only a few blocks from the main apple campus. Connecting those people with internships based partially on class performance , and having the instruction be informed by industry practice, would mean that junior developers learn the right skills first.

smit 13 years ago |

Build a site say for eg. ahackeraday. Everyday one developer would be up for hire. Companies can go on the site and make offers.

yataa 13 years ago |

These are great comments, appreciate the feedback. Now to get coding! :)