The Jobster Fallout

Well, I imagine it’s time that I posted my first blog of the new year. I just finished 30 minutes on the treadmill, so that resolution is going great so far. Waiting until the fourth day of the new year to post my first item here may seem like sheer laziness, but I’m pacing myself. After all, 2007 is going to be a marathon, not a sprint.

I’ve read quite a bit lately about Jobster and the company CEO, Jason Goldberg, and specifically about his thinly-veiled announcement of pending layoffs prior to the holidays late last year. Yesterday, the blogospheric frenzy that accompanied Jason’s initial post was ratcheted up another notch as the announcement to cut 60 jobs was officially released. There is, of course, irony in this story, what with Jobster being a “new age” (read: Web 2.0) job board, but more than anything else there is disappointment. Many of us have watched Jobster from up close or from afar and quietly rooted for the company or, at the least, been fascinated by the attempt to force a paradigm shift in the industry. The disappointment is for those who lost jobs and for a setback for the company in its David vs. Goliath struggle against Monster, et al.

I wonder, though, how difficult it will be for former Jobster employees to find new jobs? After all, we’re likely talking about some pretty talented people here and if there are any open positions available through recruiters and within the small companies that make up this incestuous little recruitosphere that we’re all floating around in, how long should it take the former Jobsters from snatching them up? I, for one, hope they’re all back on track as soon as possible. Perhaps some will even create the next great blog that we all read…the next Cheezhead, for example, or another recruiting.com. I love seeing folks make it big on their own (or just make it at all, for that matter).

As for Jason - I don’t know him personally, and my familiarity with him is only from what I’ve read. I’m willing to bet, however, that if he had it to do over he would have put forth a gentler message than that which was posted on his blog - or perhaps wouldn’t have posted anything at all and would have simply waited until he’d spoken with affected employees before making an announcements. I think what we can all appreciate is this note from Jason on his blog:

We are working closely with the employees impacted by these changes to ensure they are supported to the fullest extent possible. In particular, as a recruiting company, we will be facilitating such measures as hosting a career fair for impacted employees as well as arranging networking opportunities and resume writing seminars for them.

Happy 2007 everyone, and to the employees laid off from Jobster, good luck!

Tags: blogosphere, Cheezhead, jobster, layoffs, recruiting.com, recruitosphere

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