Brand-new jobsite Worky.com is the latest venture from successful web entrepreneur Ray Nolan, and aims to inject some new life into the jobs market by adding some Web 2.0 technology that promises to make life easier for those hiring, as well as those seeking employment.
With job listings sites such as Monster.com, RecruitIreland.com and Jobs.ie out there already, what sets new site Worky.com apart from the others?
For one, this is a hiring network that does not contain static listings, but rather interactive profiles with real-time data and the options for easily adjustable searches for those hiring, as well as seeking work, Nolan explained.
“May jobsites have what I like to call ‘bad Google’; searching for keywords doesn’t always get the desired result for the employer, and they are free to re-list the same job numerous times, which makes it more difficult to sort through for the jobseeker.”
According to Nolan, Worky.com is more of a full-on application than a website. Jobseekers can easily tweak their profile to state desired salary, as well as how available they are, but can also keep track of jobs that interest them and remain anonymous in the case they are currently employed.
Potential employers can also use this tracking system to keep tags on potential employees for a certain position, and also keep a history of ones they have ruled out.
However, one of the most important aspects of Worky.com, Nolan said, is the cost involved.
Both jobseekers and employers can upload profile and job specs and browse through listings for free.The only cost involved is when they wish to communicate directly with a chosen individual.
Nolan also pointed out that it cuts out the constant stream of email updates that can pour into your inbox from other job sites. Everything can be managed within the site itself, and it also cuts out the uploading of CVs that make it impossible for jobseekers to keep anonymity until absolutely necessary.
Co-founder of Web Reservations International, the company behind the phenomenally successful hostel booking site Hostelworld.com, as well as recommendations site Boo.com, Nolan has turned his attentions to the job market, but isn’t the recession a tricky time to target such a market, when so many people are unemployed and jobs are scarce?
Not at all, Nolan said: “It may be a pretty bad market out there, but between 6pc and 9pc of those employed will change jobs this year regardless.”
If you look at various statistics out there, anywhere up to 60pc of those in jobs right now say they wouldn’t mind a move, he added.
While Worky.com is currently launched in Ireland, it will expand to other countries as the database fills out. “We have had a huge amount of interest already in the few days that the site has been live,” Nolan said.
Other plans involve the release of Worky.com’s iPhone application later this year, but it will not simply be an iPhone-friendly version of the site.
“As an iPhone fan, I think an application should do far more than simply display the data in a Safari-friendly way. We don’t have a release date for the app, but we have iWorky.com registered,” Nolan said.
By Marie Boran
