Executing a public job referral model in a down market is a very tough challenge, in fact executing a public job referral model is challenging in a healthy market.

The team at 2Vouch have made the very hard decision of switching this service off for a while whilst we focus our team and resources on building out the new application we have developed The JobGenie.

Jeremy and I would like to say a big thank you to all of those early adopter companies who advertised jobs on 2Vouch and also a BIG thanks to all of you who signed up as referrers on the 2Vouch platform.

We are still very passionate that there is a market for job referrals globally but recognise that you have to have the right business model and funding. We think we are heading in the right direction with the JobGenie.

A few points on what we have learned through the 2Vouch experience.

1. Ensure your start up is well funded to get you through the development phase with enough cash to execute your sales and marketing plan.
2. Focus, focus, focus - build enough functionality in your web application to execute your core offering. We built a BIG comprehensive application that did a lot and it probably did too much. We only know this with the benefit of hindsight. Think Twitter!
3. Venture Capital funding from Aussie venture firms is not realistically a funding option if you are a pre-revenue start-up in Australia.
4. Build the parts of your applications that generate revenue as a priority.
5. Launch early and iterate. If people like your design and think your application is slick at your launch. You’re too late to market!
6. Have the right project management and collaboration tools to manage your agile development. We use Atlassian’s Jira and Confluence. Thanks guys you rock!
7. Make sure you have direct access to your development team. We do now! We didn’t initially and that was a disaster! I will go public with who the Australian Web Development Company was that we engaged first time around but now is not the right time. Needless to say - I would never use them or recommend them!
8. As a Recruiter and then CEO of a tech start-up - I have learned so much. The last three years have been a wonderful ride and I am taking everything I have learned and applying those lessons to the development and deployment of JobGenie On Demand Employee Referral Platform.

All the Best,

Riges Younan

CEO, 2Vouch.

@rigesyounan

By Riges Younan.

There is something that makes 2Vouch different from existing job boards and career sites you may have used before… The difference is that we try to expose your jobs to the top performers that are still currently employed. We know these “passive candidates” are working away doing a great job but would usually consider a better opportunity – especially when someone they know and trust presents it.

So, 2Vouch uses referrals from our members to get to this highly sought after talent pool.

2Vouch members put skills tags into the system so that we can match up the people they know with jobs. This is important for members, employers and recruiters.

Members

To help the JobGenie match up the people you know with jobs, add “network tags” to your profile. Log into 2Vouch now and add some tags. Fill in the tags that describe people you know (you don’t have to put in information about specific people, just tags that describe the kinds of people you know eg Project Manager, BDM, Software Developer).

Now the JobGenie can send you notices each time there is a job that might match someone in your network. You can review the job and see if you agree. If you pass on the job information and the person gets hired, you get paid… it’s that easy.

Employers and Recruiters

Well, if you include tags when you post a job ad on the system, it will help us to match the greatest number of relevant people to your job. This will help the JobGenie find referrers who know just the kind of people you are looking for.

Everyday we hear more and more about how the economies of the world are collapsing. Today 2Vouch has some positive news for you.

Aussie start-ups get to use the JobGenie Referral Recruiting Engine to source candidates and only pay our cost price - which is just what we pay our referrers.

The way that JobGenie finds people is as old as business itself… if you have ever made or received a call/request along he lines of “Hey, do you know anyone for this job?” then you understand how referrals work. What JobGenie does is take that process - which research shows delivers high performers - and put it online in a simple to use system that makes everything measurable and trackable. Even better, successful referrers get paid $1,400-$2,800, which they can take in cash or donate to one of our charity partners.

How do you get started?

Register and place a job ad on www.2Vouch.com, we will only charge the referral reward if you fill that job, or any other during 2009. You get this deal for 12 months!

When they sign up to be an advertiser on 2Vouch, you will receive a confirmation email. Simply reply to that email telling us that your a start-up and a little bit about your organisation, basically that you meet our definition.  Then you are in!

Are you eligible?

This offer is for the first 50 start-ups. Our definition of a start-up is: less than 3 years in business, under 20 staff, turn-over of under $1 million and Australian Owned.

Why are we doing this?

Well, other than it being after lunch on a sunny summer Friday. 2Vouch is deeply involved in the Australian Start-up Community, as such we know it can be hard to find staff. We want to give a little back to the community.

No the 2Vouch team have not just come back from the pub, they are just a great bunch of people.

By Michael Specht, Consultant to 2Vouch on Social Media and Recruiting

There’s been a sighting of the JobGenie on High St in Prahran getting ready for this Friday’s MTUB event. Gotta say the mow and the earing does suit him..  anyone else seen him? best photo sent in to info@2vouch.com by the end of October wins a Wii.

By Riges Younan

A nice little piece by SmartCompany on us here

We are sponsoring some events over the coming weeks and the 2Vouch crew would love meet you and say G’day. There is a rumour that the JobGenie could be making his first public appearance at one of these events! BTW a Wii is on offer to the person who sends the best picture of themselves with the JobGenie by the 31st of Oct to info@2Vouch.com

MTUB’s ( Melbourne Twitter Underground Brigade) PirateTUB event this Friday 19th in Melbourne.

AussieTUB an STUB event on Thursday 25th in Sydney

Webjam is back with Webjam8 on Thursday 25th in Sydney