Long story short...I'm creating a new job board and need some input from anyone willing to help. I have a few questions, but don't expect anyone to answer all of them in full. I've been having trouble deciding on what fields to have employers / staffing agencies fill out during registration  & account info. I tried checking out all the other sites, but it seems one has to purchase a job posting before you see the full array of fields needing input.

1. What fields should a job board have employers fill in during the registration process?

2. What fields should a job board have employers fill in for a job posting, and which ones should be dafault fields, meaning they won't have to be filled in every time a job is posted?

3. As an employer / HR employee, what would be the best way for you to receive online applications (emailed vs. kept in your account file on website), and, what fields should a job board have employees fill out to apply for a job?

 Any input you can provide will be greatly appreciated. I'm just trying to break into the entrepreneurial world, and provide the cheapest, simplest regional job board that is just as effective as the big boys. 

Thanks!

James

If you are going to try to compete with the big boys, you need to know them inside and out. If that means you have to pay to register, that will be smart money spent. 

 You also need to look at other local competitors -- craiglist, university career centers, etc. A lot of those might even be free.

 I know in Monster you can go through a whole job posting creation and never post it -- which means it could be free (unless they have radically changed the process since I have done it last).  You will still have to register, but it shouldn't be too hard to make up a fake employer.

1.  Name, Address, Phone Number, email address, website, description of the company, email address to receive applications (which is different from my contact email address)

2.  Name of position, location, position description, requirements for the job, how to apply for the job.  I don't want to have to retype the info I listed in question #1 but I would like the option as to whether or not to include that info in my posting (I don't put our phone number on my job postings or even my entire address - just the city and state).

3.  I like applications emailed to me so that I can see them when I am out of the office on my blackberry.  But I think the ability to see the applications that have been sent to you when you log into your account is a good thing as well.  Info I want to see from a candidate - name, address, best contact number, when to contact, email address, education, certifications, skill sets with years of experience, when they have last used that skill set, type of position looking for (full time, part time, contract, telecommuting, etc), name of position looking for (in my industry same positions have different names i.e. network engineer, systems engineer, sys admin, network admin can all be the same type of job, allow the candidate to choose many different positions)  work experience, salary requirements, other items looking for (benefits, tuition reimbursement, etc.) 

One thing to keep in mind is that there are hundreds of job boards out there - local, regional and national.  What is going to set your job board out there from the rest of them?  What can you provide to me (and other employers) that the other boards can't?   Sometimes for companies it comes down to price,  sometimes it comes down to hits, sometimes it comes down to the number of resumes on the job board.  How are you going to get candidates to look at your job board and apply for positions?  Are you going to allow candidates to register and have jobs ads emailed to them that match what they are looking for?  You have got to be different in some way then the others.  Good luck!!

What will make your job board any more interesting or successful for applicants or employers compared to what is already out there?

Thanks for your responses. I posted what my job board will have to offer, but it got deleted because it was against the forum rules. As I look ahead to my next project, I have 2 more questions for you...What do you think about a job board that tailers itself to affirmative action cadidates, and, does anyone know of any legalities that might inhibit this pursuit?

Technically, the law says that you may not consider race or sex in employment decisions.  Therefore, you will need to have your spiel down on what, exactly, you mean by "affirmative action candidates".  It could be the case that you are simply creating in one place an opportunity for employers to ensure a diverse pool of candidates in order to comply with the demands of their own internal AAPs.

Will you deny anybody "membership" or "promotional opportunities" or "candidacy" or whatever it is you are providing to potential applicants at the companies of your clients on the basis of their race or sex?  If not, what will you do if everyone on the board turns out to be Inuit?  Will you seek others?  How?  What if they all turn out to be 30 year old white male accountants?  Is that good, bad, or indifferent?

I think I can understand a variety of legitimate goals for your business based on what little I know about it.  However, I can also see it not really being entirely in your control unless you do things that will raise some eyebrows in a very bad way.