Careerbuilder’s recent R-rated video was cheap and lame… and I really didn’t want to give them any (more) attention for such a low attempt to drive traffic to their site. But, when surfing around Facebook the other day, I came across another CareerBuilder marketing ploy – “Unhappy Hours.” Says CareerBuilder:
“CareerBuilder.com sponsored Unhappy Hours are here to stay! We’ll be visiting cities
across the country all summer long. Aren’t you lucky?
Spread the word! Unhappy Hours are for job seekers or anyone that has a job – and they are free!
What are Unhappy Hours? It’s where you can complain about your job and have a few drinks -the snacks are on us. Please note, attendees will be responsible for the payment of their own drink(s). Hey, you’re not that lucky.”
So an “Unhappy Hour,” eh? Now that’s something different. On the one hand, I’m always game for a happy hour. But I’m just imagining… a bunch of unhappy job seekers gathered together to kibbitz about their workplace woes… is it just me or is that a toxic combination with some really big potential to become an ugly mess? And as a recruiter, would you want to recruit the best and the brightest… while they’re blitzed?
On another note, Careerbuilder, you’re scaring me slightly. I’ll give it to you that it’s super cool that you are going in a different direction to attract job seekers with your ads, the R-rated video, and Facebook blitz… but it ain’t working. And some of your tactics, while fresh, just seem to appeal to the bottom of the barrel – and those aren’t the kinds of candidates I want responding to my ads, or that I want to comb through in your resume database for. Time for a new approach.
Another great post from Jessica Lee. I am becoming quite the stalker…errr…fan.
I have long said that using job boards to recruit and find high performers was the recruiting equivalent of fishing in a lake or ocean using a fishing net. Sure, you will catch a few fish but you have to sort through the syringes, wet diapers, boots, body part, used condoms etc. to get a few good fish. Not worth the effort.
Careebuilder has now proven this point by their actions. Sadly CB, along with many other job boards, believe they are able to attract high performing passive talent with these sheaninigans. All they really attract are the same old, lame, tired, low performing active job seekers that are already trolling their job boards looking for the next job they can quit in the next three months. The applicant equivalent of syringes, wet diapers, boots, body part, used condoms etc.
What CB and their band of job board misfits don’t get, and clearly never will, is that high performing passive talent NEVER use job boards to find their next career opportunity. Does anyone else find it oxymoronic that they call themselves CAREERbuilder but repeatedly refer to JOBS on their website? There is a difference between a career and a job you know.
Ok, I have calmed down now…back to actually finding high performing passive talent and teaching my clients to stop wasting ridiculous sums of money on using fishnets when they can use a depth finder and target the very best.
Jessica Lee On How Lame Careerbuilder Is…errr…Has Always Been
I have become quite the fan of Jessica Lee. She is a cohort on my other gig over at Fistful of Talent who is smart, brash and has just enough of that take on the world mentality to make her
Jessica Lee On How Lame Careerbuilder Is…errr…Has Always Been
I have become quite the fan of Jessica Lee. She is a cohort on my other gig over at Fistful of Talent who is smart, brash and has just enough of that take on the world mentality to make her
Thank you for calling out Career Builder on these questionable marketing ploys.
Makes me wonder if the the attendee list from “Unhappy Hour” is the candidate pool CB is going to give me when I ask for their help finding committed, focused and fully engaged employees.
While Micheal has a point there will be a lot of wet diapers at this event. I find it refreshing that CB is being so bold and innovative.
homula – thanks for being a fan. i’ll forgive the stalking comment. i will say that i’ve found a few high performing folks on job boards – but just a few. it’s never a sure thing and it’s so expensive!
can i say that i’m just slightly creeped out though by: “The applicant equivalent of syringes, wet diapers, boots, body part, used condoms etc.” ewwww.
totally consumed – you’re welcome. it’s just that i think we’re smarter consumers! we don’t always need sex and booze to be the guiding forces of our decisions, right?
chad – refreshing, no doubt. i definitely give kudos to CB for trying something new. they’ve got a lot of competition out there, so i think they are on to something… i just wonder if they are aiming a bit low…
Actually, I like the idea of an unhappy hour in an ironic way. Maybe we need one at the SHRM convention?
Yippee! Sign me up for the Unhappy Hour tour! What a great idea. (NOT) What if we held similar Unhappy Hours for those that are unhappy in their relationships at bars where they could show up and complain about their partners while drinking booze. Um… I guess that already happens at happy hours all over the place everday. But, if you were single, would you want to “recruit” a potential mate from that kind of party? I don’t think so. Career Builder’s latest scheme sounds very much the same to me. Why would an employer or recruiter be interested in a pool of disgruntled employees (who were dumb enough to participate in something like this)? Very lame idea. I lost any respect I had for CB (which I’m sure wasn’t much already) with the R rated video and it looks like they are going to keep going further in this ridiculous direction. Being creative, different and edgy is all cool, but it’s the messages they are sending that are so offensive. I wonder how many of Career Builder’s own employees will be attending the Unhappy Hours because they want to leave their embarrassing jobs?
Combination of what’s already been said here from my view…
First, I agree with Chad. The branding is pretty innovative that CB is trying here. That shows they’ve got the ability to do something cool.
Problem is, the edginess is focused on those who are disgrunted, who traditionally are your least talented folks. Similar to the “mad at your supervisor? Let’s bring in a union!!” Same crowd…
Who do you want to hang out with? I actually listened to Homula’s webcast with HCI over the weekend, and if it’s all about Talent pools, you have to decide where you want to hang. If forced to choose, which is kind of what CB is doing here, most of the folks who pay the bills would chose to hang it in another talent pool. Lots of employees will look for another talent pool as well…
KD
Ahhh! KD I am touched. You listened to my webcast. I believe we may be entering a new phase of our relationship. Does this signal an era of détente between us?
Mikey -
As I put in the tag of your article on the TMS, you’ve been upgraded to probation from “double secret” probation…. congrads!!
good stuff on the webcast…
K
I hope all you recruiters that hire from the Unhappy Hour crowd are doing your drug testing. Personally I never cared for the bitchers and moaners. If you don’t like it leave and keep your trap shut. It is the same as a union mentality it is just that they have jobs that can’t unionize. Oh btw, HR folks that lead the bitching and moaning need to be drawn and quartered.
JMHO
laurie – miss punk rock… for sure, the SHRM conference could use something… a prozac hour perhaps?
mcclure – what you’re describing kind of sounds like the one, and only, speed dating event i went to. not fun, let me tell ya. and never again will i ever…
KD – i want to hang out in your pool!
and lastly, haberman, ouch! drug testing! now i dunno if i’d go that far since i find myself at some very happy hours very frequently. : )
Amen… I am getting SOOOOOOOOO tired of CB’s tactics, we are about ready to pull the small pilot we were running. The fact they would even think this was a good idea to try and get the best and brightest?? All you would get is the people who stand around the proverbial water cooler bitching about the cafeteria that no longer supplies free water… not the kind of talent I want.
I’d want these candidates about as much as that boyfriend or girlfriend “who just can’t seem to let go”…
BM – it’s amazing how many parallels seem to exist between recruiting and dating… job fair = speed dating. declined offer = date rejection… i could go on.