Job search outsourcing

Introduction
Job Search Outsourcing (JSO) refers to taking elements of a job search, and passing them in their entirety to a third party. By using the Five Phase model for job searching (Strategy/Writing, Search, Apply, Interview and Negotiate), this specifically refers to individuals outsourcing their resume/cover letter writing, search for online job leads, or job application process. The last two phases, Interviewing and Negotiation, do not lend themselves to having someone else or technology perform their functions and cannot usually be outsourced, though for some negotiations outsiders such as agents or attorneys are sometimes contracted. Thus, job search outsourcing companies tend to focus on the first three.
History
Resume and cover letter services have existed for decades, and are sometimes performed in conjunction with an outplacement service or by a retail career service firm. Depending on what level of service they provide, they may not be pure outsourcing. In many cases the job seeker works jointly with the writer to produce the resume. Other services which date back before more modern technology include clerical services in which administrative workers wrote letters for executives and then mailed them out to apply to jobs. This tended to be too cost prohibitive for most job-seekers outside of the very wealthy or senior executives.
Most recently there have been developments in Job Search Outsourcing focused on finding and applying to jobs on the Internet. The term "outsourcing" is a relatively new term given the trends over the last few decades for companies to move work offshore. In 2004, Jay Martin of JobSerf filed for the first patent for a new method to find and apply to jobs online for customers. Since this development, other firms have come along with ideas to utilize offshore labor and technology to provide services in the "find and apply" spaces in job search Phase 2 and job search Phase 3 (see above for phase descriptions) for job seekers. One such company is RiseSmart, which took part of the concept of JobSerf and focused on using both technology and labor to provide job seekers with leads. RiseSmart’s recent focus is on providing outsourcing services to companies and recruiting firms in the form of Outplacement. This is called Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO), and is a variant of Job Search Outsourcing, though one in which the client is a Recruiter. Along with these two companies, there are many smaller companies that are beginning to make JSO and RPO initiatives of their own and this is expected to be a trend area in the future as the current market competitors refine their services and reduce their costs.
In general, the types of service that JSO's provide include general information (e.g. book, articles), customized or tailored advice (e.g. coaching, profile specific information) and tools (e.g. products and services which facilitate easier or more effective job searching by the candidate). JSO's also take ownership and complete the execution of the task of online job searching. For the first stage (Phase 1) of a job search, a resume writer is a good comparison. The job seeker passes his or her resume (or an initial draft) to the writer, and the writer completes the job seeker’s resume (and cover letters) versus providing them with advice or tools.
Acceptance by Media & Experts
Both JobSerf and RiseSmart have been received favorably by most career industry experts and the media. Various well-known authors have evaluated these and other new job search outsourcing services, and the reaction has been favorable. Initial reactions by both experts and the general public were laced with skepticism, but slowly as people use the service or read of/know people who have, the companies in this industry are gaining credibility.
Levels of Contribution
Outsourcing for job seekers is the final, and highest value-added level that another person or service can make in the job search area. This refers to someone doing the work for the job seeker, and not just providing guidance or assistance. It also implies that the job seeker can remain completely outside of the process, and manage it or just see the results.
The first other three levels include: general information (e.g. book, articles), customized or tailored advice (e.g. coaching, profile specific information) and tools (e.g. products and services which facilitate easier or more effective job searching by the candidate). JSOs actually take ownership and complete the execution of the task of online job searching. For the first stage of a job search JSOs function essentially as resume writers. The job seeker passes information (or an initial draft) to the writer, and the writer completes the job seekers resume (and cover letters) versus providing them with advice or tools.
Future Developments
The first phase of job searching, which includes both the strategic planning piece as well as the preparation of written materials is bound to become more automated and outsourced in the future. Development of logic-based software to help people select careers and also prepare them as to where, how and for what jobs to search is already being discussed. Resume building tools are being developed recognizing that people without good resumes are at a huge disadvantage against the rest of their competition in the job market. Though content is critical in a resume, many people do not even have the basics of a good format for their resume.
Resume writing is already a huge industry. Organizations such as NRWA (National Resume Writing Association) and PARW (Professional Association or Resume Writers) already have thousands of members. Many innovations are being made, and new resources in terms of websites and books are coming out every week. Resume writing tools are also being made available that use questions and fill-ins, prompting a user to fill in areas of their resume, and a well-formatted resume is then produced.
For the second phase, whose focus is finding and qualifying job leads, technologies which search multiple job boards continue to be developed. Given the vastly different structures of job titles and descriptions, it is still very complicated to completely automate either the searching or qualifying processes. Monster.com has invested a lot of time trying to create a common nomenclature for jobs to allow people to search more easily, but without industry-wide agreements or job boards forcing employers to either use or reference common industries, functions or skills, this will continue to be an obstacle for a completely automated solution.
The applying phase, Phase 3, already has some automation tools available by the respective companies in this space. The challenge becomes in a substitution algorithm with the ability of technology to substitute certain data correctly into a cover letter. For example JobSerf starts off their letters with the name, company and address of the recipient to allow it to appear more customized, whereas MyJobHunter begins their letters with the salutation and person’s name, if available. This is less complex, and permits a more technology friendly solution, but also runs the risk of appear less customized and possibly being discarded. The other challenges are in substituting title or company names in the body of the letter, there is a great risk of employers listing positions as ‘Hard working qualified Engineer with Quality’ and then the phrase being used verbatim in a letter. Absence of human intervention in the process would most certainly result in a letter appearing as if it was a form letter, and possibly being discarded. Some of the current solutions recognize this, and both advise customers as to what to write in advance to avoid this, as well as prevent titles such as the above being used.
The industry will continue to draw new customers given the high value added and results orientation of the services that they provide. Additional customers are expected to be companies looking for more effective outplacement solutions. RiseSmart continues to drive aggressively in this area, and JobSerf has already been heard to be discussing direct-sale services with various companies. Given the pressure on traditional outplacement firms regarding costs and value delivered, the job search outsourcing industry (JSO) has an excellent opportunity to displace many firms or partner with others to help take corporate displaced employees to a better level of service. This is especially true regarding employees who may have already completed an outplacement program in their careers. One outplacement employee commented that he estimated 30% of the people from IBM who were reduced declined the offer given they did not see the value. As longevity becomes more elusive, the services that traditional outplacement firms will become of less interest and moot for those who already have well-formatted resumes and know how to network and search for jobs. This plays perfectly into the players in this industry.

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