A new job search site has been launched where users can recommend their friends for jobs advertised. JobWhisper Ltd., an innovative venture as far hiring in the high-tech sector is concerned, is a platform where anyone can recommend a friend for a specific post.
One of the better known assumptions in the high-tech sector is that the most successful placements of suitable candidates are those involving a personal recommendation. Everyone who plays a part in this kind of selection benefits. The candidate stands a better chance of being offered the job, the employer gets a candidate who has been recommended on the basis of a personal acquaintance, and the referee can often earn a fee of around NIS 5,000 for his efforts. However, despite the high success rate, this method of placement is seldom used since the referee pool is limited to people already employed by the advertising company.
JobWhisper allows anyone to recommend a friend for a job. After registering on the site, a user can join a list of referees and view the vacancies on offer. If he sees a position and knows of someone who would be suited to it, he can fill out a recommendation form. The position is then offered to the selected candidate who then has to confirm he wishes to apply and send off his CV. The employer receives both the recommendation and the applicant's CV. "With this method, the employer is exposed to both the recommendation and the referee's motivation in making it. For instance, if we have a Java specialist recommending another specialist, his recommendation will be taken far more seriously," says JobWhisper CEO Amir Natan.
As to the more intriguing question of how much one can earn from job recommendations, Natan says, "The fee is not fixed and is composed of several elements that vary according to the level of seniority of the people involved and the level of difficulty, but it can usually range from NIS 3,000 to NIS 15,000." The fee, however, is only payable once the candidate has "survived" the three-month trial period at his new job, as is the accepted practice in placements like these.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 28, 2008
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