Every 30 seconds a new social network is created on Ning. Since it launched two years ago, close to 500,000 social networks has been created on Ning (see graph).  Of course, Ning is not the only player in this space, other white-label social network platforms abounds.

Ning’s, and white-label social network providers, stratospheric growth gives one an idea on where online communities are heading. At this rate, there is likely to be a social network for every niche imaginable. At the core of this growth is the ease with which anyone can create a social network, and the basic longing for everyone to be part of a community.  Read more...

250,00 0 registered users, 15,000 daily visits and thousands upon thousands of conversation threads are just some of the big numbers chalked up by  the Whirlpool (not the white goods manufacturer) forum. The forum is probably one of the largest Australian online communities where people (mostly IT professionals) congregate and passionately talk about technology on a regular basis.  Read more...

If you are an employer contemplating using any of the job boards in Australia, I’d ask for data (unique visitors, user demographics etc) first. Linkedin provides fairly detailed data of their users (below). Similar data from job board providers will help you make informed and better targeting decisions.

Ployme connects employers and casual workers using mainly SMS.

What’s often forgotten in the hullabaloo over social media is that SMS is an effective and widely used communication tool (refer graph). AIMIA’s recent ‘Australian Mobile Phone Lifestyle Index’ report found 84% of Australians considered SMS an expenditure item. In other words – regular SMS usage is universal.

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Online advertising in Australia is now worth $1.52 billion, growing by 27% in 2008.

Meanwhile, job vacancy advertisers continue to fuel the shift from print to online mediums. No wonder, leading job boards like SEEK are pegging their future growth on the further migration of advertising dollars from print to online channels.  Read more...

We blogged about the executive job board landscape, last week. 

Six months old start-up Six Figures.com.au, based in Melbourne, offers an alternative platform for employers to exclusively reach high-income earners.

We spoke to Kelly Magowan, Managing Director, about Six Figures, the Australian executive recruitment market, the job board industry, high income earners and talent. Our interview is below, PDF version is available here.   Read more...

It is widely assumed that senior executives do not use job boards. The myth is dispelled by a recent Harvey Nash survey , which found  24% of CEOs successfully secured a new job through online job boards.  It looks like the trend is going to continue, with 51% of respondents to the survey, believing they will use online job boards in the near future (see chart). Like everyone else, senior executives are migrating online to find jobs.  Read more...

Recruitment is local, amongst other things, shaped by regional economic conditions, supply of labour and the reluctance of a job seeker to seek employment far from home. It is more than likely, talent solution providers with a sharp focus on meeting local needs will thrive.

Capitaljobs.com.au is a niche job board dedicated to serving employers in the Canberra and Illawara region. We recently caught up with Clayton Wehner, Managing Director, and he sheds some light on the challenges faced by regional employers, skills shortage, talent and the modus operandi of Capitaljobs.  Read more...

Received the below in my inbox this morning.

A job posting cost $600, this probably means Six Figures is the most expensive job board in Australia. The site is also offering job seekers a chance to win a free lunch.  Worth giving it a try while the free offer is on.

Alternatives includes SEEK Executive and The Big Chair.

Five years since it left the shores of Australia it looks like the world’s largest job board is coming back . Which is a surprise, given the US office isn’t doing too well. The travails befalling the US headquarters recently is well documented. Job posting has fallen by 18% in May. So, is Monster trying to focus its energy on growing Asian economies and an Australian classifieds market predicted to reach $504.5 million by 2010?  Read more...