Jobfood.com gets its energy from Microsoft technologies

Intellectual capital is one of the key differentiators between businesses and is considered one of the most valuable resources as it effects a company`s future growth and wealth potential. Companies that succeed in locating, retaining and mobilising their intellectual skills base, remain one step ahead. The recruitment industry is undergoing significant changes with the introduction of e-recruitment making job placement faster and more cost effective.

Jobfood.com, a local career portal, running on Microsoft technologies, believes that their website provides much richer information to the jobseeker and employers. Besides advertising jobs and hosting screened candidates, the site provides support functions such as skills matrixes, information regarding courses on offer, academic requirements for certain career types, wage and salary profiles per area, as well as advice on CV writing. Emphasis is placed on developing long term careers for candidates, rather then finding a job only.

"On-line recruitment offers much more than an electronic employment display board," says Ephan Bosman, managing director at Jobfood.com. "It is ideally suited as a marketplace for employers and job seekers, and is likely to make enormous inroads over the next year or so. The impact that it will have on traditional recruitment will be minimal at first, but later quite significant as critical mass is gained. The benefits of speed and cost reduction that the Internet can provide, coupled with expert recruitment skills, will make e-recruitment more efficient and effective."

"One of the key challenges facing the e-recruitment industry is to bridge technology and human interfaces," says Vanessa Edwards account manager at Microsoft South Africa. "The features and functions offered by career portals and websites are dependent on the rate at which technology is introduced. The industry is set to change significantly with technology advances, becoming multifaceted and allowing employers and job seekers to communicate online via video interviews, photographs and audio questions."

Jobfood.com runs on Microsoft Transaction server, a component-based transaction processing system for developing, deploying and managing high-performing, scalable and robust enterprise and Internet server applications.

A major task facing online recruitment is to overcome the fears of jobseekers regarding their confidential information being compromised. "On the back-end security is critical to our site," says Bosman. "Microsoft platform products have the most comprehensive built-in security features so that data is protected from unauthorised access.

"Using Microsoft software enables us to create an agile and reliable technology platform," continues Bosman. "Flexible, integrated, robust technology is the foundation of any successful portal."

In the marketplace, Jobfood.com is building a trustworthy reputation by adhering to traditional industry best-practices. Applicants are screened and interviews by consultants before being hosted on the site and only become available to visiting employers who express an interest in the candidate.

"Human interaction is constantly being influenced by the rapidly changing and information-dense systems made possible through digital interconnectivity," continues Edwards. "For example, interactive technologies will enable online reference checking and skills matching, reducing consultant time and cost, while retaining the human element as part of the selection process. "