COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE & SECONDARY DATA COLLECTION:

Indeed:

Is a search engine platform for job seekers and job posters. They are a highly popular site with big user database and reach with easy to use navigation for the users. They have a 99% organic click percentage meaning most of their listings and site interface is real and it isn’t scam or fake postings. Insuring most consumer confidence. They have built their platform to payments from SEO (search engine optimization) which amounts to an average of $265 million (annually) with a monthly average of 39.3 million clicks made on their platform. Their paid keywords searches ensures an average of 475 thousand clicks monthly. Their pay per click budget estimates to $722 thousand monthly, for which they pay for an estimated 135,122 keywords. “Jobs near me” is one of their best keywords organically and paid.

Indeed has a bounce rate of 34.5% which is very medium but low compared to industry standards. This indicates that many people spend time to find what they are looking for searching through this website. Indeed is considered one of the most popular websites in terms of job searches. I would personally say that’s a pretty good bounce rate. If you check the data above, Indeed has high traffic on their website per day. It’s higher than their competition averages. As you can see, their traffic comes mostly through direct and organic methods rather than paid sources.

Linkedin:

Is a platform for networking, through this platform you can contact many companies and high-profile individuals that can become an asset to opportunity for individuals. This platform has been recommended for students to maintain a professional outlook. Linkedin is used worldwide and has built an image that is well known everywhere. They have a 99% organic click percentage meaning almost all of the profiles and postings are authentic. They have built their platform to payments from SEO (search engine optimization) which amounts to an average of $332 million (annually) with a monthly average of 116 million clicks made on their platform. Their estimated paid keywords searches ensures an average of 214 thousand clicks monthly. Their pay per click amount estimates to $543 thousand monthly, where they pay for around 67,258 keyword searches. Google ads is another source of income they use. As you can see Linkedin has found other ways to build their brand which ensures them not to spend too much money on keywords like Indeed, because their reach is wider.

Linkedin with their high popularity has way more traffic than Indeed however if you check their bounce rate (53.51%), they have over half of their traffic bounce because it doesn’t satisfy their needs. While it’s main purpose is to network, most networking involved the desire to attain a job or internship to further the career. As a student myself success ratio for us from personal experience is low on Linkedin in terms of finding jobs and internships. Also, if you notice how much traffic they get from their paid keyword searches and paid Google adverts is very small, therefore that explains why Linkedin pays for a lot less keyword searches compared to Indeed.

Aerotek:

While Indeed and Linkedin could be direct competition to Rubicon I wanted to look at a well-known staffing and recruiting agency who focuses on recruitment and job searches for people. Aerotek is a recruiting agency that focuses on job posting and works with companies to help their payroll and recruitments. Aerotek has physical locations worldwide but their big traffics come on their web searches.

Aerotek has a 67% ad coverage with a monthly budget of $80.5 thousand. They have a monthly volume of 187,000 with estimated clicks of 125,000. They have an organic keyword search base where keyword searches like “Aerotek jobs” – help them gather the most volume of traffic. Aerotek’s SEO (search engine optimization) which amounts to an average of $490 thousand (annually) with a monthly average of 143 thousand clicks made on their platform. Their estimated paid keywords searches ensures an average of 52.6 thousand clicks monthly. Their pay per click amount estimates to $80.5 thousand monthly, where they pay for around 10,992 keyword searches They have around estimated 13,995 keywords set to help them have good volume of traffic.

One of the reasons I chose to look in to Aerotek is because they aren’t as big as Indeed or Linkedin, their capital is small and they bring in their traffic more organically rather than investments heavy on pay per clicks or Google ads. Their algorithm set to many keywords helps them be discovered from searches. This is something Rubicon can replicate specially during the startup phases. The most important thing would be to have more user interface because while Aerotek can bring in good traffic, they have a high bounce rate.

Glassdoor:

Is a platform where you can apply for jobs based on reviews of current and former employees of certain companies. This site is more credible for the users because there’s real reviews about the job listings and companies from insiders. Which gives you an insight to what someone can look forward to if they get the job. Company is mostly an online platform with headquarters in California. One of Glassdoor’s strength is their reach globally. They have a 99% organic click percentage meaning most of their listings and site interface is real and the posts are credible. Insuring most consumer confidence. Their SEO (search engine optimization) amounts to an average of $57.8 million (annually) with a monthly average of 25.4 million clicks made on their platform. Their paid keywords searches are perhaps one of the lowest among the company average. Estimated to 759 clicks monthly. Their pay per click budget estimates to $1.36 thousand monthly, for which they pay for an estimated 5831 keywords. As you can see Glassdoor is proof that if you optimize on algorithmic user database then you wouldn’t require to spend too much on pay per clicks which is least of their priorities. Their review system is a way of building the user interface – meaning it gives the person using the platform an indication that they see value from the reviews as if they get inside information. It helps employees and companies to also discover customer trends.

Glassdoor just like Linkedin has a very high bounce rate of 55.15%, while the review system is interface for the users is a great way for them to interact, their conversion ratio is very low (specially for students). As students and many go to these websites to find jobs they don’t usually find them through glassdoor, rather Glassdoor is more optimal for companies and employees of those companies because it helps them with staffing and recruitment. Looking at the data above, you can also see their main priority is search optimization engine they have built a platform well enough so that the paid keywords are virtually non-essential, they are one of the lowest in the industry in terms of paid traffic sources.

College Career Centers:

To do research regarding College Career Center I had to get creative, I asked every group chat I am in for classes this semester along with past colleagues and friends I made in Baruch and asked them all how many of them are part of the Starr Career Center and how many of them use their facilities, 37/63 students said they use their facilities and have an account with the Starr Career Center or contacted them.

Through this data I looked at the offerings Starr Career Center offers. From interview preparation to resume review along with in person consultation. This was very useful information because this is something, I want to replicate to Rubicon formula where there’s user interface in person with the students.

One last thing I did was email someone from the Starr Career Center to ask them what’s their conversion ratio in terms of students seeking jobs/internships to converting them to employees of certain companies.

They said from the students that are part of the Career Center their ratio is estimated to 15-17%, however in comparison to all Baruch Students (20 thousand or so), their ratio is around 9-11%

These were the only “raw” data I was able to acquire, which was helpful because it gave me an impression on how much interactive the Starr Center is with the students and how well they convert the employees.

INDUSTRY CUSTOMER ANALYSIS:

 

OPPORTUNITIES: (Why bother? -> Future?)

Considering all the data I observed, I would like to continue forward with my venture proposal because I see areas of opportunities, such as the way our Starr Career Center operates if we were to maximize that with more employees and more student interaction, allowing them to be updated for every application. Preparing them for interviews when their application is successful, we can change the conversion ratio.

The Aerotek (also Glassdoor) dynamic gave me a better realm of idea to prioritize on maximizing the SEO where you can limit the paid per click budget. Aerotek in terms of how developed the company is; it’s not anywhere near the Indeeds or Linkedin’s and their success is noticeable.

I see areas of opportunity where you can improve the bounce ratio – here’s one idea I have where if an individual student clicks back to homepage or closes the tab/window of Rubicon we simply ask them what was the reason for their visit and if they find what they were looking for? Based on their responses perhaps we can assist further to not have them just see the website and bounce.

So, there are areas of opportunities in this industry as you see from our target market college student’s analysis. Our main goal is to raise student convenience to apply for jobs, you notice the time and amount of effort many students spend searching for jobs just to find nothing. We will do an online platform as well considering that’s the most popular job search area that students use.

There’s certainly potential for this idea to be part of this industry and also as a student myself I face the same problem; therefore I would want to continue to pursue this venture and explore further to make something the students feel is worth it because it’ll help them find opportunities that every student goes to college for.