Do job seekers and employers outside of Silicon Valley want user generated content, tagging and feeds in their employment services? The premise that they do will likely be put to the test on a global scale now that the fast growing job search site Jobster has landed $18 million more in venture funding from a team lead by international publishers Reed Elsevier. The company has now recieved almost $50 million in funding, from funders also including Ignition Partners, Mayfield Fund and Trinity Ventures.
Since adding a host of new social elements just last week, Jobster now brings most Web 2.0 features that you can imagine into the job search space. If Monster is the blue chip job search company in the accelerated history of web services then Jobster is trying to make itself the hip new player. Jobster CEO Jason Goldberg is explicitly positioning his company as MySpace in the workplace. Job seekers can create profiles, leave comments about their workplace and subscribe to RSS feeds.
Jobster recently acquired a service called GoJobby, has formed partnerships with SixApart, JobCentral and the VirtualEdge Corporation and says it’s seen seen 50% quarter over quarter growth over last five quarters.
But is this MySpace at work formula one with potential internationally? MySpace itself is widely expected to face serious challenges when it launches localized international versions beginning later this summer. Add to that the questionable sincerity of user generated content when it comes to matters of employment.
Jobster says it doesn’t really need the latest infusion of cash, but that Reed Elsiver’s international strength is exciting. Whether a substantial number of employers internationally will find it worth their investment to pay the monthly Jobster fee, or whether the new social features are considered hype driven and overpriced seems to me to be the key question.