For many tech startups, it can be difficult to compete with large companies like Google, Microsoft, and others for young talent coming out of universities. Not only is the recruiting process very expensive for small bootstrapped startups, but posting listings in Craigslist, Monster or other job boards can be lacking in an interpersonal connection for both students and employers.
Jobnob, an online job board for alternative compensation jobs, is hoping to change this by launching a “virtual job fair,” called Ivy Plus Job Fair, to allow startups to compete for students’ attention at several of the best colleges in the U.S. Using webcams and video, students can log-on to the job fair to hear twenty startups pitch job opportunities at their companies. Interested students can enter virtual break out rooms for each company to ask questions and submit resumes and startups can hold office hours where reps will be available online to talk with students.
Jobnob, which is partnering with ten universities in the U.S. (Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Duke, University of Chicago, University of Illinois, and NYU), is holding two job fairs, one for liberal arts students and one for computer science and engineering students.
For startups, placement in the job fair costs between $500 and $3,000. This pricing is far less than the cost of on-campus recruiting, which Jobnob says costs on average $30,000 for companies.
The events take place in November (the deadline for companies to sign up is Oct 15.) You can find more information here.
