| Who should read this article? | | | | try to differentiate themselves from their |
| Anyone who owns a recruitment company, | | | | competitors and a template approach to the |
| recruitment website or job board, or anyone who | | | | company website will make it more difficult to do |
| may need to have a recruitment agency website or | | | | this. |
| job board developed or re-developed. | | | | In short, using template website risks making your |
| Introduction | | | | company look like a template business. You probably |
| Some time ago, we carried out some research into | | | | wouldn't be happy thinking of your business as a |
| typical costs required in order to build a recruitment | | | | template business, so it's important not to view your |
| website. We spoke to a number of different | | | | website like that either. Ultimately you might be |
| suppliers and asked what they usually charge for a | | | | disappointed with the results you get from a |
| fairly standard recruitment website. | | | | template website in comparison to what your |
| We thought we'd asked everyone for just about the | | | | website should be able to do for your business (more |
| same thing. So we expected to get prices which | | | | because of the overall approach and strategy than |
| were at least in the same ball-park. Instead, we got | | | | because of the actual product itself). |
| prices ranging from around £500 to over £20,000. | | | | Approach 4: Ground-up development (from scratch) |
| Which is quite a big difference - in anyone's book. | | | | This (or something close to it) is often offered by |
| At the same time, we did some searching on the | | | | website suppliers (both good and bad) who don't |
| internet to see what recruitment agencies might find | | | | have much experience building recruitment websites. |
| if they tried to find either a toolkit or a supplier for | | | | They'll agree a specification with you and build you an |
| developing recruitment websites. Again, we found a | | | | entire system, from scratch, that should be entirely |
| huge range of different options, each with their own | | | | yours from top to bottom. |
| pros and cons. | | | | Investing in this route will usually mean you end up |
| To be perfectly honest, even we got confused by | | | | with a website which doesn't have some of the |
| the number of different options, approaches and | | | | drawbacks of the template website option |
| prices that were out there. So this got us thinking: "If | | | | mentioned above. |
| it's this confusing for US, then what on earth must it | | | | However, there are certain disadvantages: |
| feel like for our clients when they start to look at | | | | * It'll be much more expensive (to get a good job |
| this?!" | | | | done at least); |
| To combat this, we decided to put this article | | | | * It'll usually take longer; |
| together to help recruiters make some sense of all | | | | * It'll mean the company are developing lots of |
| the options, and to distil all those different possibilities | | | | un-tested, brand-new functions for you, from |
| into 5 main categories or approaches. Most | | | | scratch: the company will spend 90% of their time on |
| importantly, we wanted to explain the advantages | | | | development, but only 10% of their time with you |
| and disadvantages of each approach to help | | | | understanding your requirements and getting things |
| companies make a better buying decision for their | | | | just right for you. This means your website will be |
| business. | | | | the one and only guinea pig for the new code and |
| Here, for your convenience (and perhaps bed-time | | | | you'll need to fully finance all future developments. |
| reading!) are those different approaches in as small a | | | | Ultimately, this method is quite inefficient and you're |
| nutshell as we could possibly manage: | | | | getting someone to reinvent the whole wheel when |
| Approach 1: Extreme DIY | | | | really, you only need to reinvent the part of it that |
| This is where YOU the business owner or recruiter | | | | makes your business different. |
| (i.e. any non-technical person with no previous web | | | | Important Notes On This Approach - Beware: |
| development experience) decides 'hey!, I don't wanna | | | | Many web development companies who produce |
| fork out loads of money for a recruitment website, | | | | bespoke or customised websites claim they will be |
| I'm gonna build the thing myself - can't be that | | | | building your website completely from scratch and so |
| difficult'. | | | | you would think their service falls within this category. |
| There a several different tools you could try using in | | | | The main reason why this is attractive is because it |
| order to build your website this way: | | | | means that (unlike the next option) you are not tied |
| 1. You could use a free (open source) tool like | | | | to any specific company for a set of core code |
| WordPress to build a basic site; | | | | libraries or pieces of your website. However, when |
| 2. You could use a paid-for 'website builder' which is a | | | | the functional components of a website become |
| service or tool offered by some web hosting | | | | remotely complicated, it is extremely rare for a |
| companies that allows you to install and setup a | | | | website development company to write every line of |
| website based on certain templates or layout styles; | | | | code for a website from the top layers down |
| 3. You could use a slightly more advanced | | | | through to the database, from scratch, for any |
| website-building content management utility like | | | | particular client. To do this (for anything like the |
| Joomla! Or Drupal. These free code libraries enable | | | | complexity of even a fairly simple recruitment |
| you start putting together a website using | | | | website) would take many hundreds of hours, and |
| components or modules which have already been | | | | probably months of development time. It would be |
| built and tested by developers of the framework; | | | | extremely difficult for any website development |
| 4. You could learn how to use a fully-fledged website | | | | company to be competitive if they start each |
| coding language like ASP.Net or php and buy the | | | | website entirely from scratch. |
| books and tools necessary to learn how to develop, | | | | Instead, most companies tend to use certain code |
| edit, organise and/or compile these languages into a | | | | libraries or an existing base and they build their |
| website. | | | | websites using that foundation (this is closer to |
| The single advantage of this type of solution is: it's | | | | approach 5 listed below). Irrespective of how the |
| dirt cheap. At least, it won't cost you much from a | | | | particular website development company might word |
| financial point of view. But the bad news is it will | | | | it (within the fine print of their agreements etc), it is |
| almost certainly cost you a fair bit of time. | | | | generally the case that you are NOT buying the core |
| Whichever way you look at it, the main problem with | | | | system from the supplier. Instead, you are buying all |
| all the options listed above and this overall approach | | | | of the bespoke work which they do for you as part |
| is that you would be a trying to do a job which is | | | | of the project you agree with them. This will typically |
| not really your specialism or in which you have no | | | | include: design work (copyright of which you will |
| previous experience. The result? You'll spend | | | | own), integration with the core system and any |
| countless hours trying to be a web developer instead | | | | other custom code or logic which they may write for |
| of concentrating on the business of recruitment. | | | | you specifically as part of the project. In addition to |
| There are some other disadvantages to these | | | | the work carried out for you, you may then need to |
| methods too: | | | | pay a licence fee during the lifetime of your website |
| * Unless you have some previous design experience, | | | | for the base system upon which your website is built. |
| you'll need to rely in your own thoughts and instincts | | | | You must be careful here: many development |
| in terms of what the site should look like and how it | | | | companies will assign rights for the entire website to |
| should behave. This can be difficult. For a professional | | | | you, unaware that they are not allowed to do this: if |
| look, it's usually best to have the advice of a | | | | they have sold a core system to one client, then |
| professional designer who's experienced in creating | | | | they simply cannot sell it to a second client since it is |
| website concepts and who knows how to make | | | | no longer theirs to sell. Alternatively, they may simply |
| colours work effectively with one another; | | | | not tell you that they in fact own a large piece of |
| * The templates or starting setups sometimes | | | | your website which you are not entitled to if you |
| provided with the first 3 options listed above are | | | | ever wish to move your website to a different |
| often quite limited and/or inflexible - as soon as you | | | | supplier. |
| want to do something which is outside the capability | | | | Approach 5: Bespoke website built upon on a |
| of the templates or framework you will run into | | | | Licensed Core System |
| problems whereby you need some additional technical | | | | Having either tried or seen all other approaches |
| knowledge to get things how you want them (or | | | | first-hand, we believe this is by far the best approach |
| what you're trying to achieve may not even be | | | | for building recruitment websites currently. |
| possible at all); | | | | In this approach, you pay for the development of |
| * In many cases, website builders and tools which | | | | the 'top layer' of your website (everything that's |
| enable websites to be built easily simply cannot | | | | specific for you), and the integration of that top |
| support some of the more difficult or advanced | | | | layer with a core system which has already been |
| functionality without you knowing what you're doing | | | | built, tried and tested. You then buy a reasonably |
| on a technical level. Option 4 listed above would help | | | | priced annual license to use that core system with |
| you get around this, but in itself this would involve | | | | your website. |
| training yourself as a website developer to a fairly | | | | Advantages: |
| high level. | | | | * Your site can look and work exactly how you |
| In short, if you are serious about creating a website | | | | want (like ground-up development) but you don't |
| for your business (as opposed to a hobby or basic | | | | have to pay for the expensive or risky task of |
| personal website) this approach is generally a bad | | | | creating all that code from scratch; |
| move. There really is a lot to know about building a | | | | * Your site won't look or work like a template |
| professional recruitment website and trying to build it | | | | website - it can do anything you want and look |
| yourself is, well, kind of like trying to build your own | | | | exactly how you want; |
| house: you'll put the foundations in all wrong which will | | | | * Your supplier will be able to spend almost all of their |
| cause problems later, you won't know how to build | | | | time with you and working on your requirements |
| things so that they're future and intruder proof, you | | | | instead of redeveloping basic functions from scratch; |
| won't be able to put systems in place that tell you | | | | * There's not much value in the core stuff for you |
| when something's wrong and you probably won't be | | | | (you only need one copy of it to run your website) |
| able to do a high quality job (at least not the first | | | | so this allows you to have that copy without paying |
| time round). Most importantly of all, you'll spend WAY | | | | to develop it; |
| too much time learning how to build a website that | | | | * You will be able to take advantage of existing core |
| would be far better spent working on your business | | | | functions which are already tried and tested; |
| or other areas of recruitment. | | | | * The website will be much less 'buggy' (it'll be more |
| Approach 2: Internal DIY | | | | stable and reliable); |
| This is similar to the above, but in this case your IT | | | | * You'll have access to future upgrades and |
| team carry out the website build. This might be an | | | | improvements as they happen and you'll only need to |
| option if you already have an IT team who look | | | | pay a fraction of the price for these because the |
| after other internal systems or databases. | | | | cost would be shared across other clients using the |
| But the problem is that building a successful website | | | | same core functions. |
| is a very specialised skill in itself. It's a sub-sector of | | | | There's just one main disadvantage to this approach: |
| IT and even if your IT team have some experience | | | | you won't own the entire system from top to |
| building websites, they may not have a great deal of | | | | bottom which you might do with approach (4) (but |
| experience building recruitment websites specifically. | | | | only if you've been very careful about the legalities |
| The main disadvantage of this method is that in the | | | | and ownership of all the code). |
| long-run it is likely to cost your business much more | | | | But ultimately, why do you need to own the entire |
| than it would to outsource this option to a website | | | | system? - The licensed core system approach |
| development company (preferably one specialising in | | | | enables you to get a highly functional, yet still unique |
| recruitment websites). A specialist agency would be | | | | and fully customised website without having all the |
| able to offer you something for a fixed price, within | | | | code developed for yourself from scratch - It means |
| a fixed time frame and they should be able to use | | | | you're not reinventing the whole wheel, just the part |
| knowledge and experience gained from other | | | | of it that really matters to you and your business. |
| projects and clients in order to help your website | | | | Summary: |
| perform better. | | | | So here are the key points to remember from this |
| Approach 3: 'Out of the Box' recruitment website | | | | article: |
| templates | | | | 1. DIY websites can be cheap but will cost you a lot |
| This is where the recruitment website is basically | | | | of time and will rarely give you the results you're |
| already created for you, top to bottom. These | | | | looking for; |
| systems can be very tempting, reasonably cheap and | | | | 2. Having your own IT team craft a website for you |
| yes, they can be useful in some situations. This type | | | | is an option but outsourcing to a specialist supplier will |
| of website often comes with large amounts of | | | | usually be more cost effective and should in theory |
| functionality at a relatively low cost and provides one | | | | provide you with a better website as they will be |
| complete and fairly quick solution. | | | | leveraging experience gained on other similar |
| Initially, this option sounds really good. It's the natural | | | | projects; |
| route you might think of and it's kind of like choosing | | | | 3. Template solutions can be tempting because they |
| a new kitchen from a magazine and having someone | | | | offer so much for relatively little cost. But be careful |
| bring it in and install it for you. | | | | to work out whether this is the right investment for |
| That's all very well. However, there are a whole | | | | your business: are you simply cutting corners by not |
| bunch of problems with this approach and you need | | | | taking the time to develop a fully-fledged online |
| to think very carefully about whether you're actually | | | | strategy for your business and thereby missing out |
| just cutting corners on your website by doing this or | | | | on a vast amount of opportunity?; |
| whether it's the right and sensible investment. | | | | 4. True ground-up (from scratch) development is |
| The disadvantages are: | | | | usually prohibitively expensive and certainly not |
| * These solutions often look very similar to one | | | | cost-effective for most businesses. But be extremely |
| another which means that it's quite possible your | | | | careful of agencies offering this kind of service when |
| website will look the same as 10, 20, or 30 other | | | | in fact they may be selling you some code which has |
| recruitment agency websites around the country - | | | | already been sold elsewhere as part of a different |
| possibly some of your competitors; | | | | website. Even if this is not the case, the time they |
| * These websites are often over-engineered with | | | | have to spend developing code will leave much less |
| large amounts of functionality which is available to the | | | | time for them to give you their attention; |
| candidate and/or clients on your site, but due to the | | | | 5. The licensed core system gives you the best of all |
| generic and formulaic way in which it's been | | | | worlds as you can have a website developed for |
| implemented, it doesn't necessarily get used as often | | | | your business which is: |
| as it might otherwise do i.e. it doesn't really work too | | | | * Unique; |
| well from a business perspective; | | | | * Fully customised from an appearance and |
| * There may be some limitations on what either can | | | | functionality point-of-view; |
| or cannot be done with the website either now or in | | | | * Aligned specifically to your current business goals |
| the future from a technical point of view i.e. it may | | | | and requirements; |
| not be entirely flexible in the long run; | | | | * Tailored to your specific candidate and client |
| Sometimes, this kind of approach to building websites | | | | audience; |
| can be a little slap-dash... but more crucially that it | | | | * Built on a reliable and well-tested underlying |
| completely undermines the whole approach which a | | | | platform which is already in live use; |
| business should have towards its website: | | | | * Less expensive than true ground-up development; |
| The company website is one of, if not THE, most | | | | When you're investigating different options for your |
| powerful and profitable marketing tool/tools available | | | | website, try to work out which of the approaches |
| to any business. Most recruitment companies | | | | listed in this article each option falls into. This should |
| completely under-use their website as a means of | | | | help you make a more informed decision about the |
| attracting new candidates and clients. Using a | | | | type of website you are buying, how much of it you |
| template website solution means subscribing to a 'me | | | | will really own, and the results you can realistically |
| too' approach for your website which will make it | | | | expect to see from it for your business. |
| seem generic and standard. All businesses need to | | | | |