News: CAREERLINK READY TO BATTLE THE MONSTERCLEARWATER - Recruiting giant TMP Worldwide's recruiting portal is scaring local newspapers and validating one Clearwater company's long-standing business strategy with plans to push recruiting portals into local job markets nationwide."Last week we bought several domain names," Media CareerLINK founder Pam Kauten said Wednesday afternoon, in an effort to match similar domain name purchases by TMP for its new "jobmatch.com" service. TMP is buying domain names with geographical tags on either side of "jobmatch.com", Kauten said. (Example: TampaBayjobmatch.com.) Media CareerLINK, which owns Florida CareerLINK, was already selling job portals to radio stations across the country when it inked a deal with a television broadcasting group that will buy CareerLINK websites in 42 media markets. (Disclosure: Florida CareerLINK is a Digital Daily advertiser.) Kauten said she isn't frightened by TMP and the Monster's entry into the local game, her company already is selling job portals locally and TMP isn't, she said. Who is frightened? Local newspapers, Kauten said, the Web has already cost them an estimated $1 billion to $2 billion per year in lucrative classified advertising sales. "They are absolutely petrified at the Monster coming to town." The five major daily newspapers in the Tampa Bay market (the Tampa Tribune, St. Pete Times, Bradenton Herald, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Lakeland Ledger) all offer access to employment advertising through their Web sites. What most do not offer is the resume posting and job-matching services used on dedicated job posting Web sites. CareerLINK has focused on broadcasters as customers because radio and television stations are looking to break the lock newspapers have held on the "help wanted" market. CareerLINK charges customers a development fee for each site and shares in any advertising revenue. Media CareerLINK's largest market is a Detroit radio station, it's smallest market is Monroe, Louisiana. The privately-held company does not disclose its financial figures. |
