The Paradox of Social Recruiting Applications

Dividing the World of Social Recruiting Applications
It seems there are two types of social recruiting apps. Ones which rely on the network effect and those which don’t rely on the network effect. Technically this later variety is more the filtering/data app vs. a social application.

The former, however, is unless is drives toward:
a) unique recruiting niche
b) more discovery/data/effective recruiting
c) unique way or interface to connect (better influence or social graph access).
d) better portfolio-ification.

And combines this with a unique viral hook/loop (spread this, email, widgets, badges, tell your friends what you think/how you rank/your results)

The later just plays on top of the social graph (as such is not technically a social application), but is social in the same way that Slideshare, DocStoc, and Scribd are social.

Its interesting to note all three both tap discovery, visual design, and the social graph. Although, Scribd & Doc Stoc are probably less design oriented than Slideshare. How does a startup use discovery as a hook for growth? The jury may just be out….

Social Recruiting Marketplaces Reflections & Conclusions:
that the easier application may be building applications which work on top of marketplaces/social graphs rather than building the marketplaces/social networks themselves. While these applications do have the potential for 1) added value due to network effects 2) viral-ish growth due to network effects (if done properly)–they can sit dormant without the right seeding–if they never get past the early adopters.

Obviously–applications which play outside the social graph have two varieties:
1) opt in
2) automatic

And its not inconceivable that the later be able to grow due to network effect (ie without the benefit of a marketplace or typical social community).

In the social recruiting space, you have say a dozen start ups competing for peoples attention–to be their 4th or 5th social network beyond Facebook, Linked in, and Twitter (and in other cases beyond Four Square & Yelp & YouTube & Quora).