Even though Monster.com is one of the best-known job sites out there (and recent winner of a Webby award), its days are numbered. That is, at least according to the latest analysis from Cheezhead, a CATS Software favorite for recruitnment news and opinions. Internet job postings and recruiting efforts are increasingly turning to free boards like Craigslist and TweetMyJobs to connect job seekers to positions, rather than the high-profile but high-priced Monster listings. "Just like General Motors trying to sell big automobiles when Honda and Toyota were introducing smaller and less expensive cars, Monster.com is faced with a situation in which they have created an enterprise that can not survive against a lethal enemy – social media."
Of course, free job boards are not the perfect solution either. "Does a company like GE, for example, want its posting next to a posting for a gentleman’s club? I would guess no." But with Monster.com postings running at hundreds of dollars a pop, even 50 dollars a post would be an offer companies couldn’t refuse. And well-maintained free sites (like Cheezhead’s recently profiled FindAJobAlready.com) could be even more of a game-changer. The cold, hard truth is, recruiters and employers simply don’t have the money to post like they once did. If Monster doesn’t stop resting on its e-laurels and find a way to compete with free or low-cost sites, it could very well run itself into the ground.
