Spice up your profile or blog with images, videos, and documents

I’ve written a bit in other places about styling your profile. Styling means formatting the content to be readable and appealing. JobShuk profile form has formatting features similar to those on common word-processing programs, such as Word. Besides the expected conformity to standard writing rules, such as punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and use of paragraphs, we offer a toolbar for selecting font, size, styles, tables, and lists. By making your profile more complete and readable than a short, plain-text description, you give more life and energy to your business.

On that note, adding rich media to your profile, when applicable, helps distinguish your business, and can provide potential clients with samples of your work. This is a great way of automating your sales using modern technology. People are less likely these days to make lots of phone calls, or even do business with a company based solely on their word or an ad. Let people see the quality (and cost) of your work so they can make an informed decision about doing business with you.

Limitations

Although disk space is becoming more affordable, and other services are allowing unlimited storage, we decided to set a limit for the time being. If anyone needs alternate storage options, please contact us.
Each user is allowed 5 Megabytes (MB) of space, with no file greater than 1 MB.
Allowed file types and extensions are as follows:
JPEG Image(.jpg), GIF Image (.gif), PNG Image (.png), Microsoft Word Document (.doc), Adobe Acrobat File (.pdf), Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation (.ppt), Plain Text File (.txt), Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (.xls), Compressed File (.zip)

Uploading your Media

When logged in, click the "My Account" link on the top-right part of the screen, and then click the " Media Library" link under the "Upload Photos" section.

In the "Add a photo" box, "browse" to the file on your computer, and click the "Add" button.

Inserting an Image

From the blog/profile page, click the "Insert/edit image" Images button in the middle of the toolbar in the Content box, click the browse icon to the right of the "Image URL" field and select the image you just uploaded.

Linking to your Documents

From the profile/blog page, select the text which will link to the document by highlighting it, click the "Insert/edit link" Add link icon from the toolbar. Click the browse icon to the right of the "Link URL" field, and select the document to link.

Embedding a YouTube video, Flash, or other rich media

Click the "Insert / edit embedded media" Embedded media button, select the type of media (Flash usually) and paste the URL of the file (not the containing web URL) in the URL field. Alternately, follow the directions below.

Embedding other Videos, Ad Code, or other HTML

Copy the embed code or HTML data provided. Click the "Edit HTML Source" HTML button and paste into the space provided below or above anything else already entered into the Content. If the resulting object doesn’t appear, try saving and viewing the profile or blog as other viewers would. Sometimes items that appear in the page do not show up in the editor.
NOTE: If you insert Javascript into the HTML Source Editor, remove any comments, the lines beginning with // (double slashes), as the line breaks are sometimes affected when returning to the editor.

Please ask any questions into the comments of this page so everyone can benefit from the answer.

JobShuk update: milestone #1 completed

First, I have to apologize to those who have been following my blog. Despite all of the topics I wanted to write about, I was pleased to be swamped with e-mails and site fixes lately.

The direct targeted e-mail campaign we launched last week was a HUGE success. All of my tension was eased as I received tons of "thank you"s and saw the amazing results.

As of the writing of this entry, JobShuk.com now features over 200 profiles, and almost 300 registered users.

Now that we’ve reached this first major milestone, we have one more before we focus our undivided attention on getting you work. The milestone is one of programming, not marketing. As some of you have noticed, the Google Custom Search we use on the site has its limitations. As a free service, they have no obligation to our site and the listing of all new users. As a general tool, they cannot understand the specific needs of our visitors, separating business profiles from blog entries. The search engine we create will make it easier and faster for visitors to find what they’re looking for.

We will also be creating a section devoted to job postings, for all those interested clients who may be overwhelmed by the many business options. They create a posting with details about the job, such as description, time frame, price. Businesses can then review the information, discuss the job, and submit bids.

I’m very excited with the progress we’ve made, and looking forward to providing a complete solution for the future. Stick around! 

What is a Profile?

Although technically not a dating site, JobShuk operates very similarly. The most important part is the first impression, so you’d better work hard to make sure it’s the best.

Let’s run with this dating analogy a little further. When you show up, you want to make sure you:

  1. Look presentable
    Don’t show up in torn or stained clothing. Make sure, at the very least, that you don’t look like you just came out of a coal mine.

    Your profile should obey some grammatical or stylistic guideline. Lack of punctuation, all caps, or no capitalization when appropriate are some examples of unpresentable appearances.

  2. Have an appearance that matches who you are
    If you are associated with a religious, cultural, or social sect, make sure you look the part. In as much as we’d like for people to judge us on who we are, the first thing they know is what we look like. Match the costume to the role you play.

    If you are artistic, or have any other skill which can be demonstrated through your profile, be sure to let it shine. If you do not show it off, it will be assumed that you are not as skilled as you think. On the other hand, if your skill is in another field, such as mathematics, do not try to be an artist. Stick to the neat-and-clean rule, otherwise, it may look silly, or you might confuse people as to who you are.

  3. Foster a positive attitude
    You know better than anyone else if you are worthy. Carry yourself and communicate in such a way that demonstrates it. If you believe it, your date will believe it.

    If you can handle a big client, do not limit yourself to the small fish. Even beginners in a field can explain why they will be the best person for the job. Otherwise, small and big clients alike will look for someone else. Believe you can handle the best, or you will be stuck with nothing.

  4. Know what you are looking for
    Have a fuzzy picture in your mind of the person you are looking for and the qualities and values they possess. They probably have a picture in their mind of what they want, so try, within reason, to be that person. That way, you will be prepared to win them over when you find them and form a good match together.

    Attracting clients requires knowing who they are and what they are looking for. What is their budget? Will they need continued support? Money-back guarantees? If you can accommodate, make sure they know it and secure the sale.

  5. Do not make yourself too available
    If you are too eager to be with someone, they will suspect that you feel you cannot do better. Since most people suffer from low self-esteem, they will assume you have low expectations and similar low self-esteem, violating rule 3, and making you "unfit". It is a silly game, but a reality we must accept.

    On your profile, list the types of work and services you provide. Let your prospective clients know what they can expect from you, and what not to expect. Describing and accepting jobs below your skill level imply that you are desperate for work. Desperation implies that you are not great at what you do. Give the impression that you are great, and let other people come running to you.

  6. Have fun
    When you are nervous, the people around you are nervous. When you are relaxed, having fun, and enjoying the moment, others appreciate you, enjoy being with you, and feel that they are getting to know you.

    Open up, be yourself, and have fun. People looking to do business with you want to know that you can get the job done. But if you make the process enjoyable, its like icing the cake, giving them more reasons to come back for more.

I guess I went a bit far with the dating analogy, but I hope you appreciate the points I made. We’ll get into more profile details in Part 2.

Israel’s Ease of Doing Business

Globes Online reports Israel 29th for ease of doing business. This puts us 1/6th down the list. Personally, my expectations for this country vary – I know that as a "light unto the nations", we should be at the top of the list. But many foreigners who visit the country experience less-than-perfect dealings with both government agencies and private companies.

Most apparent in the detailed breakdown of the report is the difficulty in registering property, specifically the duration to secure right to a property of 144 days. Yasher Koach to the brave people involved in the real estate industry in Israel – I would be embarrassed and impatient to have to deal with such business practices.

Although we show little change since the last index, it’s fitting for this time of year to hope for and make some changes in the coming year. We should be at the top of the charts and not accept mediocrity.

What are tags?

Tags, in short, are keywords attached to objects to assist searching and browsing. Most important for images and videos, tags allow computer-users to find items which cannot be indexed by standard text-based means.

What does that mean?
If you were to look for a document containing your last family vacation’s itinerary, you would search for "itinerary" on your computer, and easily find it, since the file contains that word on the top of the document. But searching for a video of that vacation would prove to be much more difficult. Tags allow you to mark that video with the words "family vacation 2006 Hawaii". You could then search for any or all of those words, and viola, you’ve found your video.

Why use tags for text?
Although essential for media, tags are useful for text items as well. Depending on how you use them, tags can help you find the right information quickly.
Tags can be used sparingly as category names, placing chunks of data into multiple categories easily. A searcher can add more tags to his search to drill-down to the most relevant data.
Tags can also be used to highlight certain words that may be contained within a block to easy searching. For example, an article might have the words "family politics" in it, but you only want the article to appear when the word "family" is searched for, to distinguish it from your "politics" articles.

For more information about tags, see the explanations on these other sites:
YouTube
Yahoo 360
Flickr
del.icio.us
Wikipedia
Technorati
Movable Type

Before this Day of Atonement

On Rosh Hashana, I wasn’t in shul. I didn’t pray for acceptance, forgiveness, or anything of the sort. Ok, so my body was there. But it wasn’t a vessel for my own desires. JobShuk had taken over.

Like a newborn child with a 1-in-10 chance of survival (lo aleinu – we shouldn’t know from such things), JobShuk was terrified for its life. As we said the prayer recognizing G-d’s role in deciding who will live and who will die, who will be rich and who will be poor, JobShuk shed tears.

On the eve of Yom Kippur, I ask G-d to allow me to pray for myself and on behalf of JobShuk. Though I have few merits of my own, may He grant me, my family, and JobShuk much success in hope that we will all walk in His ways, be honest and hard-working in business, working with Him, and not against Him. And may our pure intentions for a modest livelihood and the rebuilding of Israel and the Temple be accepted as a bride for our future success.

I’s also like to spend these last few minutes before Yom Kippur to thank all of those who have helped so far, and all of those who will help in this effort.

Have a great year. 

Why Join?

JobShuk is more than just a business directory. It isn’t a Yellow pages. It’s about two-way communication, or even broadcast communication. It’s a way to get people involved in a community, in other people’s lives, and building better businesses in Israel for those who love and support Israel.

Here’s what membership gets you: 

  • Businesses & Freelancers
    1. Detailed profile page all about you and your business
    2. Unlimited blog posts for adding more information about you to prospective clients
    3. Bid on open projects
    4. Ratings, Recommendations, and Reviews about your business
    5. Consulting for your business and marketing efforts
    6. Opportunities for more advertising to your target audience
  • Buyers
    1. Post your project and have the businesses run after you!
    2. Advertise your business as an Israel supporter 
    3. Rate, Recommend, and Review businesses to help others make informed decisions

The best reason of all is, it’s FREE advertising!

For a few individuals who prefer to remain anonymous, they can find a contractor for their needs without registering. Nevertheless, after considering the membership benefits listed above, do you really want to take your chances?!

How is this Free?

How Free is Free?

Our goal is to generate as much business as possible. Therefore, we designed our business model to encourage lots of users and lots of information. Our service is not funded by mandatory membership fees, percentages, or other required payments by general users. Instead, we’re funded by additional advertising and specialized tools for those users who need to differentiate themselves.

Here’s a chart of our free and paid services.

Service Quantity Price
Listing in the searchable and browsable profile directory 1 Free
Fully-customizable profile page 1 Free
Blog post linked from your profile for including text or media Unlimited Free
Media Library for hosting images and documents 10 Megabytes Free
Listing in the searchable and browsable project directory Unlimited Free
Fully-customizable project description page 1 per project Free
Submit a bid for a project 1 per project Free
Public and private messaging before and after a bid has been accepted Unlimited Free
Search results available by RSS feed or e-mailed to you Unlimited Free
Additional listings with customized listing text* Unlimited Paid
Top of the page placement for your listing* 1 Contact Us
Side of the page advertising on listing pages, linked to searched terms* Unlimited Contact Us
Side of the page advertising on listing pages, not linked to terms* Unlimited Contact Us
Home page advertising 1 $89 per month
Weekly site newsletter e-mail sponsorship  1 $45 per week
Additional media hosting* Tiered Plans Contact Us

* = not yet available

Contact us to discuss any of the paid options mentioned above, if you feel that we’re missing an invaluable tool for all users, or if you need a tool designed specifically for you.

We occasionally organize inexpensive advertising options outside of our network, both online and offline. If you’re interested in getting advance notifications about such offers, let us know.

Who should Join?

Who JobShuk IS for:

  •  In Israel
    1. Small business representative
      One who represents a small business from Israel who can service clients overseas, tourists, or new Olim, and can communicate in English.
    2. Contractor or Freelancer
      One who resides in Israel, performs services for a fee, and can communicate in English, but is never employed by the client. Payments are issued on a per-job or per-hour basis.
    3. English-speaking resident
      Everyone who lives in Israel hires a contractor at some point, such as a cleaner, painter, plumber, or baby-sitter. If you’re running a business, you’re hiring even more! JobShuk helps you find someone from your area who speaks your language!
  • Overseas
    1. Business representative
      Wages in Israel for skilled labor are comparable to those in India. Find a virtual assistant for all your odd jobs, or hire a team of programmers or marketers for your business.  Outsource your work to Israel instead, and support the Israeli economy while encouraging Aliya.
    2. Tourist
      You can easily arrange for services online and have your whole trip ready before you arrive. You can rely on the level of customer service and ease of communication when you’re dealing with someone who speaks your language. Hire a party planner, tour guide, buy food for Shabbat and Chagim, or treat yourself to a massage.

Who JobShuk ISN’T for:

JobShuk is NOT a place to find full-time jobs for Israel-based companies. It is NOT a place to read resumes and find people to work at your Israel-based company.  There are other sites for that, such as IsraEmploy, Computer Jobs in Israel, and AACI’s Jobnet. (Find more resources at these sites: Telfed, Nefesh B’Nefesh)

Plan of Attack

With the exciting beta launch, I’ve received a lot of advice, which is both great and incredibly overwhelming. Even hiring more staff means that there must be a plan to follow. Without giving away my exact plan, here’s some of the advise I’ve received:

  • The homepage should have one goal, and be designed to allow visitors to achieve that goal. If the goal is to get people to sign-up, make that the focus. If it’s to read my blog posts (it isn’t!), make that the focus.
  • Allow users to show their company name instead of their own name. My theory for the site is to make users more accessible, demonstrating to potential clients the personality behind the service. Also, while generating business in Israel is NOT a charity, but a wise social and financial decision, and clients overseas should know that they’re supporting real people with real families. A personal name feels more real than a company name, in theory. If you disagree, please comment as such. I am considering adding another line with the company name, for completeness.
  • Search Engine Optimization
    1. Page keywords, description, and title
    2. Add valuable content, such as Education and Definitions
    3. Link Building
  • Local Newsletters

On top of that, there’s development which needs to be completed, either alongside, or before the marketing efforts. We have to add our own search engine with featured advertising, we need to add counters and ratings on appropriate pages, and we need to add the project posting section of the site.

But that’s why we’re at BETA stage now. There’s lots of work to be done, and it’s very exciting. So stay tuned!