Eind december geeft VisualCV de pijp aan Maarten; de site sluit dan definitief haar deuren. Welke site? De site die volgens haar CEO Jeff Hunter begin 2009 nog dacht dat VisualCV de wereld van recruitment radicaal ging veranderen:
We see VisualCV.com right at the heart of recruiting’s evolution
Natuurlijk, de bekende recruitment revolutie. Gaaap. Maar wat bood VisualCV dan dat er zo’n recruitment revolutie door zou worden ontketend? Ehhh…
The VisualCV reinvents the resume. It’s a better resume, online.
Serieus, dat was alles. In een tijd dat LinkedIn natuurlijk ook al de big honcho was. Geen wonder dat deze ‘service’ het niet heeft gered. Ondanks $5 miljoen aan Series A funding, van onder meer Heidrick & Struggles. Weggegooid geld. Maar dat was tijdens de start, medio 2008, eigenlijk al direct duidelijk. Dat geld had dus zinvoller besteed kunnen worden. Te laat…
In een e-mail aan haar ‘leden’ meldt de site het volgende:
Since our launch almost four years ago we’ve been gratified by the response to VisualCV, and how it has enabled thousands of professionals to better represent themselves online. Even more importantly we have been delighted to see VisualCV help people secure significant new career positions. However, we have been unable to turn the site into a viable, self-supporting business and therefore we reluctantly made this decision.
Briljant, dat Amerikaanse proza. Wat zijn eigenlijk significant new career positions? Iemand? De werkelijkheid is natuurlijk dat de volstrekt overbodige service niet is aangeslagen (thousands of professionals staat gelijk aan helemaal niets in een land met de omvang van de VS) en dat het freemium model daardoor onvoldoende omzet genereerde. Geen recruitment revolutie dus. Maar dat is nauwelijks een verrassing te noemen.
Helaas is VisualCV een van de vele personal branding tools die dacht op het succes van LinkedIn mee te deinen en zo een graantje mee te pikken. VisualCV was een van de eersten in haar soort en heeft vele volgers gekregen. Hopelijk kiezen die volgers ervoor om net als VisualCV ook de stekker eruit te trekken. Dat zou het speelveld weer een stuk overzichtelijker maken. En voorkomen dat werkzoekers in dit soort onzin trappen.
Opgeruimd staat netjes!
Jakolien Sok
says:Helaas Mark maar ze gaan gewoon weer door 😉
Fijne Feestdagen!
Greetz, Jakolien
We recently informed you of our intention to close the VisualCV.com website on December 30, 2011.
We are happy to inform you that the VisualCV.com website and technology are being acquired by Talent Technology, a leading solutions provider in the recruiting technology market. Talent Technology will continue to operate the VisualCV.com website, it will not be shut down as previously announced.
All active VisualCV.com member accounts will remain in place; we will not be removing or otherwise destroying member data as previously noted.
Refunds have been made to all customers who purchased premium subscriptions and had one or more months of paid service remaining. We have phased out the premium member support program, giving all members free access to all VisualCV features, and to the online support resources at the VisualCV Learning Center.
Talent Technology and the VisualCV team are committed to making this as smooth and effective a transition as possible, and we do not anticipate you, our VisualCV member, will see any immediate changes or interruption in service.
Talent Technology is committed to leveraging VisualCV’s approach and vision to improving the candidate experience through innovative technology and improved user experience. The service will continue to operate as a standalone offering, allowing current VisualCV users to continue to leverage their dynamic and secure online resumes for free. Users can also look forward to new innovations to help them create even more engaging online resumes faster and easier in the future. Talent Technology’s mission is to connect people and jobs through smart technology. This agreement strengthens Talent Technology’s ability to deliver on that mission.
If you no longer wish to maintain your VisualCV account you can cancel it at any time by clicking on the “Cancel Account” link on the “My Account” page.
We are proud to have delivered the VisualCV.com service to you over the past four years, and appreciate all your support and kind words. We are pleased a company of the caliber of Talent Technology will be taking over VisualCV.com. We feel they represent a “good home” for both the service and the technology, and will make good and appropriate use of it.
Again, many thanks for your support these past four years. We wish you a safe and enjoyable holiday season, and a prosperous and productive 2012.
To learn more about this acquisition, please visit www.talenttech.com/visualcv.
Best Regards,
The VisualCV Team