Jason Davis: The Recruitosphere’s Darling
- Author: Amitai Givertz
- Posted: April 16, 2007
- Category: Business Matters, Blogging
- Tags: No Tags
- Comments:
Part Two in a Series About Today’s Recruiting.com
The recent announcement by Jobster that John Sumser will be replacing Recruiting.com’s founding member Jason Davis in an effort to add value to its year-old acquisition – whatever that means — has left many people speculating, “What is going on?”
For a man who boasts that he eats dog food – yuck! – perhaps Jason Goldberg’s pick of John Sumser is a good one for this blog-eat-blog world we live in. Others might suggest that John Sumser is about to consume his own taboo-tasty with Recruiting.com – double yuck! – ruminating on Jobster’s original “modest proposal,” one bite at a time. Yummy!
In an effort to better understand what this dog’s dinner is all about we are starting with a cameo of the players. Profiling Jason Davis then, here is Part Two:
I don’t how much of what I have been told about Recruiting.com’s history is fact and how much of it is fiction. It hardly matters. Jason Davis is now a legend in his time.
Unlike John Sumser who over the years has carved out his reputation with punditry, education, thought leadership and his opinionated columns, Jason Davis by contrast has established his online reputation in the relative blink of an eye. If John Sumser’s leadership status has been lubricated with blood, sweat and tears, then Jason Davis’ seemed to float to the top on milk and honey.
One being envious of the other’s source of attraction, and seeing their works as complimentary for the space, John Sumser and Jason Davis have developed an easy mutual admiration which may seem odd given their seemingly extreme differences in outlook, focus and subject matter.
With interbiznet cast in the image of John Sumser and Recruiting.com in that of its founding trio, Jason Davis, Anthony Meaney and the Canadian Headhunter, these two online destinations for recruiters were then — as they are today — horses of a different color. So much so that Recruiting.com often appeared more of an ass — now dog-meat of course – the taste of this chow leaving a bad taste in even Jason Goldberg’s mouth.
Jason Davis has done more to advance the agenda for recruiting blogs and the role of bloggers in our business than anyone in recent years. He has inspired, enabled and materially supported many – including me, when I got started – without the expectation of anything in return. Like John Sumser in this respect, Jason Davis demonstrates how networks are built by what you give to them, not what you take from them in anticipation of a payback.
What John Sumser brings to the game with intellect and experience, Jason Davis brings with disarming allure and good old-fashioned chutzpah. He is astute enough to continue trading in the commodities of his secondary market, buying and selling domain names. His acquisition of the domain “Recruiting.com” was not only a smart investment, it was the not-so-secret ingredient that turbo-charged the blog’s search engine optimization. Of course, his primary market — another ingredient for his success at Recruiting.com — remained recruiting from which he and the others drew much of their subject matter and empirical inspiration.
And, as citizens of the Abundant Universe often are, Jason Davis was empowered with a growing charisma, attracting recruiting bloggers to come to him and Recruiting.com. The more he gave, the more he received.
But charisma does not always translate into great, even mediocre, leadership in business or the network economy. And when you are acquired by the likes of Jobster led by a personality that appears to be the antithesis of yours – Jason Goldberg doesn’t appear to be a very nice person in the slightest bit — where is there for a dreamer to go? Bye-bye?
Jason Davis recently said that he was not surprised that Jason Goldberg invited John Sumser to take over, after he too had left the building but that he was surprised that John Sumser accepted.
Hmmm…I rest my case.
Next in the spotlight, Jason Goldberg: The Disruptor
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Comments (15)
Comment by Recruiting Animal, April 16, 2007 at 1:00 pm
1. Amitai, St Jimmy Durbin was not an owner but an essential ingredient of Recruiting.com from June 2005 to the Jobster acquisition.
2. Is it true that Don JGo isn’t nice? I’ve read Cheezhead too but hesitate to swallow the worst claims whole without obvious proof.
3. Are you saying that JayDee had to leave because he is a dreamer and Don JGo isn’t? JGo dreamed up Jobster and got a lot of other people to buy into that dream. So, this thesis is wrong.
Or are you simply saying that JayDee’s departure is due to the fact that he’s a nice guy and his boss isn’t? That’s not the reason either. I would be surprised if Don JGo ever threatened to harm Jay-Dee or even verbally abused him.
4. The Marketing Headhunter might disagree with me but I don’t believe that the URL is what made Recruiting.com a hit with Google.
Because I don’t think recruiting is a very popular search term. When job hunters do searches, do they search “recruiting”? And how many recruiters search “recruiting”
The URL “Recruiting.com” made the blog more sellable, yes. If it was called “schmaltzherring.com” (as I wanted) it might have been equally popular but the URL would probably not been as marketable.
PS: It took guts for JayDee to buy the URL because it was not cheap.
You know I’m a fan of yours but this posting was hard (for me) to understand.
Comment by Amitai Givertz, April 16, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Animal, quickly to your points:
1. Thanks for pointing out my oversight. I also omitted to mention all the other good things that were directly or indirectly spawned of Recruiting.com like Jimmy’s newsletter, Post of the Week, Blog Swap, Charity Poker — albeit to John Sumser’s chagrin – Best Blog Awards, RecruitingFly, Chimby – I guess the list could go on.
2. I can’t say whether Jason Goldberg is nice or not. I’m not his Mother. I did say, he doesn’t appear to be a very nice person which I stand by.
As the underlying purpose in this series is to explore Recruiting.com in the halo of “content, community, transparency, social media, corporate social responsibility, thought-leadership, online persona and personal branding” — what with John Sumser assuming the hot seat and all — appearances matter more here than at the kitchen table. See my next post.
3. No and no. And no to the suggestion of any threats being made. I think Jason Davis would not respond well to having a gun held to his head – if you know what I mean
- even though clearly he was “under contract.”
4. “The Marketing Headhunter might disagree with me but I don’t believe that the URL is what made Recruiting.com a hit with Google.” Nor do I. I said it turbo-charged the blog’s search engine optimization. I should have been more explicit and explained that this was one of things that made the URL attractive to Jobster which you do. Thanks.
That said, I’m not an expert. Anyone who is, is welcome to comment.
To your comment – “It took guts for JayDee to buy the URL because it was not cheap.” Yes, it also took money. He had it – or access to it – which talks to the value of keeping your primary and secondary businesses properly prioritized. Guts are great when your digesting your own dog food.
I’m sure I omitted a lot of facts and confused a lot of mythology. Sorry. Thanks for your input.
Comment by Recruiting Animal, April 16, 2007 at 4:30 pm
Ami G, I mentioned Jimmy because although he was not an owner-manager of Recruiting.com he was a big part of the original mix and deserves to be acknowledged as such.
I wasn’t aware that RecruitingFly and Chimby were the spawn of Recruiting.com. And mentioning St Jim doesn’t require the mention of every gimmick we tried to make the blog interesting and fun.
A mother is the last person to know if her son is nice or not. My mother thinks I’m nice and nothing I do could ever change that. I’m sure the same is true in the Don JGo family.
PS: if you had to restate the main idea of your posting in one line what would you say?
Comment by Amitai Givertz, April 16, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Animal:
RecruitingFly and Chimby: You deal in facts, I’ll deal in impressions. Between the two of us, does it really matter?
One line summation, that’s not me, but we’ll give it a shot:
Samual Johnson: Idler #7 (May 27, 1758)
Just for you — and by way of contrast — in 30 seconds or less…
Comment by Recruiting Animal, April 16, 2007 at 9:49 pm
Johnson has a nice turn of phrase but of course he’s wrong. Money attracts copycats who don’t have talent or a love of the product so they produce degraded, forumulaic versions of the original. But, The Beatles inspired many great bands who tried to follow in their footsteps, no? Just as Elvis and others inspired them.
Cut rate computers might not be as good as the best. But do they lead to depravation meaning lack of temperance. Perhaps if they are too cheap you’ll buy a dozen computers. Is that it? And negligence? What does that mean? By whom, the buyer or the seller?
And how does this relate to blogs? Are copycats of the original Rdc bound to offer debased versions of it?
Please, you’re going to have to speak clearly.
Comment by Amitai Givertz, April 16, 2007 at 10:43 pm
Animal:
“Johnson has a nice turn of phrase but of course he’s wrong.” Well, excuse me. No point going any further then is there?
Sheesh…
I’m glad I thought to include a link to the Milkybar Kid vid., a favorite of mine since boyhood. Like Jason, the Milkybar Kid was a sharp shooting lady-killer, a deft dealer at the poker table and - best of all - generous with his dishing out the candy. Get it? Or is it possible that a nerdy blond-boy is wrong too?
Comment by Jason Davis, April 17, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Thanks Ami for the kind words. I never really understand completely what it is that you say but I think it was a compliment. Anyways, thanks again and I am going to see if I can learn some valuable lessons here at the ERE show. It’s always fun seeing friends
Comment by Dave Mendoza, April 18, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Jason Davis is that rare breed of individual: an entrepreneur, a dreamer capable to put an idea into action and monetize it successfully while simultaneously creating a community that evolves into strong relationships. He does all of this without compromising his sense of self, his convictions, and he does so with the ability to ensure the confidence of those who know him that he always has the best motives and that all will succeed as planned. Of the things I take pride in, I count Jason Davis’s friendship as one of them. It is an honor to call him my buddy. He is that person in which you have complete trust and who inspires loyalty by the sheer goodness of his heart. We all wish him well on his next enterprise.
Comment by laurence haughton, April 19, 2007 at 12:07 pm
“A mother is the last person to know if her son is nice or not”
Dear Animal,
My mother often noticed when I wasn’t being nice. In fact I remember being told more than once, “Your attitude stinks.” (I ignored her… typical of my bad attitude). Am I the only one?
Comment by Heather Bussing, April 19, 2007 at 12:50 pm
As a reader and observer of the recruiting blogoworld, a writer, and photographer, I would like to tell Jason Davis:
Your writing is spare, thoughtful, and always clear. Your site is well designed. And your use of photography and graphics as a substantive and engaging part of your posts is absolutely the best around.
I have only met Jason once briefly at a conference. But I also think he is smart, caring and well, nice. I also think that beyond the exeterior is a deep and passionate person who is absolutely comfortable not having to know everything and not having opinions and judgments all the time. And that is a rare jewel in what is often a pile of gravel.
Comment by Amitai Givertz, April 19, 2007 at 1:49 pm
Heather, thanks for your joining the conversation.
“And that [Jason] is a rare jewel in what is often a pile of gravel.” How sad is that, that there are so few gems?
Comment by Heather Bussing, April 19, 2007 at 3:56 pm
In addition to the things I listed in my comment, I am, quelle horror, an employment attorney. I also teach research and writing to law students. I was introduced to blogging and the recruiting world by John Sumser, who is a friend.
I’ve been watching the recruiting.com, cheezhead and workfarce fireworks. I wanted to give Jason my impression as an outside observer and I wanted to do it on your site because I am also a big fan of your writing, insight and thoughtfulness. You are a different, but also sparkling jewel. And we writers almost never hear when our writing is good. Yours is wonderful!
Comment by Recruiting Animal, May 4, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Laurence, diversity might be a factor.