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Why can't we open source the recruiting process, too?

Why is it so hard to find good people, or a good deal? Perhaps the answer is in search or, rather, in finding.

Matt Asay Contributing Writer
Matt Asay is a veteran technology columnist who has written for CNET, ReadWrite, and other tech media. Asay has also held a variety of executive roles with leading mobile and big data software companies.
Matt Asay

Alfresco is hiring for a few positions here in the United States (Enterprise and mid-market sales executives, plus a consultant), and I'm always surprised by how much work it is to find good people for good jobs. We're doing extraordinarily well - people should be beating down the doors to work here.

Or take Ringside Networks. Shaun Connolly and I exchanged emails today about its search for a vice president of Business Development. Cool company with a great team. Why wouldn't people be beating a path to the Ringside door, so that Ringside wouldn't have to waste time hunting for good people?

And yet it requires a ton of work to find and hire good people.

Why? Presumably there is a wide range of people out there looking for good work. Why isn't a simple job posting enough to find them?

It's not hugely different from any consumer purchase. There are things that I want. Why can't I just post what I want and let technology lead buyers to me? Truly, search is in its infancy, both in e-commerce and in recruitment. But perhaps we should stop calling it "search" and focus on the "find" aspect of the equation...?

After all, I don't want to search. I want to find. Who will help me find?