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Job posting on our new FWD:labs Job Board

There’s something wrong about the job boards for filmmakers online. Craigslist is fraught with ambiguity, about the job and the job poster. Mandy is walled with sign-ups and fixed resumes. Production Notices is also gated with a fee and reminds me of an free-for-all auction block. The job search at large is insulated between individuals and desperately needs some fresh air.

Introducing, our new Job Board.

I wanted something better — both for myself and for the FWD:labs collective at large. I value jobs that pay a rate, even if it’s low. I appreciate listings that explain the project and the qualifications they’re specifically seeking. As an applicant, I enjoy not having to login, unless I want to save a step (e.g. pre-filled info plus my resume attached). As a job poster, I appreciate responses coming in with organized subject lines, plus a backup “receipt” online so I can sort and share the best applicants. I also use RSS feeds from keyword queries on Craigslist and Mandy, so I built a feed for FWD:labs Jobs that also ping Twitter (@fwdjobs).

Back-end for job posters and applicants at FWDlabs.com

Launching this new feature has saved me time and effort already ten fold. With a recent casting opportunity, I had an applicant seemingly every ten minutes for the two days that I wanted the listing live, thanks to cross-promoting on Craigslist, Facebook and Twitter. On Craigslist, the post clearly said all of the same information, plus the link where to apply, which is one of the best features here with our job board. (Anyone who couldn’t read a simple direction wasn’t for me.) I soon heard from an amazing applicant, contacted her, and that gig was soon done with flying colors.

With an editing gig, the job posting was sent around through my network to another via Facebook, where I quickly had an applicant ready to go. In an industry where a personal rolodex and crew referrals are standard, I appreciated having more options after a couple minutes of effort.

The board is still a work-in-progress. But I’m glad to provide and use a process that cures a pain of job searching online, while helping job providers and job applicants both look good.