Pipeline is a niche job board focusing on matching sales professionals with technology companies and startups. Unlike other passive databases, but similar to a thorough dating service, Pipeline tries to match the right people using a “proprietary algorithm” designed to generate a best fit.
As a candidate, you can search and be recommended jobs based on a number of different criteria. If you find a position that gives you butterflies, you can hit the “show interest” button (yes, now job-search is getting Tinder-fied). This will send an inquiry to the employer and the conversation between the candidate and employer can begin – assuming the employer is just as interested. In this way, the initial interaction is still relevant but much less formal.
The functionality of Pipeline is very much an MVP, but the team has done well in keeping the focus on building a niche tool for tech sales professionals. At the moment, there were roughly 150 candidates, and 330 job openings – great odds if you are job seeking; less desirable if you’re an employer. The existing candidates and open positions however, are quite specific and pretty high profile so if that kind of standard can be maintained, growth is inevitable.
In fact, they’ve labelled themselves as a kind of “Match.com”, but the kind of niche focus they have, a better comparison may just ‘elite’ dating network, The League.
There are some key features lacking from Pipeline at the moment, like stock candidate questions specifically relevant to sales processes. Also not currently built in are any industry-specific resources.
It has been demonstrated before that using niche job boards when hiring or searching can be an effective compliment to a broader volume-first strategy. Whether an employee or employer, you probably have a better chance of standing out on a niche job board than you would on the large, generic boards. The cliché but respectable motto is quality over quantity.
Of course, niche job boards shouldn’t be your only tool in your tool-belt. Just the same as you shouldn’t solely rely on a Gluten-Free or Trekkie-only dating site to meet your soul mate. But between the laser focus and the Match-esque recommendation intelligence, Pipeline could turn out to be a pretty efficient tool for making love corporate love connections.
