Zappos Insiders
Applicants need to talk to current employees on the Zappos Insiders website to “build a connection”. According to Maichael Bailen, Zappos’ head of ‘talent acquisition’, the standard procedure is “too transactional” and he has told The Wall Street Journal that “we spam them, they spam us back.[…] We’re hoping a lot of other companies jump on board [with this type of program].”
On a yearly basis, some 31,000 applicants respond to a job opening at the American retail chain, but they will now all be diverted to the social network and special recruiters will select the best applicants based on talks. These applicants will then get jobs at the company.
The network gives applicants an extensive overview of each and every department within the company structure. Applicants have to create a profile, fill in the required information about portfolios and qualities and can then talk to a recruiter or upload a video message.
Holacracy system
Zappos started its internal company restructuring in January 2014 based on the holacracy system, which meant that employees no longer had titles and that all employees were equal. The company hopes to increase productivity and also hopes to finish its restructuring program by the end of the year.
