For Nantes-based Doyoubuzz, the days of the Microsoft Word-based resumes are numbered. So what better to do than set-up shop in San Francisco in hopes of conquering the US web 2.0 generation with its online resume service and personal branding platform?
Founded in 2008, the company currently counts roughly 45,000 resumes – primarily in the 20-35 age-range. The “MySpace of professional resumes” is a Netvibes-like widget-based platform, allowing users to create personalized resumes online. But while the service obviously resembles that of Linkedin or Viadeo (who also recently launched in the US), Doyoubuzz oddly sees itself in competition with the traditional, word-processed resume format. OK, sure, when you can add rich content and multimedia to your Doyoubuzz profile, I guess it doesn’t really resemble the one-size-fits-all standard profiles of online professional networks. Plus, users can actually export their Viadeo profiles onto Doyoubuzz to avoid having to regenerate the same content. Practical.
The site’s Freemium model also offers additional services – like more personalization features for people who may have a common name, translation and a hosted URL – for €30 per year. While roughly 5% of its user base is using paid features, it’s still perhaps not the best idea to base the business model on financing from the unemployed or job-seeking community. Which is why the company is also following in Linkedin and Viadeo’s footsteps, hoping to become a resume database and leading search engine for recruiters. With an average increase of 5,000 resumes per month, seems things are heading in the right direction.
With the opening of the new San Francisco office, the compan is also planning to close a second round of funding before the end of the year. A first round was raised last June with France-based business angels.
Ok, it may seem a little redundant to have yet another profile online. But for the more creative professions – where a portfolio is what counts – being able to add content to an online resume may actually make a huge difference. Still, can Doyoubuzz really take the place of word-processed resumes? Highly unlikely; that would require changing recruitment practices altogether. Nonetheless, for those whose web presence is of high importance, this may be a simple and practical way of complementing a standard, word-processed resume with a more personalized touch.