Launched in January 2008, U.S. website NotchUp.com is a new breed of job board. Its creators, Jim Ambras and Rob Ellis, two former human resource managers from California, have created a headhunter site. To do this, they had the idea of basing interviews on an auction system: employers determine the price they would be willing to pay to meet an exceptional candidate. Candidates, for their part, specify how much they want to be paid to pass an interview. And no, it’s not a salary, just a payment for the interviewing privilege itself.
An online tool allows candidates to set how much they want to be paid to be interviewed. The calculation is based on experience, education, field of employment and current salary. Rates vary between US$200 and 1,500 per interview. According to NotchUp.com founders, some talents are so popular with headhunters that it is necessary to pay just to meet with them. With the appeal of money, candidates will probably soon go for the concept; what remains to be seen is whether companies are ready to shell out for a simple interview.