Business.com hiring SEO Manager
Business.com has posted a position for SEO Manager in their company.
Could this be related to the separate threads regarding how they nofollow some links in their directory?
You decide.
I think it's a very good idea all around, though. Increasingly, companies have awakened to the benefit of having SEO/SEM experts on staff. (You can see loads of related job descriptions on Monster.com, for instance.) However, most companies still don't take these roles quite as seriously as they should. They don't recognize that these are still relatively unique specializations, and therefor seasoned individuals who know the business come at a premium. Lots of firms seem to treat these as near-entry-level jobs, according to experience requirements and compensation levels mentioned.
As one of the sell-outs...
I find that Monster list pretty interesting. Three of the heavy hitters on there are direct competitors to us and I would tell you that a strong SEO consultant in our world can make the lateral move into the corporate world at deep six figures + equity. Nowhere near entry level compensation structures. It's a great time to jump in there and try to define the Corporate SEO role of the future.
Judging by Business.com's responses here, I'd be veeeery leary about working in that organization. I just don't think they "get it".
Everyone and Their Momma Wants To Hire an SEO These Days But...
most don't "get it". As someone who recently went Corporate, I gotta say, it wasn't difficult finding a job. The difficult part was finding a company that "got it". Listings where they would want the SEO to do SEO, PPC, Metrics & Analytics and pay them under $100K a year got a "Are you out of your mind?" response from me. Because they obviously didn't get the amount of work involved. And I thought, the person who takes that position must really be a masochist... or so new to SEO that they don't "get it".
Abakus...
due a credit for this?
I have been offered several positions
After being on my own for the last eight years, I would find it difficult to work for someone else especially a large corporation.
I was in the corporate world for 15 years and it would take a significant figure with excellent benifits for me to even consider returning to it.
How much would you auction off your freedom for?
I second that Minnapple
I hear what you are saying Minnaple. While it's certainly more work running your own business, at the end of the day you are making money for yourself - instead of for someone else.
The thing that gets me about companies hiring SEO people: If the SEO people were really good, why wouldn't they just go start some sites that do well in the engines, and make money for themselves?
It's like the classic argument about teachers who teach because they can't do anything else.
You can be good at SEO while
You can be good at SEO while being shitty at being self driven or unfocused or lack the discipline to run a business, etc. Some people also need more social contact than the flying solo lifestyle brings. etc....
I can think of one or two
I can think of one or two genuinely great SEOs who've gone corporate for various reasons. There's plenty of crap ones working for themselves too
Good SEO's going corporate
Why not take the cush corporate gig with the big paycheck and build your own sites at night or on the weekend? Best of both worlds.
Personally, I couldn't pass up a very interesting opportunity to bring SEO to the much larger media world. At some point, SEO Consulting gets mundane and you start engaging projects that interest you or challenge you at a scale no single proprietor could compete on. I've also been surrounded with some of the brightest stars in other aspects of marketing.
I haven't regretted it once.
that's some boring ass shiite
Some people are "helpers"... they actually get fulfillment from helping others. Those SEOs can be very good and still want to work for others. Some need constant external validation, while others need to know they used their magical powers to help someone otherwise less gifted. To each.
Work alone and who will do the boring grunt work? You need to hire juniors or outsource, or commit yourself to clerical hours and find a way to cover the fact that you're doing $10/hr work. Client staff rarely does the work well (athough once in a while...). IMHO Juniors are cost centers, now or eventually when they need to advance. Maybe I just want them to advance. Outsourcing is another market to play in if you don't want it to become a cost center as well. Business ownership is a very different career than self-employment.
I like to consult, while I SEO for my own businesses. As a consultant, I commit X00% to the client's goals, which includes addressing everything that gets in the way of those goals. One day it's a competitor, the next day it's a host or a server issue, or a sudden change in the way the boss views search. Often it's a seasoned employee erecting fences. All cool projects. All directly related to SEO. It's best when there is a good SEO person already involved, because you both understand the need for spreading the SEO persepctive around to all the facets of the project, and that no single person (especially one branded as an SEO) can get that done. Everyone relates to different people differently. There's always a need for more of that.