Job Search in the UK and Europe - JobDreamz

[JobDreamz]

Missed the point about the html alternative. Is there a reason why you use the lightbox as opposed to the 'traditional method'?

Well apart from the functional advantages mentioned earlier, I think it just looks nicer (a matter of taste of course) and separates the content from the rest of the page.

The page titles really are so important - I can't strees this enough. When I click on 'manager' in the tag cloud the target page title is: 'Job dreamz - Job search'.

Much better would be: 'Job vacanices for managers'.

And for a location search: 'Job vacanices for managers in London'.

For the actual job itself: 'Vacancy for a xyz manager in locastion with abc'

Hope you can see the difference.

I am aware of the importance of page titles. The html alternative for each job does already show the job title in the page title, so again the bots will index this. As for the search results pages, I agree this could be better and will have a look at implementing your suggestion (can't believe I missed this).

Incidentally. I tested the site in accesbility mode and the 'view' link doesn't work.

What happens exactly? If your accessibility mode disables javascript, then the link will fall back to its original html value, which is the html page for the ad. Works for me.

Using the back button - I agree that I have to click either the 'close' on the lightbox or the back button. But if you use the HTML version I don't have to scroll down. If I'm scanning through lots of jobs I can tell in an instant if it's right for me. If it's not I have to scroll down and close the window. Maybe only a tiny thing but it can get very frustrating. Put close at the top of the ligth box as well and the problem is solved.

I used to have a link at the top too but it interfered with the design when an ad has the company banner logo across the top. I will look at putting this back in somewhere or opt for the other track which is to allow any click outside the box to close it.

Except: it's definately green and black.

The site is designed on my main pc with an adobe calibrated monitor and I can assure you its dark grey and blue. Maybe you need your screen calibrating

G

[fisicx]

Using Opera in accesibility mode the 'view' link is:

<a href="/Shortlist" class="gen">View</a>

Which doesn't go anywhere.

The colours thing may or may not be important but it does highlight the problems when designing a site. Using a different OS, browser, monitors, glasses, lighting can all afftect how someone sees a website.

The other problem is that only using two colours means that visitors cannot tell what's a link and what's not. OK so they can hover but the eye moves faster than the mouse so losing the 'expectation' that people have. This means they use their eyes to decide what to do next and move the mouse in expectation that they will be able to perform an action.

There are hundreds of articles on the use of standard colours for links. I changed one of my sites back to 'standard' blue underlined and visitor actions almost doubled. Worth consideration methinks.

PS: I'm enjoying this interchange of idea. I had my own site reviewed on another forum and got slammed. I thought I knew best but made some of the simple reccomended changes and the results were most impressive. I just sulked for a day or two because I liked my design.

[JobDreamz]

I think the View link you are referring to is the Shortlist View rather than the link I added to each advert (which works okay). The shorlisting is, at the moment, a feature that will only work with javascript enabled which of course is disabled in Accessibility mode. I may look at adding an alternative method for shortlisting for those without javascript enabled but it will unfortunately have to wait until I work through the rest of my wish list.

With regard to links, I am sure the original style blue links will attract more attention and click through. However I think you have to find a balance with your design too. If all links were standard, the web would not be the diverse entity that it is. Also I believe more and more people are developing the skill to 'discover' a page's links by hovering around various text and images. I agree that any crucial links should be obvious but others can be more understated. Having said that, I personally don't like sites where this is taken to the extreme, unless this is the purpose of the site i.e. some promotional or game site where the discovery is part of the fun.

G

[fisicx]

Aha, my mistake. You is of course correct.

But the link from the proper view isn't a valid link. Form this page:

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/manager//6

if I hover over the link is see:

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/mana.../viewjob/1739#

or

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/manager//6#

depending on which browser mode I use. Either way that's not a link an SE can follow.

But back to the colours. I agree that blue underlined is not mandatory but you should at least be consistent. You have:

white on black (no text-decoration)

green on black (sticky pop-up)

green on black (no text-decoration)

green on black (underline on hover)

black on green (underline on hover)

black on white (no text-decoration)

black on white (underline on hover)

But you also use the same colours for normal text - which is why I have to guess what is a link and what's not. The example I gave where you have View | Apply | Shortlist with only the first two being links is confusing.

People won't use your site exclusively, when I applied for my current job I was searching loads of different sites at once. Some of them were not user friendly so I didn't bother with them (even though the job choice was quite good). Each time you make the user stop and think and make them learn new behaivoirs you reduce the stickyness of the site. Read Steve Krug, Don't Make Me Think - it's a read eye opener.

Please don't think I dislike the site, I've been looking to see if there is anything for me, it's just think don't happen the way I expect which, as you say, may be great on an inovative site but for a service driven site like yours doesn't always work.

[JobDreamz]

But the link from the proper view isn't a valid link. Form this page:

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/manager//6

if I hover over the link is see:

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/mana.../viewjob/1739#

or

http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/manager//6#

depending on which browser mode I use. Either way that's not a link an SE can follow.

The link is dynamically changed by the javascript for the pop/lightbox. If you turn off javascript to simulate a bot, you should see that the link will show as http://www.jobddreamz.co.uk/ViewJob/1739 which is valid and can be indexed by the bot. When javascript is on, the url is actually ignored.

Thanks for the book tip, title is familiar actually. Must have read some article referring to it. I shall see if I can pick up a copy.

G

[fisicx]

Strange, I got it to work now. I was looking at the site using a text browser and the link didn't work. But it does now. Spooky.

Remember now what I wanted to say earlier. On this page: http://www.jobdreamz.co.uk/Jobs/manager//6

there are hundreds of errors. Many of them are as you say id rather than class but a lot of them are <a><p>....</p></a> errors. This problably has something to do witrh the page assembler. It should be <p><a>....</a></p>.

Validator Link

[JobDreamz]

Yep, I will have a look at those at some point, nothing show stopping though.

Many thanks for taking the time to give me your input, it is much appreciated.

G