2021 Update - Pivoting Macs List Job Board In The Time Of COVID-19 [Podcast]

Podcast #212 – Listen to How Mac Prichard Pivoted Mac’s List in July and Get an Update on His Progress

Description:

Mac’s List is a Pacific Northwest job board driven by a simple idea: the hiring process should be more human. When we break down the barriers between employers and job seekers, everybody wins.

As the top career resource for Passionate Professionals in Oregon, and Washington, we focus on sharing high-quality job listings and actionable resources that help people find and land the jobs they deserve.

Mac Prichard is the Founder and Publisher of Mac’s List, where he writes regularly about job hunting, leads classes on job search skills, and hosts the Find Your Dream Job podcast. Mac also owns and operates Prichard Communications, a public relations agency that serves non-profits, public agencies, and foundations across the United States. When he’s not hard at work, Mac can be found watching classic movies, snapping photos during his travels, or walking around Ladd’s Addition with his wife Kris and Weimaraner Kai.

This episode is sponsored by Career Pivot. Check out the Career Pivot Community. Make sure and pick up my latest book, Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for the 2nd Half of Life Third Edition.

Now on to the podcast…

What is Mac’s List?

Mac runs a business call Macslist.org based in Portland Oregon, and they sell job listings.

It started out with Mac just sending out job listings to his list as a free service. This was turned into a business about 10 years ago. What makes Mac’s List special is all they do to help job seekers find jobs and employers make better hires. They want to make hiring more human.

Keeping Mac’s List Afloat

Since the pandemic began business is down 80%, which is up from the original 65%.

Mac’s first step was to get as much government money as possible. This included getting a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program. He was also able to get some small grants from the small business administration. He was fortunate that the business checked off all of the boxes.

The next step was to control expenses. He was able to renegotiate his office lease and went from having 2000 sq. ft. of office space to 200 sq. ft and transition all of his employees to work remotely. Only Mac goes into the office. Even though Mac’s staff is working 3 days a week he has not cut back on marketing.

The state of Oregon has a program called, Work Share Oregon which allows employers with 3 or more employees to furlough employees 1-2 days a week while still receiving full benefits.

Trends that Mac is Seeing

Employers are still hiring. Mac’s List has gone from 225 listings to 75. New listings are still coming in.

Almost half of the listings are from non-profits. What has changed is things have slowed down. Employers are not in a hurry anymore.

Everything in the hiring process has become virtual.

The pandemic is teaching us that it is possible to work remotely but it requires a lot of effort.

What is the Future for Mac’s List?

Mac is enthusiastic about the future as there will be a need for specialty job boards like Macslist.org.

Mac works more than the 3 days he is paid for. He puts in a full 40 hours.

Mac’s List is now virtual and that will not change when the pandemic is over. He is looking at diversifying revenue streams by leveraging affiliate marketing.

Mac has learned to make decisions faster. He is looking at all of the business processes. His company is only as good as his people. Mac’s people are his best assets and he wants to retain them.

Followup Interview

The bottom of revenue was in May by the end of the year, revenue from ads was down 39%. His staff was furloughed for 2 days a week, which means they received about half of their salary in unemployment pay.

He was able to bring his staff back just before Christmas. He did have one employee leave in August and he wished her well.

He has seen growth in ads since June. This included non-profit, government and technology. It has not been the growth he saw in 2019. His audience is very educated.

He always sees a bump in ad revenue in January. He thinks the long-term trends to be promising.

Mac did not replace the person who left and replaced them with 2 part-time employees. One person was in Portland and the other person lives in Seattle. Both employees were hired through referrals. One person had done work for Mac’s List in the past. The second person who came through a referral.

Mac continues to be optimistic. He thinks the worst is behind them.

Mac had thought about renegotiating his lease the previous year but it did not seem possible.

Connect with Mac on LinkedIn and say you found Mac on this podcast, make sure to include a note.

Check out the Find Your Dream Job podcast.

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Marc Miller

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