• by Shankar Gupta , July 29, 2005

They say in New York you're always looking for an apartment, a date, or a job. If you're looking for that last commodity - no matter where you live - TalentZoo.com can help.

TalentZoo.com, the Web site of an Atlanta-based recruiting firm, provides a clearinghouse of information for job-seekers and employees. The site's main feature is a searchable job board, which has national listings in the advertising, broadcasting, marketing, and public relations fields, with over 400 listings at press time. Job-seekers can post resumes and use the board for free.

The site also features original content - columns by ad industry executives, letters to the "ADvisor," a sort of Ann Landers for job- seekers, and a daily news roundup. There's also a salary comparison tool that enables you to enter your field and job title and gives you low, median, and high estimates for the job's salary.

For employers, the site offers such services as reference checks, access to a resume database, a directory of entry-level job-seekers, and recruitment aids - each for a fee - and available individually or in a customized package. TalentZoo's forums enable job-seekers and job-holders to get advice and chat about the industry in general. Novice job- hunters can submit their cover letters for comments, and industry veterans can submit their portfolios for critiques and jaw about office politics. The forums are active enough that once you get a job, you can still waste some time at work checking out what posters have to say.