Ever found yourself bursting with ideas for apps, websites, and services, only to watch them gather dust on your mental shelf? If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. I, too, have a penchant for dreaming up digital wonders but often fall short on the execution front. Sometimes I scribble a bit of code, other times I snag a domain name, but mostly, life happens, and my ideas remain just that—ideas.

As someone who spent nearly two decades in higher education, from 1998 to 2016, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright amazing. I met incredible colleagues, made lifelong friends, and learned more than I could have ever imagined. Yet, after a brief stint in the private sector, I realized my heart was still in higher ed, even as I plunged into running my digital agency, Gas Mark 8.

The Higher Ed Exodus: A Brain Drain Dilemma

Over the past six years, I’ve watched in dismay as talented individuals left higher education. The pandemic only accelerated this exodus. “It’s like watching a brain drain in slow motion,” I often joke, although it’s no laughing matter. The reasons are varied—ranging from pay issues to the allure of remote work—and it’s left a noticeable void. Higher ed is important, and as my kids navigate college, I see firsthand how critical it is for their future.

The Birth of a Job Search Tool

Back in 2013 or 2014, I cobbled together a rudimentary job search site, linking to HR pages of local colleges and universities in Cleveland. It was more of a personal project, and let’s just say it wouldn’t win any design awards. But the idea of creating something more substantial lingered in my mind, much like a catchy tune you can’t shake off.

Fast forward to a few months ago, I stumbled upon that old site buried in my digital archives. “Eureka!” I exclaimed, like Archimedes in his bathtub. In a mere 15 minutes, I had a WordPress dev site up, thanks to the tools we use at Gas Mark 8. My alma mater, JCU, was my first test subject, and lo and behold, their RSS feed worked like a charm.

Introducing CollegeAndUniversity.careers

After weeks of designing, tweaking, and the occasional “aha” moment, I’m thrilled to introduce CollegeAndUniversity.careers. Finding a good domain name these days is like searching for a needle in a haystack, but we managed.

With over 7,700 jobs from about 90 schools, the site updates daily, adding new opportunities and removing expired ones. We’ve integrated cool search features, and while job alerts are on the horizon, there’s already plenty to explore. And yes, the site’s logo features an octopus—because why not? With eight legs, it ties back to our agency’s name, Gas Mark 8. Meet Tako, our charming mascot!

From Code to Community

The site is built on WordPress, leveraging Elementor and WP All Import Pro to fetch jobs. I even dabbled in PHP to scrape sites lacking feeds—it’s a work in progress. Hosted on Cloudways, where we’re Gold Agency Partners, the platform is as reliable as they come.

I’m sharing this adventure here because I know some of you still subscribe to this blog. If you work in higher ed or know someone who does, I’d love your feedback. Help us make this the go-to tool for job seekers in academia.

If you have a moment, check out the site. Share it with someone in need of a career boost. If even one person finds their dream job through it, all the effort will have been worth it. And for me, finally bringing one of my ideas to life feels like a victory in itself.

Thanks for reading!

The post I decided to build a job search site appeared first on HighEdWebTech.

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