The return of recruitment advertising
Once the backbone of newspaper revenue, recruitment advertising has quietly resurfaced as a critical vertical for local media companies looking to diversify income streams. For publishers like The Advocate and Ogden Newspapers, modernizing that vertical didn’t mean reinventing the wheel—it meant finding the right partner. In a recent E&P Magazine Sponsored Webinar, executives from both companies shared how Jobcase helped them reclaim recruitment dollars by turning outdated job boards into profitable, full-service platforms.
“This isn’t just about a job board,” said Rachel Scudder, senior partnerships manager at Jobcase. “It’s about media companies becoming one-stop shops again—for employers and for job seekers.”
Rebuilding local revenue through smart job platforms
Jobcase offers a white-labeled recruitment solution designed specifically for local publishers. Its platform integrates seamlessly with news websites, fills job boards with relevant listings, and gives sales teams tools to win back market share from national job aggregators. “We make sure the job boards are never empty,” Scudder explained. “Even if a local employer hasn’t posted, the job seeker still finds relevant listings through our backfill.”And for recruiters, the offering is equally robust. “We distribute postings with real budget behind them—targeted for performance, not just uploaded as a free listing,” said Kat Haddad, senior training and account manager. “It’s all done behind the scenes, so the local sales rep can offer an agency-quality service.”
How The Advocate streamlined operations and drove profits
Joy Newman, classified, obituaries and public notices director for The Advocate, manages recruitment across Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans, and Shreveport. Before partnering with Jobcase, the company’s workflow was fragmented. “Now, it’s streamlined. Every print job ad gets a digital upgrade with reach into LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor—you name it,” she said.
Their branded job board offers tiered self-serve packages, but it also drives inbound calls from employers seeking hands-on help. “We have a great team that takes the call, finds out what the employer really needs, and then builds a targeted campaign,” Newman explained. “It’s full service—but also completely manageable.”
And it’s profitable. “There hasn’t been a single month we didn’t come out ahead,” she noted. “We track everything through the partner portal—our cost, our markup, our margin. It’s all visible
Ogden Newspapers finds a scalable, seller-friendly model
For Lori Figurski, regional director of advertising at Ogden Newspapers, the key to success was moving from a vendor relationship to a true partnership. “Before Jobcase, our portal didn’t work half the time and customers weren’t seeing results,” she said. “Since the switch, we’ve had smooth onboarding, custom-built job boards, and full marketing collateral—all handed to us ready to go.”
Ogden operates across more than 115 publications, both dailies and weeklies. “We’re able to scale this because Jobcase supports us with everything—design, scripts, backend tools, and even incentive programs for our reps,” Figurski said. “They made it very easy.”
Figurski emphasized that onboarding was not rushed. “We did eight weeks of training, plus office hours and sales scripting. That made the difference. From a church looking for an organist to a business hiring a CEO, we have the right package ready.”
From small markets to big wins
Despite the growing complexity of online recruitment, small-market newspapers are seeing real traction. Scudder noted, “Some of our highest-performing partners are rural—places like Decorah, Iowa. Fewer competitors. Tighter community trust. It works.”
Blinder echoed the opportunity. “If I were a rural publisher, I’d be all over this. These companies—manufacturers, regional healthcare providers—need talent beyond their town. You can be the one to help them find it.”
For Joy Newman, that’s already happening. “In New Orleans, we’ve got hospitals with hundreds of open jobs. Having a rep dedicated to that region—someone who can show up face to face—makes all the difference.”
White-glove onboarding, training, and support
A key reason both The Advocate and Ogden are succeeding is the hands-on support Jobcase provides during setup and beyond.
“They give you a buffet of resources,” Blinder said. “Copy for the pages, promotional templates, explainer videos—it’s all branded to you. And when I wanted to add RSS feeds or change layouts, their team made it happen fast.”
Newman agreed. “They just have their act together. We made changes post-launch and they handled it seamlessly. We even re-ordered our pricing packages based on performance insights.”
As for the technical lift? “We’ve launched boards in under two weeks when assets come in fast,” Scudder said. “We start with a call to understand your market, structure, and team, and go from there. Every setup is tailored.”
Final thoughts: a partnership, not just a product
As the conversation wrapped, both Newman and Figurski made it clear that Jobcase’s value extends far beyond the software.
“If you want a solution that’s simple, seamless, and backed by a team that truly cares about your success, you need to talk to Jobcase,” Newman said. “They respond immediately, they think ahead, and they help you help your clients.”
Figurski added, “If you’re on the fence, reach out. Call me. I’ll tell you exactly how they helped Ogden scale this across dozens of markets. They’re that good.”
And with no setup fees and no contract lock-ins, Jobcase has built a model where mutual success is the only path forward.
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