GIA's Job Search Engine Gets a Makeover
Free online database connects recruiters and job seekers

By Jaime Kautsky

Dani Oliver, GIA Career Services manager, reviews the revised search engine with student Cissy Lau. Oliver says the improvements are a "huge benefit" to recruiters and job seekers. Photo by Jaime Kautsky/GIA

Trouble is, career-based Web sites often come with fees, advertisements and an unpredictable mix of employers and employees who might not have the qualifications the other is looking for.

Enter GIA's job search engine, the largest online employment database in the gem and jewelry industry.

The free resource has been available through GIA's Web site since 2002, but underwent a major overhaul in May. The search engine is a popular destination on the Institute's Web site, and is often the most visited spot after the home page.

The new site was modeled after popular online job search engines, then tailored to the gem and jewelry industry. Improvements include an easier to navigate, international job database and more detailed filters that can locate the right position from among the several hundred that are available every day.

"Employers have different job titles for similar positions," says Dani Oliver, G.G., manager of GIA Career Services. "We want them to use a title they like, but also want to ensure job seekers get the right information, so we created a separate section to search by job category. If you're looking for a bench jeweler position, for example, the search engine can bring up all the appropriate fits – regardless of the title."

Oliver says the job listings are updated daily by Career Services staff and that, on average, there are more than 400 jobs in the database. Listings include permanent, temporary, full-time and part-time positions, and range from sales and wholesale representatives to bench jewelers, marketers and upper-level management.

Recruiters are diverse, and they're global – De Beers LV, Tiffany & Co. and Robbins Bros. regularly utilize the site, as do independent stores and Internet-based companies.

"When I first speak with recruiters, they're often surprised that this is a free service to them, and that their postings stay up for three months. That's an unusual benefit," she says. "They're also interested to learn that our job seekers range from entry-level to seasoned professionals. Many of our Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler students actually arrive at GIA with a strong background in the industry, and our experienced alumni also take advantage of this service."

Oliver expects to unveil more updates to the search engine in the coming months, and says GIA wants to keep improving the service.

"These changes are a solid step forward for us," she says. "They'll be a huge benefit to everyone involved."

What recruiters need to know:

• It's free.
• Job postings stay up for 90 days. They can stay up for a longer or shorter time, upon request.
• Job seekers range from entry-level to seasoned professionals.
• The online search engine is the largest in the gem and jewelry industry, and is often the most-visited destination on GIA's Web site.
• Recruiters can post permanent, temporary, trade show, internship and contract positions.

What job seekers need to know:

• Jobs are available for all levels of experience.
• New jobs are added on a daily basis.
• There are hundreds of job listings available at any time.
• The majority of employers are seeking GIA graduates, but anyone is welcome to view the job postings.
• Job listings are from around the United States and abroad.