Affinity Circles Launches inCircle Recruiting, a Candidate Sourcing Tool That Taps Exclusive Social Networks to Recruit Talent “Winning the War for Talent” White Paper Now Available Free from Affinity Circles

Juniper Networks, Lam Research, Merrill Lynch and Other Leading Companies Adopt inCircle Recruiting to Proactively Build a Pipeline of Qualified, Interested Candidates for Future Openings

Mountain View, Calif. – June 12, 2008 -- Affinity Circles, the leading provider of exclusive social networks for academic and professional organizations, today formally launched inCircle Recruiting, a candidate sourcing tool that allows employers to target and engage qualified, passive candidates through the exclusive social networks they trust, and build a pipeline of qualified, interested candidates for future openings. By leveraging the Affinity Circles network of more than 140 alumni and professional networks, which currently include more than 15 million degreed professionals, inCircle Recruiting connects employers with candidates whose identity and educational background are authenticated, and whose privacy is protected throughout the recruitment process.

Available in beta since September, inCircle Recruiting has been adopted by more than 20 companies in the financial services, technology, and healthcare industries, including Juniper Networks, Lam Research, and Merrill Lynch. The subscription-based service features targeted media campaigns that help employers attract qualified, passive candidates within these exclusive networks. Unlike job boards and open networks that attract mostly active (i.e., unemployed) candidates, Affinity Circles helps employers reach candidates who are already employed but open to being approached by employers in a trusted environment.

“In today’s volatile job market, traditional recruitment methods simply take too long, cost too much, and produce too few qualified candidates,” said Steve Loughlin, chief executive officer at Affinity Circles. “Employers whose success depends upon acquiring the best talent have found inCircle Recruiting to be an effective tool. Rather than settling for ‘post and pray’ recruiting through traditional online resources, inCircle Recruiting can increase applicant yield, reduce the time-to-hire cycle and build a talent pipeline that can be harvested as future opportunities develop.”

InCircle Recruiting allows employers to tap into a network of exclusive online communities, establish an interactive, branded presence, and run targeted advertising campaigns to reach and engage candidates who meet their qualification criteria. Customized tools allow recruiters to target members by region, occupation, academic degree and industry, current and previous employer, job functions and more. Even before a specific job posting is created, recruiters can identify and begin communicating with qualified, passive candidates who express interest in the company.

For community members, inCircle Recruiting allows them to tap into the ‘hidden job market’ of career opportunities that are not broadly advertised. The product helps community members gain direct access to fellow alumni who work at specific companies, in order to gain insight into the company culture and hiring process, and even to request a referral. InCircle Recruiting also makes it easy for members to express interest in companies where they might want to work in the future without ever putting their privacy at risk or revealing personal contact information. 

“InCircle Recruiting is a great tool that has allowed me to leverage my alumni network for career opportunities,” said Nina Seth, a graduate of UC Davis. “It gave me access to a number of opportunities that were not available on public job boards, and helped me secure an interview at a leading technology company that I didn’t even realize was hiring.”

Affinity Circles is a leader in creating members-only social networks for alumni and student groups, fraternities, and professional associations across the country, including such notable institutions as Stanford University, Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, Wharton, the Universities of Florida, Michigan, and Texas. These online communities provide an efficient way for members to maintain and strengthen personal and professional connections in a dynamic, trusted online community.

Pricing and Availability
inCircle Recruiting is currently available to U.S.-based employers as a subscription service, with six or twelve month terms. It includes dedicated customer support and the ability to source an unlimited number of candidates over the service term. To learn more or request a product demo, contact (650) 810-1536 or sales@incirclerecruiting.com

About Affinity Circles
Affinity Circles is the leading provider of trusted social networks for established, professional organizations seeking to promote career advancement opportunities among their members. Today more than 140 top tier organizations utilize the inCircle community platform to connect more than 15 million members with preferred employers in a trusted, exclusive environment. For more information, visit www.affinitycircles.com.

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Media Contact:
Carleen LeVasseur
Affinity Circles Public Relations
(408) 264-6767
carleen@affinitycircles.com