Job searching in Asia is getting easier. CakeResume, originally a resume-building software, is developing a diverse tech talent database from its headquarters in Taiwan. The startup has raised US$900,000 in seed funding from Mynavi, one of Japan’s largest job information providers.
Launched in 2016, CakeResume now hosts over 500,000 resumes and provides talent matching services for more than 3,000 companies including Amazon Web Services, TSMC, Nvidia, and Tesla.
Since CakeResume is relatively new compared with other job-searching websites, most of the users are still active. Almost 75% of the resumes created on the platform are in Taiwan, while the rest come from Southeast Asia and the United States.
“We aim to build the largest tech talent pool in Asia,” CakeResume founder and CEO Trantor Liu said. “We’re facing the biggest talent shortage, and it’s emerging especially in tech industries. We’re keen to fill the gap.”
The tech talent shortage in Taiwan and the rest of Asia presents challenges for startups that are looking to accelerate their digital efforts.
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In Taiwan, most job seekers would search for openings on local websites like 104 Job Bank, while some would use American-run employment search engines on Indeed and LinkedIn. CakeResume is an up-and-coming platform that aims to rival these talent networking platforms.
“A lot of businesses would realize that good engineers are the hardest to find when they attempt to make a digital transition. It’s hard to access the professionals who can master the new programming languages on a regular job market,” said Wei-cheng Hsieh, CakeResume’s chief operating officer.
A Mynavi representative said in a statement that CakeResume stands out with its excellent product design and the platform is already popular in Taiwan.
On CakeResume’s website, talent profiles are not limited to the mundane one-page resumes. Its dynamic resume builder allows users to craft a mini portfolio that can showcase both their professional experiences and creative projects.
“We’re doing great in Taiwan, but we’d like to expand regionally to markets that share similar cultural values and work pace,” Hsieh said, adding that he would like the company to become the bridge for talent resources between Taiwan and other job markets.
The startup will use the seed investment to expand its operations in other parts of Asia with a growing demand for IT talent, including Japan, Singapore, and India.
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TNL Editor: Nicholas Haggerty (@thenewslensintl)
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