After months of speculation and anticipation, Google for Jobs has launched. And it’s pretty much like it sounds.
Oh, and by the way, it changes everything.
Background Information
Google for Jobs focuses on helping both job seekers and employers, through deep collaboration with the job matching industry, says Nick Zakrasek, product manager for Google, in a blog post explaining the initiative.
He points out how finding a job can be difficult, with job postings scattered across the web and newspapers. And then there’s trying to find a fit based on needs and skills. Because finding the right job isn’t easy, job seekers often apply for roles that aren’t a good fit.
This, in turn, creates a problem for employers that get inundated with resumes and applications but still can’t fill open jobs. Zakrasek notes how 46 percent of U.S. employers face talent shortages, referencing the ManpowerGroup 2016/2017 Talent Shortage Survey.
In an attempt to address this situation, Google for Jobs relies on technology that first became available in its Cloud Jobs API, which was announced last year. It provides access to Google’s machine learning capabilities to power smarter job search and recommendations within career sites, jobs boards, and other job matching sites and apps, Zakrasek explains.
How It Works
Google for Jobs searches for jobs posted at LinkedIn, Monster, WayUp, DirectEmployers, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, and Facebook, among other sites. Each new search will return any new jobs that have been posted.
Over time, jobs from other sites will be available. In order to facilitate this, Google has published open documentation for all jobs providers, which details how to make job openings show up in a Google for Jobs search. Note: This feature is only available in the United States.
Many jobs are already available from numerous sources, however.
To access Google for Jobs, search for “jobs near me,” enter a specific job category like “teaching jobs” or use a similar job-search query.
Google encourages job seekers to experiment with search criteria. All queries must be in English, and search is available on desktop and mobile.
“For many people, a job needs to satisfy some key criteria, like commute time, job specialties they’ve honed or the hours they have available to work. For many jobs, you’ll also see reviews and ratings of the employer from trusted sites, right alongside the job description, and if you’re signed in, for some jobs you’ll even see how long it would take to commute to the job from home,” explains Zakrasek. “We’ll continue to add additional filters and information in the future. Looking for jobs is a personal and complex journey, and one that we’re trying to support in this new search experience.”
What It Means
For employers, Google for Jobs has the potential to get job postings in front of a much larger audience, and one that is more targeted, given the filters.
It should be noted that a job posting itself does not appear at Google. A search returns a list of jobs that includes information helpful to job seekers, such as when the job was originally posted. Selecting a job then provides an overview of that job, with a link to the site where the original job posting resides.
Google for Jobs basically functions as a sophisticated job search engine. How it evolves remains to be seen. For now, this is game-changing enough.
The future of job search has arrived.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |