‘Like’ to find a job? Facebook has an app for that
Today Facebook launched a new app. Not for playing farmer or remembering birthdays, but for finding a job. This, of course, is not just about Facebook helping you find a job, says Clark Fredricksen at emarketer.
“Their goal is to keep you in their ecosystem for as many things as they can,” he says, “whether it’s connecting with friends, playing games and now looking for a job.”
But there is a snag. Fredricksen says, “You may see hesitancy from consumers to adopt Facebook in a professional setting.”
Oh, you mean people may not want to “like” a possible future employer on the same site they just used to “like” the Pussycat Dolls? Understandable. But Fredricksen cites a study that showed more than a quarter of people looking for jobs in the U.S. say they do use Facebook for that.
“It’s not a taboo for everybody,” he says.
The app lists nearly two million jobs from several major sources. One is the DirectEmployers Association, where digital strategist Heather Hoffman says the sheer number of users — a billion people — makes Facebook attractive to companies looking for talent.
“What better place to have those jobs than on Facebook,” says Hoffman, “where literally we’re getting in front of the majority of the population.”
That could also get in front of the current leader in online job networking: LinkedIn. Its stock dipped yesterday when Facebook announced the Social Jobs app.
Yet Facebook’s app has a few quirks to look out for. Every job listed has a “like” button next to it, but it’s not always clear what will happen if you choose to share that on your Facebook profile. Sometimes you are “liking” the service, like BranchOut.com. Other times your profile will show that you “like” the company that posted the job.
And then there are instances when hitting “like” next to a job will tell all your Facebook friends about the specific position you may be applying for. If you’re friends with your current boss on Facebook, you may want to be careful about sharing that.
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