the benefits of Google for Jobs for employers.

| 4 min read |

Did you know that most candidate job searches originate on Google? What’s more, according the the 2018 Candidate Experience Awards, straight searches on Google and other search engines are one of the top three places that candidates use during their job search?

Until recently, however, after performing a search in Google, a job seeker would see multiple listings for the same position from multiple websites — for example on the company’s careers site, as well as job boards. Oftentimes, it would take several steps for a job seeker to get to the actual listing.

First, the candidate would click on a search result that would bring him or her to the job board. From there, a click would reveal more about the job posting. The job posting would contain a link to the company website, where the individual would have to navigate to the careers page and perform another search before finally finding the original job posting. Then, they would have to perform the same process across multiple job boards.

And to make matters more complicated, different organizations use different titles for the same positions. For example, what one company calls a “chief financial officer” might be “head of accounting” at another organization. To perform an exhaustive search, job seekers would have to peruse a wide range of job postings to see what the role entailed.

delivering a good candidate experience is critical.

According to Randstad Sourceright’s 2019 Talent Trends survey of 1,700 working professionals around the globe, 62% say that the ease of the application process is important when applying for a new job. Moreover, a recent study by Software Advice reports that 63% of candidates will likely reject a job offer due to a bad candidate experience. Clearly, delivering a good candidate experience is critical to acquiring top talent — and you need top talent to maintain successful operations, let alone to innovate and expand.

enter Google for Jobs.

Since its launch in June 2017, Google for Jobs has quietly been changing the talent sourcing and attraction landscape. The application uses AI and Google’s powerful search algorithms to scour the web for job postings based on the job seeker’s search criteria and user data.

It automatically removes duplicate results and lists the best matches in a Jobs Search results box at the top of the page. The job seeker can refine the search, using filters such as location, full time or part time roles, employer, industry, commute time and more. Google has built a job family taxonomy algorithm that groups the same roles together based on functional domain and discipline — not job titles.

And, as Inc. points out, job seekers can even get personalized results in their inboxes based on their specific searches and receive notifications when new relevant jobs are posted. In short, Google for Jobs is delivering an outstanding candidate experience that’s similar to the convenience Google offers in its regular search engine. Employers who know how to optimize their job content for the platform will reap the benefits of that positive candidate experience.

how employers gain value.

Google for Jobs offers several distinct benefits for employers:

• Prominent placement: By optimizing your job postings, you can obtain a prominent place in the Jobs Search results. Your listing can feature the details of the job and your company logo, as well as reviews and ratings from existing and previous employees.
• Motivated talent: You’ll get more — and more motivated — candidates. Thanks to Google’s powerful filters, only applicants who are looking specifically for that job are likely to respond to a job posting.
• Greater exposure: You can get more traffic and have increased chances of conversion, since Google for Jobs provides a new avenue for job seekers to see your postings and visit your careers site.
• Enhanced employer brand: Because Google for Jobs delivers a better candidate experience, you stand a better chance of retaining candidates throughout the screening process. Plus, more job seekers are likely to apply to another position with your organization if they’ve previously enjoyed a good candidate experience.

making connections with candidates.

Google for Jobs is predominantly geared towards delivering a better job search experience for candidates. It offers them the following benefits:

• Streamlined process: Talent enjoys a less complicated, more efficient job search process. Google for Jobs doesn’t change the job seeker’s journey; however, it does significantly reduce the number of steps he or she has to take before being able to start their application.
• Direct access: Candidates gain immediate access to job listings in the Jobs Search results box. That means they no longer have to spend time searching on individual careers pages or looking on multiple job boards.
• Consistent results: They no longer have to navigate inconsistent job titles for the same position. Using its job family taxonomy algorithm, Google for Jobs pulls all relevant postings into the same feed.
• Best matches: Using data saved from past searches and other applications, Google for Jobs orders the search results so jobs that best match requirements are listed first.

When you understand just how powerful of a job search tool Google for Jobs is, it’s not surprising that many companies are looking to adapt their recruiting strategies to better leverage it. At Randstad Sourceright, we’ve made an in-depth study of how to use Google for Jobs for strategic sourcing in order to acquire top-quality talent. 

To learn more, watch the instant replay of our Talent Navigator webinar, or contact us today.