Facebook harnesses the power of business pages for new job openings tool

Looking for work? You can now add Facebook to the long list of career sites that can help you find a new job.

On Wednesday, the company announced it is launching a new jobs bookmark on its mobile apps and the web. Businesses with a Facebook presence can now add job openings to their page on the social network. The two updates combined allow users to discover and apply for jobs directly on Facebook.

Page admins can publish job openings in a matter of minutes, according to Facebook. A typical vacancy post must include a photo, job title, location, job type (i.e. full-time, part-time), and a detailed description, along with optional info such as a summary, and salary. The post is then published to the company’s page and will also appear on the News Feed of their followers. Businesses will also have the option to boost the post (by paying a premium) to reach a larger or more targeted audience.

Facebook users can find jobs via the site’s new bookmark, which offers filters to help cater your search to match your criteria. You can also seek out jobs manually by visiting a company’s page and clicking on the jobs tab, located alongside other sections such as “home,” “posts,” and “photos.”

To apply for a vacancy, select the “apply now” button on the post. This action will open up an application form pre-populated with the info you have available on your profile (such as name, city, email). Here you will also be required to add more job-specific info about yourself. You can then submit the application via Messenger: the service will be the first port of call for all your future communications with the business in regard to the opening. Page admins will then be able to review your info and message you back about the status of your application.

Facebook began testing its new feature in November and claims that a number of businesses have already used it to fill roles. Seeing as 1 billion people visit business pages every month, the update should generate plenty of interest.

For the platform itself, it may also prove a boost in terms of accumulating personal data. Who knows, you may end up treating Facebook as you would LinkedIn (one of the platforms that could feel the direct impact of the big blue social network’s latest venture). After all, anyone searching for a job via Facebook would be advised to update their personal profile to make it look more professional. That would mean adding more photos, and educational and work experience info — sections you may have neglected in the past. Additionally, pages on Facebook could see higher rates of engagement as more people start following the companies they want to work for.

The job openings updates are currently only available to users and businesses in the United States and Canada.

Source: http://www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/facebook-job-openings/