Is Google for Jobs turning the job market upside down?

The internet has been turned upside down in recent weeks: the Google for Jobs platform is now available in the Netherlands. The platform collects and displays vacancies from various websites in one overview that is directly at the top of the search results in a separate frame, such as a featured snippet. For example, job seekers find relevant vacancies online more quickly, while employers can ensure that positions to be filled are more visible.

The arrival of Google for Jobs means that large job boards, such as Monsterboard and Indeed, will be sidelined. These platforms have always been one of Google's cash cows through their search engine ads. Now Google removes the man-in-the-middle to directly exchange information between employer and job seeker. What does this mean for the job market? Will the world never be the same again? Or is the consequence not too bad for companies, vacancy platforms and job seekers?

Does Google for Jobs make a difference?

I don't believe that Google for Jobs will make a significant difference and I think much of the turmoil surrounding Google for Jobs is unjustified. In the past, if you had a vacancy, you placed an ad in local newspapers. Google is actually doing the same thing now, but online. Without an intermediary, you can now find local job opportunities online, just like you used to find in the local paper media.

However, it is also important that finding the right candidates for your vacancy involves more than a technically successful vacancy platform. In a tight labor market, such as in technology or IT, Google for Jobs is not the means to magically fill your open vacancies. It is important that you are an attractive employer that people want to work for.

The steps of recruitment

The visibility of the vacancy is only the first step in recruitment. Once your vacancy has been found, the candidate will check whether he meets the job requirements, but also whether he feels a connection with the company. This is followed by a process of motivation letters, application videos, resumes, pitches and conversations that is separate from Google.

Unfortunately, a well-visible vacancy does not always mean that you will also bring in good candidates. That is why it is essential to have a well-thought-out recruitment journey with which you do not find as many applicants as possible, but the right candidates. The strategy behind your search for staff is therefore much more important than the platform used. Read more about a good strategy here.

At Social Brothers we have a lot of experience in devising and executing successful recruitment journeys. For example, we have developed a fully data-driven Careers website for the international Fintech company Backbase. We have extensively researched how Backbase can attract candidates that match their KPIs through A/B testing. Read the whole case here.

What will Google for Jobs change?

The importance of a well-thought-out journey remains, and Google cannot change that. What does change is that there are new opportunities to prominently highlight vacancies outside of SEO and SEA. This is possible with Google for Jobs directly from your own website and therefore with less time and effort. For that you need a site that Google recognizes as a job page. In addition to on-page SEO, the technical aspect is especially important here: a sitemap and structured data.

So are you worried about the arrival of Google for Jobs? I can assure you that there is no need for that. Google for Jobs is not the problem in finding candidates, a bad recruitment strategy is! Despite the corona crisis, there is a tight labor market in various sectors and that means that you have to put time and love into the recruitment journey to recruit the right people.

Need help?

At Social Brothers we can easily help you with the technical side of Google for Jobs, so that your vacancies are also at the top of Google. But more importantly, we can help you develop a Careers-Website and the recruitment journey. This way you will find the right candidates, even in a tight labor market!