Introduction to Google for Jobs
Google for Jobs is the world’s largest job board. Over 72% of all job searches start on Google. As a result, millions of people worldwide search for a new job on Google every day. Google has recognized this trend and launched its own job board in the U.S. in 2017. Since August 2018, Google for Jobs has also been available to all users at Singapore.
Below you’ll find an introduction to the world of Google for Jobs with all the key information you need to get the big picture.
What is Google for Jobs?
Strictly speaking, Google for Jobs is an extension of the standard Google Search. Google analyzes all search queries and identifies the searcher’s intent. If the algorithm detects that the query is a job search, the Google Job Box appears on the search results page. The Google Job Box displays the top 3 job listings.
Details about the first three job listings can be viewed directly on the Google homepage. To do this, simply click on a job listing.
In most cases, many more job listings are found. As soon as you click “More jobs” under the “Job listings” heading, a new view opens. This new view is what can actually be referred to as Google for Jobs.
Here, Google’s job portal offers many features to refine your search and filter the results. If the user is logged in, they can also save job listings or receive notifications via “Alerts” about new, relevant job openings. In addition to the features mentioned, Google’s job portal offers numerous other features. In a separate article, we’ve compiled and detailed all the features of Google for Jobs for you.
Since more than 60% of all search queries worldwide are now conducted via smartphones or tablets, Google for Jobs is, of course, also optimized for mobile devices.
Google for Jobs is not available only for older versions of Internet Explorer.
How does Google for Jobs work?
The process of Google for Jobs can be broken down into two steps. In the first step, Google must index the new job listing. In the second step, Google displays job listings to relevant users.
Step 1: Indexing Job Listings
Google’s bots continuously crawl the internet on a large scale, visiting all known web pages. This process is called crawling. During this process, Google attempts to understand what the current page is about. To provide Google’s bots with clues about what can be found on the current page, so-called Schema data can be embedded on the website. This data is machine-readable and invisible to visitors. For Google to recognize that a company’s career page contains job listings,“JobPosting”schema data must be included there. You can find out how this works in our guide.
Once Google has successfully processed the information, it stores it in a massive database. This process is known as indexing.
Step 2: Displaying Job Postings
Once Google has recognized the job posting as such and added it to the index, it will be displayed in response to relevant search queries.
It’s no secret that Google knows a great deal about every user. Google demonstrates this very impressively when displaying ads. Some of these are alarmingly precise, and you find yourself wondering, “How does Google know that?”
All of this information is also used to determine who sees which job listings. Of particular note here is the current location from which the search is initiated. Without explicitly specifying a location, Google always displays job listings in the immediate vicinity.
How can I access Google for Jobs?
Google’s job search feature is integrated directly into the standard Google Search. This means that Google does not provide a direct link to Google for Jobs. As mentioned at the beginning, Google recognizes from the search query that the user is looking for a new job and then displays the Job Box. To access Google for Jobs yourself, follow these steps:
Open a new browser window
Go to "www.google.com.sg"
Search for “Jobs Near Me”
If necessary, scroll down a little until you find a blue box with the heading “Job Listings”
Click on the top part of the blue box
Google for Jobs will then open with full functionality
Note: If the blue job box does not appear, you are likely using a web browser that is not supported. In that case, it’s best to try again with a different browser. We recommend, for example, Google Chrome or Firefox.
What does Google for Jobs mean for employers?
Google for Jobs offers enormous potential for employers. Its unbeatable reach allows employers to potentially reach a very large number of job seekers. Since more than 72% of all job searches start on Google, potential applicants can be reached right where they expect to find job listings. Thanks to Google’s sophisticated algorithms, employers can also expect to find more suitable and qualified candidates.
Leveraging the Potential of Google for Jobs as an Employer
A presence on Google for Jobs will become essential in the future. After all, just as with web searches, the saying goes: “If Google can’t find it, it doesn’t exist.” A clear trend is already emerging: more and more people are searching for jobs directly on Google. This is, of course, also having an impact on popular job boards, which are now seeing fewer visitors and are jointly lodging complaints.
The first step, therefore, is to ensure that your company’s job postings are included in Google’s index.
Improving Your Ranking on Google for Jobs
If your job postings are generally findable on Google, that’s already an important step in the right direction. However, just as with regular web searches, you must constantly work on your ranking when it comes to job searches. Otherwise, a competitor could quickly outrank you and, as a result, attract the best candidates. By continuously optimizing your job postings specifically for Google for Jobs, you can secure one of the top spots.
Currently, it’s not yet possible to pay for a better ranking on Google for Jobs, as is the case, for example, with Google Web Search or Google Shopping. However, it’s highly likely that this will become possible on Google for Jobs in the future.
What does Google for Jobs mean for job seekers?
Google has long pursued the goal of making the most relevant information available to users as quickly as possible. This is also evident in the fact that information on flight connections, recipes, or news articles is displayed directly in the search results—often without having to leave the search engine.
Google for Jobs is therefore a logical next step toward showing job seekers the best-matching jobs as quickly as possible. This means that sifting through various job portals will be a thing of the past.
How do my job postings get listed on Google for Jobs?
To have your job posting included in the Google index, three methods have emerged:
Optimizing Your Own Website
Here you’ll find a guide to setting up Google for Jobs, including information on technical requirements and potential pitfalls.Posting via job portals
Some job portals offer parallel posting to Google for Jobs. The downside here is that this happens automatically, so the results aren’t optimal. Furthermore, you won’t be able to optimize your job posting specifically for Google.Using a solution specialized for Google for Jobs, such as SEO for Jobs
Because these solutions focus exclusively on Google for Jobs, you can include all relevant information—such as your company logo — to get the most out of your job posting. This is done through an intuitive interface and without any changes to your website.
Conclusion
It’s definitely worth taking a closer look at Google for Jobs, gaining your own experience with the world’s largest job board, and incorporating it into your recruiting process.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions and answers about Google for Jobs.
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