Google for Jobs

Google for Jobs is a new job search service established by the Internet company of the same name. It was integrated in Google Universal Search in May 2019 and is available to both recruiters and job seekers. The idea behind it is to simplify the search for jobs and the recruiting process and to easily connect suitable candidates and employers. In response to specific search terms, Google visually highlights the display of suitable jobs in what is known as the job box.

Google for Jobs is not a job platform in the traditional sense. It does not let you actively post job ads or job searches. Rather, Google collects indexed job ads from other websites, merges them and presents them as matching entries for the search terms. The underlying algorithm determines which job searches are displayed in response to which search query. Based on the keywords entered in the search mask, the algorithm trawls through various job portals and company and career sites and then lists the results in bundles in the job box.

Google for Jobs has clear guidelines on what information should be included in job advertisements. To be listed in Google for Jobs, a job ad must include the name of the recruiting company, the publication date of the advertisement, the deadline for application, the title of the job, the location and a presentation of the job advertisement in HTML format. In addition, Google for Jobs recommends the specification of salary perspectives, the type of employment, the identity of the company, and an indication of additional locations if the place of work is not the same as the stated location of the company.

In addition to the content requirements that Google for Jobs places on HR managers when formulating a job ad, further optimization steps can positively influence the ranking of job ads.

1. Job ad title: When formulating an appropriate job ad title, it is helpful to put yourself in your target group's shoes and consider what search queries they might enter in Google. Creative job titles such as "thoroughbred salesman" – instead of simply "salesperson" – should be avoided, as presumably only very few applicants know what is meant by this and the reach of this job ad would remain low. Furthermore, a job ad title should not be longer than 70 characters.

2. Precise designation of the job location: The more specifically the job location is stated in the job advertisement, the better Google is able to play out the ad to suitable applicants.

3. Salary information: Even if putting salary information in job advertisements is still a taboo subject for many companies, it creates transparency for applicants. In addition, the Google algorithm ranks job ads with salary information higher, so they will enjoy a wider reach than job advertisements that do not contain this information.

4. Formatting of the job advertisement: Google for Jobs focuses on uniformity in job advertisements, so there are few options for formatting them. To make a job ad as readable as possible, it is a good idea to use sufficient paragraphs and list elements. Especially in the job description and the requirements, bullet points should be used instead of text passages. Bullet points loosen up the job advertisement and make it easier for the applicant to quickly grasp its essential content.

5. Job description: All relevant information such as the job description, the requirements for applicants, benefits, contact persons, contact details and brief information about the company should be mentioned in the job description. This is because applicants should see everything they need to know about the job at a glance, without having to go looking for further important information on the job portal or the careers website.

6. Logo: Integrating the logo of the company advertising the position will increase the advertisement’s recognition value. For this purpose, a square format should be used to ensure that the logo is displayed correctly.