Google wants to help you find a job
New search feature works on home page and includes many — but not all — Web postings
Your next Google search may help you land a new job.
That’s the promise behind the Google for Jobs search initiative that launched Tuesday, after first being announced last month during Google’s annual I/O developer conference. It is aimed at those of you out of work, dissatisfied with your current employer or seeking to explore potential opportunities to advance your career.
The feature is triggered when you enter a job-seeking query inside a regular Google search box — there is no special URL for this jobs search tool. And as with any Google search, the company has the power to pull in job listings from disparate sites across cyberspace, something it does exceedingly well.
“Just like when you ask for movie show times … when you look for jobs we … organize the information on the Web about jobs and show it to you directly,” Google product manager Nick Zakrasek says.
Still, out of the gate I wish Google for Jobs search did a little more about surfacing salary information or helping with career advice. And, if you already know the company you want to work for you might be able to go directly to that firm’s site to inquire about any openings. Or, you might head directly to LinkedIn, where you can virtually rub shoulders with people you know or other members who might provide job leads. Still another option is to visit a major jobs site such as Indeed.com, where you can upload your résumé and have potential employers find you.
Where are the jobs? I’ve been searching several Google for Jobs listings myself — merely as a journalistic exercise. In fact, I searched for positions outside my chosen profession, in fields such as nursing, teaching, banking and construction.
You can enter rather general queries (“jobs near me,” “scientist careers”) or enter a term that is more specific (“senior data scientist jobs”). Buttons or tabs may appear to help you fine-tune a search. After typing “senior accounting jobs,” for example, I could select “accounting manager,” “financial analyst” and “property accountant,” among others. You can select as many of the options that appear to narrow or broaden your search.
As you hover over other selections, more choices may show up.
Once you’re satisfied with your search criteria, you can arrange to get email alerts on new job posts that match your search.
Search results come from across the Web and many of the leading job sites Google is partnering with, including LinkedIn, Monster, WayUp, Direct-Employers, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor and Facebook. The promise is that you’ll see appropriate listings as soon as they are posted.
You may also see postings directly from the company doing the hiring. Google says it is publishing documentation for all potential employers or job sites detailing how to make listings more discoverable through search. But you won’t see everything. Indeed.com, for example, hasn’t opened individual listings to search engines, Google says.
As you go about your Google search, you can choose to only view jobs by a given time frame: those posted during the past day, past three days, past week or a longer period. And Google says it will remove jobs from search results once filled, though I came across at least one position that I didn’t discover was no longer available until I clicked through to the job poster’s site for more details.
Zakrasek says Google wants to help job seekers answer two questions: Can you get the job in question? Do you want it?
To answer the latter question, you can apply search filters to seek opportunities within a reasonable commuting distance. In Northern New Jersey, where I live, for example, available jobs showed up in the greater New York City metropolitan area. Of course you can branch out and apply your job search in any or all the 50 states. You can also just seek full-time or part-time jobs or even internships.
The can-you-get-the job question is a harder one to answer. When you click on a listing, Google surfaces a card with the job description, responsibilities and
qualifications to help you determine a potential match. In some cases you may also see an employer rating.
At the top of any listing you click on is a button that takes you to the origin of the post, along the lines of “View on ZipRecruiter,” or “View on DCJobs.” Obviously, you can go to a job listing or employer site directly, but the idea is by searching across the Web, Google may surface jobs you wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Google is also supposed to eliminate duplicate listings, should different job sites list the same job.
If you find a job of interest, you can apply through the employer or listing site, not Google itself.
Look elsewhere for salary, career advice. There are limits to Google’s job search. At launch, you won’t see listings for salary information. Zakrasek says Google is working to add the feature. Some of the job site partners provide estimated salary ranges on their websites.
I did try one general search to “find jobs near me paying more than $X.” It didn’t bear much fruit.
Google itself won’t tell you how many other applicants have applied, but you may eventually uncover that information on the company or job site posting the position. Nor will Google, at least for now, provide much handholding on the career front. So you’ll have to look elsewhere for coaching or interviewing advice, résumé tips, or, if you’re uncertain about what type of jobs to go after, which positions might suitably fit your skill set.
Other limitations: At launch, Microsoft Edge is not a supported browser, and the jobs search tool does not work within the Google iOS app either (though you can get listings through regular Google search on the iPhone). And searches are limited to U.S.-only jobs in English.
Despite a few drawbacks, if you’re looking for work, Google search is a good place to start.