The new feature is called “Jobs on Facebook,” and it takes aim at the underemployed, freelance/independent contractors, and those that might not be actively seeking new employment.
Whereas LinkedIn seems geared to traditional forms of employment with an emphasis on well-honed skills and experience, Jobs on Facebook may target lower-skilled positions and more transactional forms of work. The feature provides a simple “Apply Now” button where applicants will be able to add, edit, and review forms.
Our relationship with using both LinkedIn and Facebook is like a mullet: business up front, party in the back.
LinkedIn for business, Facebook for personal. LinkedIn was where we posted a professional profile photo, gave updates about our career and thoughts on our relative industry, and generally maintained a buttoned-up appearance. Facebook, on the other hand, was where we could let our hair down a little bit and get more personal.
User Experience
Facebook is placing a bet that both prospective hires and employers are desiring a casual method to start an employment conversation. After hitting the Apply Now button, users will find their applications pre-populated with their Facebook data. This information can be edited before submitting the application. Submitted applications arrive in the form of a Facebook message in the employer’s inbox.
The feature is free for both jobs posters and those looking for work.
The major question that needs to be answered is whether users are comfortable with the greater erosion between their personal and professional lives. It gets at a fundamental dispute about how we use social networks and the web in general: should we have one unified identity or multiple identities?
If you were the type of person who had a dramatically different “personal brand” on Facebook than you did LinkedIn, Jobs on Facebook may prompt you towards a more refined image. In addition, it removes the question of whether or not a prospective employer will check out on potential worker’s Facebook page (although the chosen settings will still impact what is seen).
Customer Interaction
The jobs features are a bid to grow Facebook’s base of business customers and provide additional capabilities for them to interact with customers.
Facebook last fall enhanced its call-to-action functions to give customers more ways to communicate with — and make purchases from — their favourite businesses.
Right now LinkedIn is for Work, and Facebook is for Play. But for millions of underemployed Americans, it may be time to apply for a job–after commenting on a friend’s vacation photos.
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