When it comes to enhancing applicant tracking software, Facebook and LinkedIn are the best social media venues out there. But Google+ recently moved into the neighborhood and experienced a surge in users after opening up to the public.
Google+ may not make it in the long haul. After all, Facebook has around 700 million users and LinkedIn has around 120 million. Both companies have adapted to mobile technology and have the resources – both human and monetary – to continue to improve their products
But if any company’s up to the challenge of taking on Facebook and LinkedIn, it’s Google. Google is worth a lot (over $200 billion), is also devoted to R&D, and has the money and people to develop and improve its products.
For now, Google+ is more geared toward sharing with friends and family (Like Facebook) than professional socializing (Like LinkedIn). But as we all know, businesses use Facebook all the time, and all kinds of people use Facebook for business. HR professionals who use applicant tracking software know it’s a great tool for managing a company’s database of candidates, but it’s not a great way for candidates to interact with companies. That’s where the social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and maybe Google+ come in.
Will Google+ be able to imitate Facebook and LinkedIn’s community and engagement functionality for recruiters? In all likelihood, yes and the key is its “Circles” feature.
This feature allows the user to divide up “friends” into circles, so the user has a school circle, a job circle, a close friends circle, a family circle, and so on. It’s easy, then, to communicate messages to specific circles – who wants to share information about a great date with Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary, for example? Facebook has been working on this problem for a while, and recently came out with “friend lists” following the launch of Google’s “Circles”.
The “Circles” feature will allow users to bracket off their professional/work life, and that, I think, will make people more comfortable participating in job-searching, referring, and other activities that recruiters can capitalize on.
BUT – it all depends on the numbers that Google+ can generate. Google+ recently hit 50 million users after opening up to the public. If it can top the 100 million mark and keep improving its interface, I’d certainly use it to complement my applicant tracking software. Time will tell but for now, we’ll continue to dabble in Google+, just in case it becomes the social media of choice for the recruiting industry and job seekers.
What’s your experience with Google+? Do you think it will be a good recruiting and staffing tool? Please share your thoughts below and join the ongoing conversation about social media, recruiting software, and the ongoing challenges of recruiting.
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