Here comes Google for Jobs.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently announced at Google I/O 2017 the emergence of Google for Jobs, the internet tech company’s latest initiative designed to connect job seekers and employers.

What does this mean to you and your career website? Above all, know YourMembership has got you covered.

We’ve been in ongoing talks with Google’s head of the Google for Jobs initiative, as well as members of his team. Based on our dialogue, we’re optimistic Google for Jobs will present new traffic opportunities for our career center partners. And, although Google has kept details of its initiative close to its vest, we do know there may be some powerful opportunities for your association and your career website powered by YM.

3 points you need to know about Google for Jobs.

The announcement. Since Pichai shared the news, we can only assume Google is serious about this initiative and that it will impact the job board space.

Current job search. When users search for jobs through Google, job search results will not be returned in Google’s current unstructured, organic format such as they are today. Instead, they will be returned as structured content delivered in a job search results format, which is just like your site’s current job search results page.

Job listings. With Google’s sophisticated search logic, which leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence, job search results will draw conclusions between specific search terms and other content Google’s algorithms deem relevant. For example, a search for “clerk” jobs may also return certain “retail” jobs. This search logic will be combined with a location component to make results even more relevant.

Given these trends, here’s how to solidify your market position.

• Utilize YM’s Job Flash Product for employers, giving them the ability to email their jobs to your members or audience.
• Work with YM to insert contextual jobs widgets into your newsletters, websites and social media channels.
• Partner with YM to integrate your career center with your association management software (AMS) or learning management system (LMS), so members and learners are presented with relevant jobs as they interact with you through these systems.

Keep in mind, to strengthen your channel between jobs and candidates, it’s critical you leverage the single, major competitive advantage you have over big players like Google and job aggregators. You can provide employers with access to niche candidates who are not actively looking for jobs, which often is between 70% and 90% of your audience at any given time.

YM looks forward to working with Google to drive more job seekers to your job boards. At the same time, we encourage you to continue to maintain a strong value proposition by fortifying your differentiation from others within the job board space.