LinkedIn To Launch New Job Application Tool

June 1, 2011

Newly public company LinkedIn plans to launch a new application to facilitate the recruiting process and make applying for jobs easier and more efficient.

According to a GigaOm exclusive, the new plug-in feature is a button called "Apply With LinkedIn" and will allow job seekers to apply for positions by submitting their LinkedIn profile as a resume. LinkedIn is currently working with a number of companies that will feature the Apply With LinkedIn button on their career websites later this month.

The new plug-in is intended to help both applicant and employer. A job seeker who clicks on the button will be prompted to log into his or her LinkedIn account and will have the option to edit his or her profile as necessary to apply. Once the applicant has completed editing their profile and has answered any additional questions, a confirmation will pop up, displaying either additional job openings or a list of contacts who are affiliated with the company that the applicant just applied to.

The plug-in will also help streamline the process for employers. In addition to bundling applicants' information for sorting and viewing, the tool will also allow employers to ask up to five additional check-box questions from a template to further screen candidates. Examples of questions include whether a candidate is willing to relocate or is eligible to work in the United States. Scribbal noted that companies can also choose to add custom questions. Employers can choose to send applications to an email address, a URL or a JavaScript callback.

As Mashable pointed out, LinkedIn dominates the professional side of social media. According to GigaOm, the company gets most (43 percent) of its revenue from hiring solutions. Another 33 percent comes from marketing solutions such as display ads and the rest from premium subscriptions that offer enhanced profile features and options.

Compiled by Heidi M. Agustin