Social media platform LinkedIn went public with its stock recently, so now the pressure is on to make a profit… a hefty profit.
One of the ways in which it’s attempting to do so may be tied to plans to launch a new plug-in, possibly by the end of this month. As reported by GigaOm earlier this week, the plug-in is called “Apply With LinkedIn,” and it’s designed to allow job seekers to apply for jobs by using their LinkedIn profile as their resume.
Apparently, this is how it’s going to work:
- A company will choose to install an “Apply With LinkedIn” button beside the jobs that they have on their jobs page within LinkedIn.
- When a job seeker clicks on that button, they’ll be prompted to login to LinkedIn (if they’re not already) and be given the option of updating information contained in their profile.
- Before the job seeker is able to officially apply for the position, they may be required to answer screening questions that the company has tied to the application process. These could be a combination of check-box questions and customized questions.
- The job seeker clicks the “Submit Application” button, and away it goes.
Obviously, LinkedIn is looking to become more firmly entrenched in the world of employment, especially in terms of the hiring process. Specifically, LinkedIn is looking for ways to make more money due to its position in the world of employment.
Will LinkedIn increase its revenue due to the “Apply With LinkedIn” button? Probably, but that’s not really the big question. The big question is this: what impact—if any—will this new functionality have on the recruiting industry?
Before I answer that question in a future blog post, I’d like to pose it here. What do YOU think? Would your clients use this functionality within LinkedIn? If they did, what effect would that have on your relationship with them? Do your clients even use LinkedIn to find the candidates they really need and want?