I am a product of what I consider the golden age of Facebook. I first logged in when the site was just one-and-a-half years young, and college students were the only users welcome. Back then, you needed an ‘.edu’ email address from a university to even create an account, and because of this exclusivity, privacy settings practically didn’t exist. People actually used the site to stay connected or meet new people – friending those they met in class, their dorm hallway or at a party.
It was a truly social network. Nothing more, nothing less, and certainly not a job board.
While I knew it was coming, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when Facebook launched its Social Jobs application earlier this month. The network where I share my freshman orientation photos and “Like” my friends’ weird cat memes is not the same network through which I want to reach out to a potential employer or colleague.
So, here are three reasons why LinkedIn trumps Facebook when it comes to job hunting.
- Aggregator vs. connector. Social Jobs currently pulls more than 1.7 million job openings from five platforms: US.jobs, Work4Labs, BranchOut, Jobvite and Monster. While this can help job seekers access open positions in one spot, it is simply an aggregator and provides no networking opportunities within the app. Rather than sending a resume into a black hole, LinkedIn users can connect with the hiring manager who posted the opening and is looking for talent to fill that particular role.
- Candidate spying vs. recruiting. In its recent recruiting survey, Facebook reports 50 percent of employers already use its site during the hiring process. But how much of that is really “recruitment,” rather than just scoping out candidates’ party photos? LinkedIn caters to recruiters’ needs with high functionality profiles (for a fee). I’d rather apply to a job posted by a recruiter with some skin in the game than a completely free site covered in spammy, door-to-door sales positions incorrectly labeled as PR.
- Personal vs. professional. With 1 billion users worldwide operating the site for personal reasons, Facebook will always be a personal, more privacy-conscious site. It should embrace that, rather than attempt to offer solutions to every aspect of its users’ lives – including work. LinkedIn was created as a business platform and has the world of digital, professional networking nailed down. It best serves those on the job hunt because it provides ways to make the employment search and application process more human.
I recognize that competition is healthy for businesses, but instead of a constant battle to create a one-size-fits-all social network, why can’t the experts – Facebook with personal networking; LinkedIn with professional networking – just stick to what they do best?
well-written and i completely agree. why don’t people/sites/stores stick with what they know best?
Kathleen – great points and I also concur. Facebook is more for personal relationships and LinkedIn is for professional ones. Unfortunately, Mark Zuckerman is just trying to figure out how to make money.
Call me a traditionalist, but I don’t ever see myself using Facebook for job hunting, either. Not only because I think old-fashioned referrals are still the way to go, but also because I tend to use Facebook to “let my hair down” and relax.
Now my Twitter and Linkedin pages? They’re completely public – and, as such, are fair game for trying to connect with those I want to work with.