Google Jobs is coming – Make sure you keep up if you’re in the recruitment sector!

Searching for jobs is arguably one of the most important searches that individuals will make in their lifetime so it’s no surprise really that 13 years after Indeed launched, Google made the announcement that they are to launch their own search engine ‘Google for Jobs” in the U.S in the coming weeks. The only surprising thing is that it has taken them so long!

Their service will cover a whole host of jobs from entry-level and service industry positions through to high-end professional jobs. It will also leverage Google technologies like machine learning and A.I. to better understand how jobs are classified and related, among other things.

As you read this, Google will be busy working behind the scenes beginning to identify when U.S. users are typing job search queries into Google Search, they will then be able to highlight jobs that match the query. It is important to note that the search engine giant is not necessarily looking to take on traditional job search service providers with this launch rather, partner with them.

Speaking at a recent conference, Google CEO Sundar Pichai explained why they think this service is so important, “46% of U.S. employers say they face talent shortages and have issues filling open job positions. While job seekers may be looking for openings right next door, there’s a big disconnect here. We want to better connect employers and job seekers through this new initiative.”

Google for Jobs will initially partner with the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, Careerbuilder, Monster, Glassdoor, and other services. With its additional intelligence, the search engine will have a number of tools that will help to identify relevant job opportunities for the job searcher who will then be able to filter jobs by location, title, category or type, date posted or whether it’s full or part-time, among other things. The service will also show applicants things like commute time, to help them figure out if the job is too far away to consider.

Probably the most interesting thing about the service is that it will leverage Google’s machine learning smarts to understand how job titles are related and cluster them together. For example, a search for “retail” could mean “retail associate” or “store assistant” or “store manager,” depending on how the employer wrote the job description. Google will be able to put all these together, so users who search for “retail” will see all matching job types.

Google have also briefly mentioned a one-click “Apply” feature but we are yet to have details on how this would work.

With Google for Jobs’ imminent arrival in the US, we think it is only a matter of time before it is rolled out in other countries including the UK. Potentially changing the way candidates find their dream job in the future.