There is no doubt that Facebook remains a powerful digital marketing tool. It's rolled out many changes just in the last year. Now that tool has extended its reach into the HR field by launching a new feature that allows businesses to post jobs on Facebook.

Candidates can search for nearby jobs and even apply directly via Facebook. This is hugely helpful for small and mid-sized businesses that don't have the reach or the budget to expand their search or hire a recruiting firm to assist them.     

You may be thinking, "Wait? Is that really new? I thought you could do that already."

It's true that businesses and individuals already share job openings and connect with job hunters on the platform, but it's been very bulky up until now. You couldn't do much more than post an update with a link to another site where the job was posted. Now, however, new features allow jobs to be posted and applied for directly through Facebook.

Just launched in February 2017, the new feature is easily accessed through a Jobs bookmark on the left-hand side of the newsfeed screen.

Manage And Post Jobs On Facebook From Pages

The Jobs feature is easily managed from your Business Page. Page administrators use the status update field to create and post jobs on Facebook, track applications, and interact directly with applicants all via the Facebook and Messenger platforms. Jobs works with both desktop and mobile devices so all communications can be accessed in one place, regardless of what device you are using at the time.

Easy And Simple For Both Sides

Many smaller businesses don't have the staff or resources to spend on recruiting. Using Jobs, employers can quickly post jobs directly on the Facebook platform, broadcast them to whatever audience they want, and then sit back and wait for applications to roll in. The best news? It's FREE to Business Page owners, unlike LinkedIn, which charges users to post and promote openings. These job postings can even be run as targeted ads to help you attract candidates who are likely to be a good fit for your company and position.

The process is quick and easy on the applicant side too. Users can head over to their Jobs bookmark and browse the latest postings from local employers, or they may see job listings on Business Pages they have already subscribed to. An Apply Now button accompanies every job posting to open up a form that is pre-populated with information taken from the applicant's Facebook profile (don't worry, you can edit this data before it's sent). All job applications are sent to the Page as private messages so there is no need to worry about anyone in your network finding out about your job search.

Hitting The Right Market

One of the biggest things Facebook Jobs has going for it is sheer numbers. With over 1.8 billion users, Facebook is king in the social networking world. Those numbers and the way that people use Facebook will be hugely helpful for small and mid-sized businesses that are having trouble finding qualified workers. Unlike subscribers to job boards, Facebook users aren't coming to the platform just every once in a while for a specific purpose (like finding a job). They are using the platform daily, usually multiple times a day, for many different things.

Many of them are employed but aren't averse to checking out new opportunities if they come up. This is exactly what Facebook Jobs will do: place currently vacant positions right in front of local people who just might be the candidate you need. They might not even realize they want to change jobs until yours pops up right in front of them.

Another plus to the Jobs feature is the casual nature of it. It's perfect for part-time or hourly jobs. One simple application form that is halfway filled in for you already, and you're done. No need to spend hours crafting your resume or, worse, having to re-type the entire resume to fit the job board's platform. In some cases, the jobs being posted don't even require a resume, which can be a boon to casual job seekers or lower-skilled workers who just don't have need of one.

The Basics of Setting Up A Job Posting

It couldn't be simpler to post jobs using Facebook. Here's what you need to do:

• Log in to your Business Page.
• Visit the Jobs tab.
• Click Create Job.
• Enter relevant job data (job title, salary, location, etc.). Add as many or as few details as you like! You can even include a photo.
• Click Publish Job Post once all data is entered.
• Visit Messenger to view job applications as they come in.
• Visit the Jobs tab to manage the posting.

Watch Facebook's video about the posting process here.

Easy, right? If you are at all familiar with Facebook, you will have no problem creating a job posting.

Early Limitations

We've noticed a couple of early limitations that we are certain Facebook will be tweaking once the Jobs feature gets established.

• Location Limitations. The location associated with the position is currently limited to locations associated with Pages in Facebook. This is not ideal for companies that have staff who work off-site. You can work around this by including relevant geographic information in the job title, headline, or description. 
• Formatting Issues. Sometimes words at the end of a line will break in half instead of hyphenating. Not a big deal and likely something that Facebook will fix over time.
• Short Application Form. The actual application form is very basic and short right now. This will likely change as more and varied businesses and applicants start using the feature.
• No Resume Option. There is currently not an option to upload a resume. You'll likely have to request a resume to be sent via Messenger or include a link to your company's standard application form once you've decided to pursue an applicant. This may or may not matter much; every business will need to decide for itself how to best use the Jobs feature. Will you accept Jobs responses as full applications or will you require applicants that you are interested in to go through your company's standard application process?

Don't See It? Don't Worry, It's Coming

Jobs just came out in February, is only available in the U.S. and Canada for now, and is still being tested in certain markets, so if you don’t see it just yet, don't worry. It's probably on its way. In the meantime, you can start planning how Jobs and Facebook will enter into your recruitment strategy.

We think this will be a helpful tool to help businesses find local employees. Have you used the new Jobs feature to post jobs  or to find a job? We'd love to hear what you thought about it! Share your experience in the comments section below.