Can LinkedIn Make Applying for Jobs Easier?

A recent Wall Street Journal report has revealed that LinkedIn is making some changes that could simplify the application process for many job seekers who have profiles on the site.

LinkedIn Will Utilize Auto-Fill Technology to Make Applying Easier

The WSJ article reported that LinkedIn is now partnering with Taleo, the country’s largest job applicant tracking system provider, in order to allow job seekers the opportunity to utilize auto-fill technology through their LinkedIn profiles when applying for jobs.

The auto-fill technology will extract applicants’ biographical and professional history information from their profiles and automatically fill in that information in online job applications, eliminating at least part of the time-consuming and repetitive process that goes with job seeking.

Taleo powers the career pages of about 5,000 companies including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and United Airlines.  Individuals applying to participating companies are now likely to find (by the end of September) an option to auto-fill from their LinkedIn pages.

What If I’m Not a LinkedIn Member?

If you’re concerned that you won’t be able to try this newer, simpler application process because you’re not a member of LinkedIn, it’s time to ask, “What am I waiting for?”

LinkedIn is a premier online professional service for helping job seekers to get noticed by recruiters while giving hiring managers access to a more in-depth version of your resume.  Setting up a profile is free and easy, and once you’ve joined, you have the opportunity to list your resume, link with former coworkers and other associates, and even give and receive recommendations.

As a job seeker, creating a LinkedIn profile should be on your agenda whether you plan to utilize its simplified application or not.  But why not take advantage of something that makes applying even simpler if you have access to it?  Cutting down the time it takes to apply could only make it easier to seek and find more jobs in which you’re interested.

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