Facebook could soon help job seekers land a new gig. A web developer recently spotted the option to add a Facebook résumé, suggesting that the social media giant is testing the option as a way to expand the job postings inside Marketplace. Facebook later confirmed that a feature called “work histories” is currently being tested.
The feature allows users to pull the work experience that Facebook already included in profiles into a separate résumé, where options like contact information, experience, and education can all be edited. Screenshots of the option include a notice that the information doesn’t cross-post to profiles.
New! Facebook is testing a Résumé / CV feature for job hunters
h/t @wongmjane pic.twitter.com/KfN2x66OKq
— Matt Navarra ️ (@MattNavarra) October 15, 2017
Facebook says the feature is designed to help users find work directly within the platform, so the feature probably isn’t something that users will link to on an application outside the platform. Instead, the option will likely expand the job ads inside of Facebook Marketplace that the company launched earlier this year.
The feature currently allows Facebook users to search for nearby jobs and even subscribe to notifications about new job postings. After clicking on the apply option for a job, Facebook automatically fills out several fields based on profile data, including name, education, and work experience. The résumé option could streamline the process, particularly for details job seekers may want on their resume but off their public profile.
As a feature that’s only in testing, there are a number of unknowns. A test of the feature also doesn’t necessarily mean that the tool will see a wide-spread launch.
The resume tool — if it actually launches — could be competition for the social media network designed for professionals, Linked In. The job listings in Marketplace already encroach on LinkedIn territory and the résumé feature could potentially drive more traffic to those job ads. Outside of those job ads, the Facebook Workplace, a variation of the platform designed for teamwork in the office, suggests professional use is a potential focus for the social media network.
Adding features first launched by other networks isn’t uncommon for the social media giant. Facebook now has live video first available through Twitter’s Periscope, and both a Snapchat-like Facebook Camera and Stories.
