According to tech guru Nick Macario, what’s powering Bitcoin-mania may soon disrupt Recruiting, by toppling Facebook and LinkedIn and returning ownership to individuals.

On February 5, 1637, the children of Dutch tavern-keeper, Wouter Bartelmiesz, gathered their late father’s possessions for a large auction in the town of Alkmaar. Among items up for bid was a small botanical collection that drew both the humble townsfolk and wealthy elite into the auction house. For many, the public event was pure spectacle. For the crafty, there were particular items promising outlandish, unprecedented wealth: tulip bulbs.

Newly introduced from Turkey to the Netherlands in the late 1500s, tulips became the day’s hottest industry. A poet at the time wrote of the Dutch tulip trade, “He who considers the profits that some make every year from their tulips will believe that there is no better Alchemy than this agriculture.”

Highly valued for their novel rarity, tulip bulbs were in high demand, encouraging many nascent investors to liquidate their assets and get on board with the lucrative but risky venture. Tulip prices swelled when certain specimens mutated, following an outbreak of the non-fatal mosaic virus that left irregular color patterns on petals. Garden centers around the lowlands scrambled to keep these rare flowers in stock, and between December 1636 and January 1637, their price increased twenty-fold. Speculation as to how much higher prices could go was rife. Tulips became a futures market.

At the Alkmaar auction, one buyer paid 21,000 guilders for a single lot. Enough to buy two large houses on Amsterdam’s swishiest waterway, the Keizersgracht, or Emperor’s Canal (where today, one floor of one of those canal houses easily goes for a million euros). In the span of a few hours, Wouter Bartelmiesz’s children went from poor orphans to exceptionally wealthy thanks to their late father’s collections, and just in time, too, as the tulip supply, racing to meet demand, soon began to outpace it.

A matter of weeks after the auction, determined sellers were flooding the market, creating a domino effect of lower and lower prices that sent many remorseful buyers into a panic, and any remaining prospectors running for the dunes. In a pattern that has played out several times since, with few takers and an oversaturated supply, the market imploded. So badly that the federal government was forced to intervene, mediate, and settle disputes.

“Tulip mania” is generally considered to be the first speculative bubble in modern Western history. Today, many consider investing in Bitcoin to be the latest.

The current controversy around the world’s most well-known cryptocurrency shares “many of the elements of tulip-bulb mania,” said Citadel CEO Ken Griffin, remarking on the record price of nearly $20,000 a coin in late 2017. Value dropped dramatically between December 2017 and February 2018, and despite a slight increase in March of this year, current price trackers illustrate a diminishing trend.

“All the speculation between cryptocurrency prices cause people to ultimately question how there’s no physical object backing the value,” says Nick Macario, co-founder of dock.io and CEO of Remote.com.

While the risks of investing in commodities like gold and silver — to say nothing of tulip bulbs — are well known, Macario identifies an important distinction: “People accepted gold as the currency standard because it’s a physical object. They feel there’s an explanation for why gold can have a value. However, that worth is disconnected from its utility as gold.”

To adrenaline-jacked trader types, it doesn’t matter. To the skeptical or the parsimonious, unseasoned newcomers are investing in technology few can even explain. At least with tulips, everyone agreed that they were beautiful flowers worthy of admiration. What Bitcoin is, the nuts and bolts that make it work, are almost too abstract to explain fully here. So we won’t. Not just yet.

That’s where futurists like Macario come in. A serial founder who’s launched four companies and honorably exited two, he’s here to demystify the technology powering Bitcoin-mania, the bulb of the thing, if you will. It’s called blockchain, and “it’s sometimes referred to as a pyramid scheme,” says Macario. “There’s a lot of mistrust because many people don’t, fundamentally, understand it. Blockchain technology is not only for cryptocurrency, although that’s the most widely used application for it.”

Macario is using blockchain to power his most recent venture, dock.io, launched this year, which connects millions of job seekers on a decentralized network, one he says will rival Facebook and LinkedIn, only without limitations to user-data mobility.

The way things work now, professionals build extensive profiles, reputations, and experiences on closed business and social networking platforms like Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, even Twitter. But what happens when you decide to shift your personal information onto another network? It can’t be done.

Macario insists blockchain holds huge potential beyond cryptocurrency or freeing your data from Facebook. Macario insists, perhaps unexpectedly, that blockchain is about to disrupt the recruitment industry.

Imagine: when you update your profile with a new job title, it automatically syncs and updates everywhere at once, across all platforms, saving you time and optimizing your online processes. dock.io also expedites recruiters’ manual tasks like conducting background checks. For candidates, deciding which applications can access your data is as simple as toggling notifications on or off.

“We’re empowering the user tremendously,” says Macario. “We’re going to build the largest, most complete resource of data about an individual in existence.”

Given the current climate of massive data leaks and growing concerns over the sale of browsing histories to advertisers, Macario’s claims of freely sharing profiles across the net may sound undesirable, but the ledger records on the blockchain are both continually updated across the peer-to-peer network, and protected by a layer of cryptography distributed across many points, or “nodes”. Any unauthorized changes would require massive amounts of computing power to access the controlling majority (at least 51%) of nodes, and modify them simultaneously. The bigger the network, the more difficult this becomes.

Though the dock.io network may still be in its infancy, it’s scaling rapidly and gaining buzz. This February, dock.io completed its Initial Coin Offering (ICO) — the cryptoquivalent of an IPO — raking in over $20m via DOCK token sales. These tokens decide how data is accessed and shared across the dock.io protocol. Transactions of data exchange between applications and users on dock.io incur a token cost. This token exchange also works to ensure the quality of data, as applications are only rewarded tokens when other applications validate the same data on their networks. DOCK tokensalso grant the holder influential votes over the future direction of the protocol as dock.io scales up in the coming months, much like a shareholder in a traditional company structure.

“We could create a powerful network that helps applicant tracking systems and other CRM systems,” says Macario, “because they have more enriched data to build more and better features, recruit better, and make better decisions.”

*****

Like other blockchain acolytes, Macario’s exhortations bear the burden of public proof. But Macario knows that even when broken down into its most basic elements, blockchain theory is about as punchy as reading a Samsung TV instruction manual. In Korean. But this is tech that may change your life sooner than you think, so let’s try.

A blockchain is an encrypted digital ledger of records, organized into blocks. These blocks are located on servers called nodes, with any nodal computer connected to the network and linked to others, like a chain. Each node maintains a copy of said ledger and informs other nodes of newly submitted or newly verified transactions, allowing information to be distributed securely across an entire network without the need for a central administrator. This is possible because blockchain transactions contain their own proof of validity and authorization, instead of requiring a centralized application.

Blockchain’s distributed database syncs data along all nodes in the chain and protects them with advanced cryptography, meaning that all data on the chain is transparent and immutable. By nature of its decentralized network, the blockchain is extremely difficult to hack, and global enterprises including Walmart, FedEx, UPS, British Airways, and Dutch transport company Maersk, use blockchain to track supply chains, streamline and secure international shipping, solve customer disputes, and standardize global trade and finance.

Even non-profits, fashion gurus, and musicians are integrating blockchain into their business practices. Great for Macario and his cause, likely awesome for recruiting; not so good for anyone waiting for the next Kanye single to leak.

For job seekers, blockchain’s value is clear. They own their data and can share it wherever and with whomever they please, on a secure, verifiable, and decentralized network. After the hiring process, blockchain can protect employee data from falsification and unauthorized changes, since the data can only be modified with the approval of all links in the chain.

“Instead of controlling user data,” Macario suggests, “companies will realize that their model is creating a better network and a better offering. People can freely decide to use their platform, not because they are trapped there.“ Though Macario assures his end goal is to work with large platforms, he confidently claims, “We don’t need Facebook or LinkedIn to grow a huge network.”

Through direct signups, the dock.io network grows by 100k new users each month. Not much compared to Facebook’s 2.2 billion or LinkedIn’s 500 million last quarter, but “where we start to scale is through partnerships with companies like SmartRecruiters,” says Macario. “There are 12 million job seekers a year who are not yet in the dock.io network. When we start integrating them, and then plug into hundreds of other networks, we can scale to build a bigger network than LinkedIn, and do it without LinkedIn.”

Though the balance of internet power could fluctuate in the wake of upcoming data privacy legislation, both in the US and abroad, until data control returns to the hands of individuals, Macario won’t be happy, and we won’t necessarily be safe. But dock.io looks to be instrumental in moving the needle towards empowering individuals world-web-wide and debasing the systems of power that give companies like Facebook enough control to keep a scandal like Cambridge Analytica out of the press for so long.

So as long Bitcoin and others like it remain more an abstraction than something to pay for your groceries with, the cryptocurrency market will remain unstable. But instead of fixating on the tulip-bulb nature of the technology’s fluctuating stock, Macario seeks to understand how the not-so-abstract value of blockchain can herald something as stable as the second-coming of the gold standard.

“It’s just a matter of who’s controlling the data,” he says. “I think eventually it’s going to be the user, and I hope we can do that in the short term. Data will always be the most valuable resource.”

Fall means beautiful heaps of russet leaves – ripe for the jumping-in but even more exciting, Fall means more features in the SmartRecruiters Ecosystem. It’s here! The latest Product Release! Integrations that will save time, encourage collaboration, and boost candidate experience.

When we say integration we mean partnership with the platforms you already use like Facebook, Google Job Search, and Slack so you can work where you work best with the full power of SmartRecruiters’ Talent Acquisition Suite behind you.

Open up a channel in Slack with other interviewers, use Facebook to create a job marketing campaign, or narrow down your job hunt by commute time with Google Job Search – all these things are now possible within the SmartRecruiters ecosystem

Our OS ecosystem will now include these major players to enhance each step of the recruiting process from attracting to selecting to hiring. It’s all about saving you time so that you can invest in relationships with the right candidates. Because we think technology should help us be better more personal humans.

And that’s why these small tweaks and add-ons are actually a big deal!

Maybe you’re waiting for a promising candidate to graduate you can use the Defer Candidate feature to resurface them at the right time and on the other side if you know a candidate is a poor fit immediately (heartbreaking but it happens) you can utilize the Delayed Rejection option to observe an appropriate period of consideration. Recruiters can also expedite the vetting process with Screening Automation that uses enhanced screening questions to sort through applicants more efficiently.

We give you the reigns with the right amount of flexibility and control to tailor the experience to the needs of your business. In the end we want you to feel in command of the hiring process. It should be a good for everyone.

One key component of how we fit with your business is the language we use. Now pretty much wherever you are you can find the front and back end languages you need from our system. We are adding more languages to the platform’s back office functionality, including traditional Chinese, Hungarian, Japanese, Portuguese and Slovak, on top of the 12 other languages it currently supports, and is adding new candidate languages, including Greek, Indonesian and Ukrainian, to the 30 other candidate languages currently supported.
Feature Close-ups

Facebook – As our collaboration with Facebook develops we continue to support customers with the out-of-the-box Facebook app, full Share to functionalities and most recently the ability to create targeted advertising campaigns with the power of facebook and the support of SmartRecruiters marketing team.

Google Jobs Search –  Take your jobs to the top of the search list! Our Alpha partnership with Google makes it easier for our custom jobs to be discovered by candidates. Part of this partnership includes improved access to detailed information like job location and commute time via Google Maps, with all our job ads. With the new Google Job Search functionality, candidates won’t have to navigate cumbersome job boards to find relevant opportunities which means more completed applications.

Slack –Reduce clicks and encourage collaboration. You can now automatically create job channels in Slack from the SmartRecruiters platform based on hiring team. Participants are also able to unfurl links via the Slack app, providing direct access to candidate and job profiles for recruiters, hiring managers and interviewers. No switching in and out of apps!

Defer Candidate – Keep your company’s candidate pipeline relevant. Resurface candidates at the appropriate time within the SmartRecruiters platform. No externally-triggered reminder needed!

Delayed Rejection – This upgrade to the Rejections feature enables recruiters to delay a rejection email to a candidate, so that they still have the feeling of being considered instead of simply “screened by a robot”. This is a way for recruiters to respect the time investment of the candidate and ensure a positive experience even when delivering bad news.

Amazon Alexa – SmartRecruiters is excited to integrate Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant into our candidate platform to make it easier for candidates who use Echo to check their application status and send messages to recruiters using Alexa voice commands. This feature will be accessible to everyone at the start of next year is currently on available to select users.

Wherever communication is happening is where we want to be and we look forward to integrating with more and more platforms in the future. You choose where you do the work and we help with the how. Our OS is built to expand as the needs of our customers change and grow with a dynamic ecosystem that’s built for innovation and a team that’s always looking ahead. Winter is coming but unlike the gorgeous autumn leaves, these features are here to stay and will only get better.

Link to full press release!

Facebook started as the personal page for students of American colleges. LinkedIn started as the professional page for their parents. With market caps of $58.78 billion and $19.97 billion, respectively, it is clear that both Facebook and LinkedIn have a come a long way over the last 8-9 years. But what have they become? Why do you log into each?

I joined Facebook in 2006 with the purpose of sharing jokes with my friends, and I joined LinkedIn in 2010 with the purpose of gaining a “serious” job. But now that my networks have developed – there is a lot of overlap – my friends are my connections and connections are my friends.

Today the truth is that the average age of the Facebook user is 40.5, and the average of the LinkedIn user is 44. What is the difference between what a 40 year old and a 44 year old talks about? As both companies approach saturation point – solely in terms of number of American users – I believe we are seeing a deviation to the mean in terms of content shared within the platforms.

Today, there are three reasons I log into each Facebook and LinkedIn: (1) news, (2) fun & (3) meeting people.

Firstly, it’s news. When it comes to breaking the news, both LinkedIn and Facebook continue to gain market share (and Twitter too of course), and there is only so much news, which makes overlaps in status updates inevitable. When news breaks – whether it’s national news or the news of my friends – I often learn about it from my social networks. I mean your network talks about what your network talks about. On what website did you hear and read about the Zimmerman verdict? Or the Boston Marathon bombings?

Facebook has changed the way we consume news. It is the updates for the people and companies we friend and like. A good social network is the pulse of who we choose to be connected to online.

LinkedIn has increasingly built features similar to Facebook in order to make it a more socially friendly place: text updates, image updates, people tagging, and company pages. With the addition of company pages, the public has been given a direct line of communication to any given company. Where will the potential customers and potential hires choose to communicate with your company?

In the long run, Facebook and LinkedIn learn from each other. Will LinkedIn continue to follow Facebook’s social networking features and build a feature like LinkedIn instant messaging? Or, will Facebook start following LinkedIn’s use of the editorial line and build a feature like Facebook Today?

Secondly, it’s fun. When it comes to fun, LinkedIn is becoming more like Facebook. At least it seemed like it this week. It’s kind of like whatever the software, or place, my friends will share what they want to share. A friend from college (a funny writer) created Exhibit A:

These days on LinkedIn – while I’m connecting to business professionals, sharing my professional thoughts, and reading professionally produced content – more of my friends are messing with me as they used to on Facebook. Oh Erika, how nice of you to endorse me!

Additionally, an anonymous source told me a story: man marries woman, and the next day woman endorses him for “Strategic Partnerships.”

Thirdly, I use Facebook and LinkedIn to meet people. Yes, I use LinkedIn more to set business meetings and Facebook more to set personal meetings. But I also use LinkedIn to meet colleagues outside of work, and Facebook to set up work meetings. Increasingly, as VP of Path Matt Van Horn said at a recent SmartRecruiters event, people are Facebook friending all their business connections.

Friending people who you do business with is not a black and white moment. Your friends can become your future hires, investors, customers, or business partners. Your colleagues, investors, customers and business partners can become your future friends.

Both Facebook and LinkedIn want you to grow your network – often promoting the user to import email contacts – and they have very similar algorithms to suggest “People You May Know.”**

And don’t think that Facebook isn’t also learning from LinkedIn. The LinkedIn InMail – the ability to pay ≈ $10 to message anyone  – was followed by the Facebook pay-to-message feature, where the cost to message a stranger (depending on the size of their network) ranges from $1-15.

**Facebook and LinkedIn also have a similar algorithm and functionality to connect people with companies. When you like a page on Facebook, you receive a prompt of “Get Updates From Similar Pages” and when you view a company page on LinkedIn, the right hand column advertises “People Also Viewed” X companies. LinkedIn and Facebook both want you to like and follow as many companies as possible in order to host the exchange of information from company to person.

So what does this have to do with recruiting? It’s hard to recruit people without knowing their information. Today, the information about your talent, accomplishments, networks and ambitions are – more than anywhere else – stored on Facebook and LinkedIn.

The SmartRecruiters mindset is that candidates are already keeping their professional information somewhere (LinkedIn, Facebook, your own site, etc.), and our job application is here to let you choose – and quickly share – the information source that best fits the job you are interested in. The application process should be only a few moments: connect with Facebook/LinkedIn, write short (tweet-style) message to the hiring manager – and just like that – interest in job expressed.

The simple of it is this: more of my friends are connections, more of my connections are friends, and more businesses are in my newsfeed. Oh to be connected to your friends!

David Smooke is Director of Social Media @SmartRecruiters, the hiring platform with everything you need to source talent, manage candidates and make the right hires.

As of the First Quarter in 2013, Facebook has 1.11 billion users and is by far the largest social media platform. Since 2004, there has proven to be many advantages for its use, but can job searching be one of them? Absolutely. Although LinkedIn is considered to be the “grown up” at the social media table (due to its professional nature), jobseekers haven’t really considered Facebook to be a viable jobhunt method. But that mentality is shifting. So what does an optimized profile look like on a traditionally non-professional channel? And how can you utilize Facebook in your job search? Here are some quick tips:

1. First, take a good look at your profile. I’d suggest choosing a simple headshot for your profile picture and cleaning up any questionable posts. If your profile needs a thorough scrubbing, step aside some time to reread your feed and hide inappropriate updates or use an app like SimpleWash (aka FaceWash), which will search your updates and likes by keywords. Use the first 140 characters in the “About” section to describe who you are professionally and promote your core abilities. Use targeted, industry-based keywords as a headline that draws positive attention. Of course, you need make sure that your “About” section is visible to the public.

2. “Like” employers, and friend or follow leaders in your industry. Employers use Facebook not only to promote their product or service, but to showcase available positions (with apps like the Careers Tab by SmartRecruiters). Look on their page for an app that says “Careers” or “Now Hiring.” There has also been an increase in recruiters using Facebook to find talent. Get the newsfeeds of companies you want to work for and subscribe to the content of industry leaders you are interested in. You’re more likely to receive information on job openings sooner as well as being current on topics and issues.

3. Use #hashtags. Hashtags? Yes. In case you haven’t heard, Facebook officially jumped on the hashtag bandwagon earlier this month. A hashtag is a hash mark (#) used to identify a keyword or topic of interest to facilitate a search. This is an effective research technique that can open up new resources, users, companies, apps, etc. you may not have otherwise known about. Combining this feature with Facebook’s revamped Graph Search definitely creates a powerful tool. General hashtags can include #jobsearch, #hiring, #careers, #helpwanted, etc. Or use industry-based hashtags as well.

4. Research apps. Go to the Facebook App Center and click “All Apps” from the drop-down. If you search “career”, “jobhunt” or “jobs”, an auto-populated list appears. However, be cautious with apps. Two key things I look for are the number of monthly users and its rating. As with any app, it will request access to parts (or all) of your profile. There are lots of good apps, and 3 of my favorite Facebook jobseeker apps are Glassdoor, BranchOut, & BeKnown.*

Your Facebook profile can either work for you or against you. It can give a positive snapshot of your best skills or be a detriment to your employability. It all depends on your content. Knowing that 1 out of 3 employers reject applicants based on Facebook posts, it’s always good to have a “Think twice, post once” mentality.

David Nicola (@Capt_Careerist) has over 15 years of experience in the Human Services field. He currently serves as the Career Services Director at Laurus College, providing jobsearch information and resources to college students of all ages.

*SmartRecruiters, the hiring platform, partners with GlassDoor & Monster (maker of BeKnown). BranchOut, like SmartRecruiters, received venture capital from the Mayfield Fund.

Jerome Ternynck presented “Hiring on Facebook.” With over a billion people on Facebook, harnessing its power will go a long way toward defining your social recruiting strategy. The six pillars of Hiring on Facebook are:

1. Facebook Profile.
2. Apply with Facebook.
3. Social Referrals.
4. Facebook Careers Tab.
5. Facebook Ads.
6. Graph Search.

10. Anikka Fragodt manages Zuckerburg’s life, and that’s no exaggeration. Fragodt works behind the scenes as Zuckerburg’s executive assistant, which at a company as large as Facebook and a man as busy and in demand as him is no small task. Organization is key for Fragodt and she is solely responsible for making sure Zuckerburg does exactly what he needs to do to keep Zuckerburg running at the pace and quality Facebook demands. Zuckerburg may be the head of the company, but Fragodt is the neck. As far as I remember from my anatomy classes, the head doesn’t function without one.

9. Steve King directed Facebook’s media sales from April 2005 to July 2006. Though his time was short, his impact was huge. King was responsible for acquiring the first huge advertisers, such as Panasonic and Microsoft. By gaining attention from such large companies, King added huge values to Facebook’s market share and validated the model of generating ad revenue from gigantic companies.

8. Aaron Sittig was the first designer at Facebook and responsible for hiring the first product design team. Sittig is responsible for the concept of tagging friends in Facebook pictures. Photo albums were one of Facebook’s first standout features, Sittig capitalized on this and made albums far more engaging for Facebook users.

7. Sheryl Sandberg is the current COO at Facebook. Sandberg manages all business operations from public policy and sales, to human resources and marketing, including everything in between.  Sandberg has held many C-level positions at a variety of companies; with a track record of gold it is no wonder Facebook hired her to ensure the now global company will run like an enterprise. Many would place her higher on the list, but with all the amazing things other employees have made to build Facebook, 7 is as high as I could place the COO.

6. Scott Marlette was one of Facebook’s first employees and – like in most startup environments – he was expected to wear many hats. Marlette started as in engineer and later became a product manager. Marlette developed Facebook photos and photo albums. You know, that amazing feature we all spend hours clicking through to stalk friends and family? Marlette was also a key player in developing Groups, Events, and Inbox.

5. Andrew McCollum came to Facebook in February 2004 as an engineer and cofounder. McCollum designed Facebook’s first logo. This is another example of a team member that wore many hats, and wore them well. As an engineer McCollum was responsible for building functionality, but he was also responsible for designing an international symbol that is easily recognized everywhere today.

4. Taner Halicioglu, hired in October 2004, was the first Facebook employee outside of the founders. Halicioglu built the entire initial hardware infrastructure. This means he developed architecture that allowed Facebook’s website to grow and evolve as its audience did. Halicioglu delivered performance, Facebook users usually do not think about what makes the website work, but it does because of this great hire.

3. Dustin Moskovitz was Facebook’s first CTO, and Zuckerberg’s roommate. As the leader of technical staff, Moskovitz oversaw the building of major architecture on the site. Today we hear everyone talking about “going mobile,” and having mobile capabilities for their product. Moskovitz was way ahead of us all in developing Facebook’s mobile strategy and development before most companies saw the real value of a mobile application. Moskovtiz in a phrase, “ahead of the curve.”

2. Andrew Bosworth was among the first 15 engineers at Facebook and helped build the newsfeed. As Facebook’s engineering teams began to grow to massive sizes Bosworth took it upon himself to ensure Facebook would not lose its culture. Bosworth set up boot camps to emphasize Facebook’s,  “hacker way” and ensure each engineer would get to know each other. Not only is Bosworth a technical magician, but also he cares about the team.

1. Naomi Gleit, the 2nd longest tenured employee (Zuckerburg is first), was hired as Facebook’s “Product Manager of Growth” in 2005. It’s her job to make sure everyone with Internet access became a Facebook user. Gleit helped grow Facebook from 1 million users at the time of her hire to over 1 billion today. Gleit introduced Facebook to a global audience by implementing translation abilities, easier signup pages, and pushing Facebook beyond college students and their networks. Every day Gleit works on introducing Facebook to a new market, and I say she’s done a pretty good job.

It’s hard to imagine that Facebook was ever a startup, all we can think of is a Silicon Valley giant, operating the largest and most successful social network in the world.  However, there was a time, when Facebook was just getting started. In the early phases it’s important to hire talented people who can excel in more than one area because the reality is you will never be able to have all the people you want.  Facebook makes quality hires that take pride in their work and make lasting impressions on the way Facebook operates. As Facebook continues to grow so does the rate at which they hire, but I will tell you one thing for sure, they are not sacrificing talent and neither should you.

SmartRecruiters is the Hiring Platform. Everything you need to source talent, manage candidates and make the right hires.  Image Credit Ely Tran.

Job seekers are spending ridiculous amounts of time on Facebook and by ridiculous, I mean upwards for 400 minutes a month poking, sharing and commenting among their most trusted friends and brands. So how do recruiters fit into this picture? Up until recently, Facebook’s search made it difficult, lessening Facebook’s worth as a candidate mining database. Then Facebook’s Social Graph entered the picture.

Facebook’s Social Graph makes sense because the job search is becoming way more casual. Job seekers quickly move from passive to active and back to passive again. We continuously fall in and out of love with our work but spending time on Facebook, that remains the same. The social network is the wild west for recruiters. Facebook Social Graph Search opened the doors for recruiters by allowing improved search of friends’s data and better access to public information.. There’s lots of open air, not much recruiting competition, and the smell of opportunity.

Social Graph Search by Name, Company & Location

I can easily search by job title, company name and location for friends and those connected around me. For example, a graph search of my friends using, “My friends who work at Geico” provided me two results. I can message my potential candidates immediately or ask for position referrals immediately. Imagine the possibilities.

As a recruiter, I can target my specific network by location. I can look for geo location check ins and search for potential candidates by city in a cleaner and more visual way.

Social Graph Search by Photos

One of the major enhancements to search is the use of the social graph for photos sorting through tags, locations, and other important information. This is a powerful addition to the recruiter’s social recruiting tool belt especially since 1.1 billion photos were uploaded to Facebook on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day just this year. Imagine the possibilities.

Quickly searching on Facebook’s new Social Graph Search, I entered in the keywords, “Photos of SourceCon” which is a popular recruiting and internet sourcing conference held twice a year. Thousands of photos immediately popped up on my screen for me to choose from. Look who’s there! And remember to pin down your search by adding a location or year to narrow your search results.

Social Graph Search by Brands We Like

Tap into events and brand pages that can help you better understand where engagement and opportunities lie. A search of “My friends who like SXSW” provided a list of interesting results where I can tap into my network especially if they are a fan of a brand or a competitor company who is hiring. To really take your social graph search to the next level, try to search for “My friends of friends who like SXSW” and see your results.

While still in it’s infancy, Facebook’s Social Graph Search provides recruiters some interesting insights into their potential candidates. I like where it is heading. The key for companies who are hiring and recruiting on Facebook is to create a formalized process to source talent in a smart and fair manner.

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media.  She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. Photo Credit Jessica Miller-Merrell.

SmartRecruiters is the hiring platform with everything you need to source talent, manage candidates and make the right hire.

Bill Boorman put it perfectly, “Facebook is where people live.” Knowing that, Facebook should be a major part of any company’s strategy. Having a good Facebook presence gives brands the chance to enter the living rooms of over 1 billion people to share their company mission, product, and employer brand. Startups may not have the same financial assets as big companies, but that’s no indication of the impression they are able to make on Facebook. Check out the Top 10 Startups on Facebook for a look at how to share you brand in a big way even from the beginning.

10. Rdio provides commercial free music no matter where you are. Nietzsche once said, “without music, life would be a mistake.” Rdio is making sure no one has to make that mistake. Their Facebook page keeps its audience musically current and diverse. Providing your day with musical enrichment is only half of the great stuff on Rdio’s Facebook they also share awesome exclusive interviews and music. Who gets to collect all this great music, and host interviews? Rdio employees.

9. Hotel Tonight ensures you will have always have a place to sleep. Last minute hotel booking is no longer an issue, and Hotel Tonight even scores its users great discounts. Their Facebook page takes you on tours of great hotels wherever Hotel Tonight venues are available. Just think, it’s someones’ job to go from place to place trying food, and pillow firmness after snapping a photo. I may even have to book a little staycation, through Hotels Tonight of course.

8. RunKeeper gives everyone access to a personal trainer, in your pocket! RunKeeper’s technology is making the world healthier and employees are passionate about making health more social, I think we can all get behind that. RunKeeper’s Facebook features athletic trivia, and awesome pictures of runners in RunKeeper gear going strong in even the most daunting of conditions. Their page is about sharing inspiration and encouraging health, they are doing a great job!

7. Kik Interactive connects you to everyone you want to talk to, this smartphone messenger is creating conversation everyday and their Facebook page only beefs it up. It makes sense that a company focused on being social, would have a social office too. Office dogs are a good sign of a laid back and fun workplace. Does Kik have a dog? Of course they do! Office culture is made apparent by photos of employees making silly faces, giving out prizes, and exchanging Christmas gifts.

6. Smarty Had a Party specializes in elegant disposable dinnerware. Imagine, no dishes after a dinner party, no linens to launder, isn’t it glorious? Disposable dinnerware get a bad rap, but Smarty Had a Party will change your mind about that. Their Facebook has pictures of their products in use, giving anyone the ability to be the hostest, or host, with mostest.From the looks of Cozy Hot Cocoa party photos, Smarty employees get to test the products, they are in the party business after all.

5. Snapguide makes DIY a hobby for anyone with iOS technology. Do-it-yourselfers feature step by step instructions and photos on how to create amazing almost anything. From scarves to recipes, there’s a snapguide for that, and you can find some on Facebook! With Snapguide it’s unbelievably easy to connect over interests to share tips, tricks, and creative juices. Snapguide’s Facebook brings it all together. Get familiar with the Snapguide team on Facebook and find things to do on a rainy day.

4. Ellie is changing the workout game. Not only are they breaking the mold of traditional startup industry, they are making awesome workout clothes affordable. Thank you! Their Facebook page features pictures of their eco-friendly manufacturing process, and photo shoots. These employees stay fit and fashionable while still being green! They offer sneak peaks of what it’s like to be a designer for Ellie, and who can forget the healthy recipes and fitness tips throughout the page?

3. in.gredients takes fresh to a new level as a “zero-waste, package-free microgrocer selling local foods.” Their employees are, “sustainability soldiers,” if you will. In.gredients’ Facebook is a great example of employees committed to a cause greater than themselves. Plus, people are in major support of their efforts, they were funded by indiegogo‘s crowd funding platform. Check out in.gredients’ Facebook for recipes and community composting tips. In.gredients leads by example.

2. The Spark Group is a a digital marketing and social media agency, “committed to the development and maintenance of online relationships.” A peak at their Facebook shows you they are committed to relationships in the office as well. In the city that never sleeps, employees have set up an office fun and comfortable enough to work any hour of the day or night (check out this pup on an air mattress… he’s living large). Plus, they provide cool facts all relevant to the social media and digital marketing space.

1. Meraki Inc provides wireless networks that serve millions of users in thousands of networks. While the product is very technical their Facebook is far from lacking the human touch. The Meraki Inc’s Facebook is focused on their team, when you’re looking for a job a big part of the equation is the type of people you will be working with. They have great pictures of their office space and Michael Jackson. Yep MJ, check out the Meraki Inc Team doing Thriller! These guys are experts at employer branding.

These employer brands are doing a great job creating a reputation for themselves. They are giving their audience an inside look at their culture and a deeper look into what their brand is all about. Just because your company is small or just starting out, does not mean you do not have something to share, showing the public how you build is just as important as getting there because it’s what lets them know whether or not your brand is something they want to be apart of. As I’ve said before, employer branding has an end goal; you want people to say, “I really want a job there.”

SmartRecruiters has everything you need to post a job, manage candidates, and make the right hire, including a free app to list your jobs on your Facebook page.

“If you’re not on Facebook, then you’re not out there. If you’re a company and you’re not on Facebook, you’re not in the market,” said Amy Craig of SmartRecruiters at SmartUp: Facebook Recruiting.

Facebook makes a company organic. It gives you insight into the workplace, showing you the people behind the company. Facebook is an effective recruiting tool, especially when it comes to job candidates researching your company. If you have an updated, unique Facebook page, you can increase interest from job candidates, building better talent pools.

When researching a company, social media is a starting point for many candidates.  For example, search a company’s name. There’s a good chance, they’ll have a company Facebook page. So as a job candidate, when you’re researching a company for the first time, naturally you’re going to check out, in addition to their company website, the company’s Facebook. So what are candidates looking for when they check out your company Facebook? Below are four things that your Facebook says about your company, and how you can make your Company Facebook page recruit for you:

1. Work-life balance

One thing that is very appealing to a job seeker is seeing that your company doesn’t just have a ‘come in, work, go home’ mentality. Candidates will want to see photos of your employees outside of working, for example, having fun at a company retreat or an after work happy-hour. Facebook is a perfect medium to show your company’s work life balance, so keeping your company Facebook page up to date with this kind of content is a major benefit for attracting quality job seekers.

2. Coworker comradery

People also want to work for a company where employees like each other.  This too can be shown on your Facebook (if your employees like each other). Take pictures of daily life in your office; coworkers eating lunch together, working together on a project, or playing foosball. At SmartRecruiters, one of our massive light shades began to fall from the ceiling. In a team effort, it took 6 or 7 of us to put reattach it.  The picture is not only funny, but shows the type of comradery we have in our office.

3. Your office

If you have a sweet startup office, building, or location, show it off! Who wouldn’t want to work somewhere unique, especially if their last job was in a 1960s office building with pale pink cubicle walls, in a scuzzy part of town.  If you have an awesome kitchen, unique wall art, ping pong table, or your office is a restored warehouse, don’t hide it.  Your office space is one of the ways that you can brand yourself, so have pictures of your workplace on the Facebook. Allowing a job seeker to take a virtual tour of your office may get them even more excited about the position.

4. Company values

What does your company do outside of work? Whether it be a charity, volunteering, or having a softball team, you can show your company values through your company’s Facebook. Many job candidates are looking for a company with values that align with their own, and showing your company’s involvement with social good or activity outside the workplace shows your company’s values.

Facebook is one of the ways that you can show a job candidate what it is like to work at your company. Instead of reading corporate descriptions of the company, Facebook gives a personal touch to job research. The more effective you are branding your company through Facebook, the more attractive your company will be for job seekers.

Joe Hanson, the @TheJobChaser, is a blogging intern with SmartRecruiters, the free hiring platform, including a free app to list your jobs on Facebook. Joe helped make this video:

Employer branding is how an organization creates a reputation for themselves. Every company wants to be known as someone you want to work for, buy from, and talk positively about. A lot of companies rely on social networks to build and maintain their brand. With over 1 billion people on Facebook, there are a wealth of potential employees. Smart brands know it is essential to build a great Facebook page. Why not turn a fan into your next hire?

Here are the 10 Best Employer Brands on Facebook :

10. Netsuite’s SAAS product has everything you need for business management. This cloud service employs a host of do-gooders, and they celebrate them! Their Facebook features pictures of Netsuite employees running to help build classrooms in the Philippines. By highlighting their social good initiatives (a la SmartRecruiters’ Give Labor) potential employees know this is a company that is doing something to better the community around them.

9. Trulia has connected social to the home search. They’re unique product has every ounce of information from location, to real estate agent, and a discussion forum for questions. Their Facebook features amazing images of property listings. It is like taking a stroll through the fancy homes and gardens magazine. Count me in! It makes you wonder, who collects this amazing information? Trulia employees.

8. Agilent Technologies creates a measurable difference in the world. And they’ve got the technology to prove it. This company’s Facebook highlights Agilent Technologies’ accomplishments and contributions to science. Talk about being a part of something bigger than yourself. Check out their Facebook page and you’ll quickly learn Agilent is not only among Global 100s Most Sustainable Organizations, but they have technology roaming on Mars and are creating cancer therapies. If only I was scientifically inclined…

7. Hennepin County Medical Center is ranked among America’s best hospitals. What does this Minnesota hospital need for that? An amazing staff. Their Facebook doesn’t only provide value by giving healthy tips and tricks, but they show off what it’s like to work in their facility. They do a good job of attracting potential candidates by letting them know they’ll always be appreciated. Just check out their Employee Appreciation Day Album.

6. Pretzel Crisps are without a doubt my favorite snack. But that’s not why they are one of the best at Employer Branding. It’s the crunchy crisp creations they post all over their Facebook. Not to mention, they just know how to talk to people. You want to work for a company that appreciates its customers. And it’s obvious they do (see Tweets). There’s more of this appreciation all over their Facebook. Plus, who sits in the Pretzel Crisp factory thinking up these delicious recipes? Imaginative and brilliant employees.

5. Getaround is revolutionizing the car-sharing business, and they are putting you in charge. Getaround offers an entirely new type of self-employment, you get to decide the details of renting your car. Of course, there are employment opportunities in the Getaround office as well. They were included on Shervin’s list of Top 10 Disrupters of 2013. Poke around their photos and you’ll see this team knows how to have a great time. Like cars, like disruption, like people? Me too.

4. Boost Juice, I am personally waiting for this smoothie dream come true to come to San Francisco. They are the, “Fruitiest Page on Facebook,” and most fun place to work. On their Facebook we get a glimpse into some of the charities their teams participate in. They also have a great time throwing themed challenges across the franchises and getting their clients involved too, such as Fireman Friday. Whoever has the best fireman costume earns free smoothies for two weeks, employees spread the excitement by dressing up too. Have the energy to party at work? Boost Juice is the place for you!

3. Gillette is clearing up the smooth versus stubble debate one Facebook post at a time. This is another company with a great sense of humor. Their employees aren’t afraid to ask strangers, “what do you prefer smooth or stubble.” Their new Kiss & Tell campaign is taking employees to all sorts of cool events. It looks like field trips to solve the debate are a company norm.

2. Lululemon Athletica makes a healthy lifestyle oh, so fashionable. They are among the elite of workout gear, and employer branding. Lululemon employee’s get to participate in a variety of workout classes, and of course yoga. Not to mention sport all their great gear. They want their employees to breathe their brand, and who is not in favor of a long, healthy, and fun life? Plus, check out their video these yogis obviously have a sense of humor.

1. The Marriott doesn’t just know how to take great care of their hotel guests, but their employees as well. They recently received the Work-Life Seal of Distinction from World@Work, a fun fact I learned on their Facebook. They shares stories of good deeds done by employees, inspiring work quotes, and pictures of the Marriott employee experience. The Marriott is dedicated to providing their employees with opportunities for growth, a fact proven by the variety of classes they offer. Another fact I learned on their Facebook.

These companies are stars are sharing their brand. We get an inside look at what it is like to be a part of their culture. Shouldn’t it be that way before you apply to a job anyways? Employer Branding has an end goal. You want people to say, “I really want a job there.”

Social Recruiting starts with listing every open job on your Facebook Page. Use the Free Careers Tab by SmartRecruiters. Also, Check out the SmartRecruiters employer brand on Facebook.