This post is part of a new series from HuffPostTech, Socialized, that will profile a different social startup--from apps to services to websites--every day. Want to be featured on the site? Email us about your startup, which should have a social media component and be less than two years old, at bianca@huffingtonpost.com.
Jibe helps you take advantage of your online social network to get hired. What it is: Jibe, which calls itself a "next generation job board," syncs with companies' job application systems and your LinkedIn profile or Facebook account to highlight for you--and prospective employers--the people you know at the firm that is hiring. You yourself may not realize that an old friend from high school is working at the Fortune 500 company you want to join, but using your online network, Jibe surfaces the connection.
"Jibe connects job seekers to people they know at the companies they want to work at," Jibe CEO Joe Essenfeld told The Huffington Post.
How it works: You won't find all companies on Jibe, but you will find quality ones. Jibe currently works with around 30 companies (about 18 are Fortune 500 firms) to populate its job board with openings. It uses human moderators to ensure none of the listings are from recruiters, are part-time or are "work from home" scams.
Being connected directly to companies' own recruiting systems also helps ensure that all jobs on Jibe actually exist: According to Essenfeld, when a company takes down a posting, it will be removed from Jibe within two hours. Jibe will also be opening up its website to a much wider set of employers soon.
Users log in to Jibe using LinkedIn or Facebook Connect, then Jibe shows the people you know at the companies in which you're interested. Users can then opt to show their connections together with their job applications, which are sent directly from Jibe to companies' recruiting systems.
Why you'd use it: In addition to enabling applicants to more effectively tap into their networks to find a job, Jibe also spares job-seekers the hassle of having to re-enter their information on multiple websites.
Jibe boasts that its service even helps distinguish applicants by highlighting their web savvy, networking skills, and social media know-how.
"[Using Jibe] says, 'I know how to use my network,' and in this day and age, that really differentiates candidates," said Essenfeld. "If you're willing to use your network to get a job, then if you're going out to get a sale, it shows that you have a professional network you're willing to rely on."
How to get it: Visit Jibe.com, then log in with either your LinkedIn or Facebook account.
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