LinkedIn’s New Features Let Employers Showcase ‘Commitments’ to Candidates

LinkedIn Screen

LinkedIn rolled out new tools that allow employers to highlight their company’s values as a way to match themselves with candidates who have specific interests outside of the workplace. Building on the “commitments” feature launched in August 2022, the product’s update is designed to help companies that want to showcase their values and culture to an increasingly competitive labor force.

LinkedIn is betting the demand for products that address various corners of talent acquisition will remain important for the foreseeable future. In the company’s view, investing in the right tools is important not only when a company is hunting for candidates, but when they’re leveraging their employer brand, as well. Employer branding, after all, trumpets a company’s reputation and what it stands for, LinkedIn says. No wonder: Research shared by the company found that 87% of all U.S. professionals believe it’s important for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to culture and values.

Not surprisingly, there’s something of a debate going on regarding today’s hiring environment. Some people believe the market’s subdued while others see plenty of opportunities to strengthen their workforce. Still others argue that what’s happening in the here and now doesn’t matter so much when you’re trying to anticipate how you’ll navigate a hiring environment that’s months or years down the road.

Attractive Commitments  

In a blog post, Jennifer Shappley, LinkedIn’s vice president of global talent acquisition, said the upgrades allow an employer’s commitments – such as work-life balance, social impact and environmental sustainability – to be displayed in a job’s Details area, or through the LinkedIn feed. In addition, the company is introducing a new job search filter to help candidates discover open roles at company, based on its commitments.

The company’s also launching an “I’m Interested” button to allow job seekers to indicate their interest in working with a particular firm at some point in the future. Once they do, the system automatically shares the candidate’s profile information.

Such tools are important because they help employers keep their promises. “‘Whiplash’ is exactly what happens when organizations espouse DEI values on the outside, but fail to operationalize and prioritize said values on the inside,” said Daniel Oppong, founder of the DEI consultancy the Courage Collective. “At its best, the work of diversity, equity and inclusion can yield transformative organizational outcomes, but at its worst, DEI work can devolve into a series of performative platitudes that erode trust and disappear once public pressure subsides.”

Image: LinkedIn

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