The infiltration of social media into personal and business life has been a major story the past few years. Social media has also had an impact on hiring practices. A few years ago, some people went so far as to suggest that social media would make job boards obsolete. But job boards apparently didn’t get the memo, because the good ones are still thriving.

As the dust has settled around the disruption caused by social media, it’s becoming clearer that while social media networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter complement some aspects of hiring, they haven’t replaced job boards. Here are some reasons why job board technology is more relevant than ever even as social media continues its ascent.

LinkedIn and Paid Resume Promotion

LinkedIn was supposed to be the ”killer app” that made resumes obsolete, but that hasn’t happened, and certain changes in LinkedIn have made it even more unlikely. Hiring and recruiting experts have leveled harsh criticism at LinkedIn for their $29.95 per month Job Seeker Premium system, alleging that it is bad for both job seekers and employers.

If you use LinkedIn for free and apply for a job through the site, have the opportunity to bump your resume to the top of the pile if you purchase a Job Seeker Premium membership. The employer can readily see the ”badge” next to the name of those who have paid to have their resume placed at the top of the list. Is the person remotely qualified, or is he just at the head of the line because he paid to get there?

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An employer pays nearly $400 per job posting in hopes of getting the best job candidates on LinkedIn, but the applicants the employer sees first are the ones who paid to skip to the front of the line – not necessarily the most qualified or relevant. Moreover, there’s no way for employers to turn this feature off. Job Seeker Premium puts more friction between the employer and the right candidate.

The Problem of the ”Apply with LinkedIn” Button

Employers are also less than enamored with the ”Apply Now” button that allows people to apply using their LinkedIn profile with a couple of clicks. Rather than promoting careful job hunting, this button is all about applying instantly. When users have nothing to lose by clicking ”Apply Now,” the result is increased competition against thousands of others, causing employers to have to sort through even more marginally or not-at-all relevant resumes. A bigger pipeline may send more resumes an employer’s way, but it can make the recruiting process more of a chore for them.

Twitter and the 140-Character Resume

In 2013, The Wall Street Journal declared that not only was Twitter the new job board, it was the new resume as well. However, the article acknowledges that most HR executives and recruiters haven’t started using Twitter for filling open employment positions, largely because they don’t believe their audience uses Twitter to find jobs. While Twitter may be a way to get the word out about new openings, the 140-character resume isn’t something most people have mastered. However, some are still enthusiastic, calling the tweet ”the new ‘elevator pitch.”’ But as with the traditional ”elevator pitch,” how often is a person actually in a situation to put a ”hire me” tweet to use?

Social Networks and Passive Job Candidates

Job board technology also has an eye on the passive job candidate, and sometimes top passive job seekers can be found on social media. But passive job seekers keep an eye on job boards as well, even if only to satisfy their curiosity about the marketplace for their skills.

Recruiting executive Jakub Zavrel of Textkernel in Amsterdam doesn’t think social media will be the epicenter of passive job seekers any time soon, because passive job candidates are more niche-oriented. It makes sense: if I am a highly qualified passive job seeker, I’m much more likely to do my professional networking with professionals like me, through a niche professional social site or trade publication website, where I’m likely to encounter job board technology that speaks to me specifically.

Job board technology is evolving along with the social media landscape, and your professional social network or trade publication website can put today’s job board technology to use alongside great content and professional community features that targets the types of candidates employers want. And when employers list on your custom job board, they have fewer worries about being inundated with resumes placed on top of the pile for pay. Social media networks complement job boards, but they won’t replace them, particularly as job board technology makes it easier to match job seekers and positions quickly and accurately.

Photo Credits: Michal Marcol / freedigitalphotos.net, scottchan / freedigitalphotos.net