Google has launched a new feature on its Search homepage and app that allows people to look for jobs available right on the main Search results page and which will be available to users in 15 countries across the Middle East.

Starting today (September 10),  users will find a series of results from across the web on the main Google Search results page , after entering a job-related query in Arabic (example: “marketing jobs in Riyadh”) that meet their unique needs.

The results will include details under each job position like salary information, reviews and ratings of the employer as well as different options to apply for a job, or use a location filter to see jobs in the areas that are convenient for the user.

“Connecting people with the right job opportunities that match their skills and interests is an extension of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it accessible to everyone,” said Tarek Abdalla, Google’s regional head of Marketing in the Mena region.

“This new feature on Google Search builds on the great work being done by regional job portals in connecting people with the right career opportunities through aggregating all the opportunities available across several portals, allowing job seekers to better connect with the breadth of opportunities available on the web.

“Furthermore, job seekers can be alerted by email to opportunities that come up across multiple portals, thereby simplifying the process of finding and applying to jobs.  We are proud of the progress and evolution of Search in the Arab world, with this new feature being the latest in a string of updates we’ve launched to adapt to our users’ needs in the region,” he added.

Google partnered with 11 local and regional job portals from across Mena, which include Bayt, WUZZUF, Forasna, Emploitic, Novojob, Rekrute, Jobzella, Wzayef, Akhtaboot, Laimoon, and GulfTalent. This feature is the result of a deep collaboration with the job-matching industry and more job portals can join through the feature’s website: jobs.google.com/about/.

The feature will be available to users in 15 countries across the Middle East: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The feature enables users to browse, filter, bookmark and create notifications directly on the Google Search results page, saving time and effort.

Omar Tahboub, general manager, Bayt.com said: "We are delighted to partner with Google to empower more job seekers to find opportunities from the thousands of jobs available on Bayt.com. Every month, over four million people land on our site from Google, in their search for a better career, and searching for a job can highly benefit from a streamlined and distinct experience that begins right on the search results page.

“Even in the pilot stage, we have already seen the impact this makes on the recruitment process for companies and job seekers. At Bayt.com, we are committed to empowering people in Mena to build their lifestyles of choice."

Ameer Sherif, CEO of BasharSoft said:"As owner of Egypt's leading job sites, both WUZZUF and Forasna have always been able to attract users through Google's organic search.

“Now, with Google indexing structured job details, we expect that the job search experience would be significantly improved and richer for job seekers. Partnering with Google to complement their upgraded search for jobs with quality job content from our platforms would only lead to helping more Egyptians find the right jobs with ease."

This new feature builds on Maharat min Google, Google’s digital skills building program launched earlier this year to equip Arabic-speakers with the essential skills designed to help their careers and businesses through online courses and certification.

Jobs search trends in Mena

Google Trends data indicates that there has been a consistent growth in the number of job-related queries conducted in Arabic. According to Google Trends, in the past five years, Arabic job-related queries trended the most during August 2015. The data also indicates that search interest in jobs often spikes in the summer months, as shown by data from 2017.

Google’s internal data show a variety in job preferences across the region. In the UAE, jobs in education, nutrition, and travel trended the most in 2017. In Saudi Arabia, civil service, journalism, and the public sector were the highest on the list. While in Egypt, people looked for jobs in transportation, engineering, and law. – TradeArabia News Service