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Google’s OpenSocial a good opportunity for Job Boards?
Google (and, with them, some of the most important Social Network Platforms) are reacting to the Facebook application hype by launching their project OpenSocial, which “is a set of common APIs that application developers can use to create applications that work on any social networks (called “hosts”) that choose to participate” (text source: TechCrunch).

Since coding will rather be easy (HTML, Flash and JavaScript), developers will be able to build applications fast and efficiently. Since some job boards such as the British Jobsite.co.uk, the American careerbuilder or job search engines like jobster or indeed have already placed web applications on Facebook to drive more traffic to their jobs (with more or less success as it seems), Google’s project might be of even more importance to those and other career opportunity sites: they develop one application that fits for all. That’s handy.

For the time being, Social Network platforms such as LinkedIn, Viadeo, Xing and Ning have signed up to participate in the OpenSocial project. Actually I’m wondering if or when the German student site StudiVZ will get on board. Otherwise it will have to fight even harder should Facebook launch a German version. (last sentence translated from German into English from Jo’s Blog).

I think this is going to get really interesting. So, job sites all over the world, get prepared to develop some kick-ass applications to attract the (mostly) highly interesting and qualified Social Networks’ users to look for jobs on your site.

UPDATE (5.11.2007 remember, remember…): The first Plaxo application has been hacked after only 45 minutes online. Read more here (in German)

Further relevant articles on the subject:

• Facebook, Google, OpenSocial und Prozentrechnen (in German)
• OpenSocial – Should Facebook really be worried and what are the next big apps? (in English)
• Jobster: Google goes OpenSocial
• Xing will auch ein Stück vom Kuchen (in German)
• Of course, the OpenSocialBlog
• And, last but not least, a look at the blogosphere concerning the subject

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