One of the things that makes Google an exciting platform to work on is that its various offerings are constantly evolving and devolving. Google changes at a rate that defies most users’ need for consistency and stability. For anyone needing a regular surprise with their online experience, Google rarely disappoints.
The headaches are no less excruciating when one attempts to integrate Google’s core applications to replace basic pay-to-play recruiting tools and services. Seems simple enough, no? Well, as it turns out, maybe not.
Pulling two threads together
With the launch of Google’s latest efforts to socialize the web–Google Plus–there have been a lot of changes across the board. A few weeks ago core apps like Google Calendar and Google Docs got a face lift, as did the Google Search page and a number of product pages as well.
No doubt in the coming weeks we will have to recalibrate a few things. In the meantime, the iGoogle set-up files for anyone who wants a recruiter-specific template have been updated too.
A number of new custom search engines have been added under the Sourcing tab and some new finds have been added to the Lookups tab. The Video tab has been expanded to include a lot more tutorials from favorites like Ryan Leary [BooleanBar.com], Chris Hoyt [RecruiterGuy], Jim Stroud, Bill Radin and others.
iSEEK is a search utility that combines a number of features that analyze your search results with each query. As a result you can drill down on specific areas of interest to produce targeted, filtered and highly relevant results.
iSEEK is included in the G-Recruiters’ Dashboard collection of search engines found in the Search Bar, filed under Deep Web.
This playlist runs through some of the basic features but, to see it applied in recruiting scenarios, check out the Become a Search Whiz series of webinars and recordings over on our sister site BROWN BAG RECRUITER. Better still, try it yourself.
Here are few examples of what you can do with custom search:
G-Recruiters Profile Finder A useful way to search for people, by skill sets and job titles etc. with results coming back from resume databases social networks, personal homepages, blogs and so on.
G-Recruiters Gurus’ String Finder A fun tool for people who want to see how the best practitioners put search syntax together plus excellent tips and tutorials for the masters.
G-Recruiters Microblog Search A search engine for finding people and topics from Twitteresque sites from around the globe.
Vertical Intelligence is a series of “blog-enabled” search engines. This site links to different types of example and includes a video tutorial that will walk you through the steps of creating your own.
One of the advantages of G-Recruiting, and cloud recruiting in general, is the ability to share and collaborate. Because data is stored in the cloud anyone who has a link, permission and internet access can find, share, edit, publish and file anything — everything from a job description to a full-blown site, landing page and apply online to boot. Because changes are made in realtime the pain of emailing stuff back and forth can be avoided. No more worrying about who has which version, or where you filed that precious document. It is also an efficient way to manage large volumes of data, like resumes.
One of the disadvantages, at least for people habituated to Microsoft, is having to figure out how to do stuff that is second nature in a new system like Google. Not that it is that hard, Google has addressed that and more with Google Cloud for Microsoft Office.
In answer to a question posed on the G-Recruiters’ Forum, how to copy the custom settings and add-ons that come with the G-Recruiters’ Dashboard [Firefox Portable] to a local installation of the Pale Moon browser.
Google is partnering with Sprint to bring a seamless Google Voice integration to Sprint customers. Sprint customers can take advantage of the full set of Google Voice features without changing or porting their number, or opt to use their existing Google Voice number when making and receiving calls, without the need for an app.
One of the things that makes Google an exciting platform to work on is that its various offerings are constantly evolving and devolving. Google changes at a rate that defies most users’ need for consistency and stability. For anyone needing a regular surprise with their online experience, Google rarely disappoints.
One of the advantages of G-Recruiting, and 
