Could XHiring overtake LinkedIn to become the go-to platform for job seekers?

Elon Musk’s X (Twitter) has prompted debate about its ability to threaten LinkedIn’s dominance in the professional recruiting sector. The focus of this discussion is Twitter’s most recent innovation, the XHiring Beta. This new feature, which is only available to Verified Organizations, has set the stage for a new level of job recruitment.

Since Elon’s Musk acquisition of Twitter, he has announced that he is looking to transform the platform into “an everything app”. After rebranding Twitter to X, we are beginning to see the platform taking steps beyond its traditional boundaries.

But will Twitter be able to carve out a niche in the professional recruitment industry with XHiring, encroaching on LinkedIn’s established territory?

Read Also: All you need to know about Elon Musk’s plan for X, the Everything App

What exactly is the XHiring Beta?

This special feature enables verified organizations on X (Twitter) to post job postings on their own accounts in real-time. Although it is still in its beta phase, it is set to be launched to the general public soon.

However, X (Twitter) seems to really be pushing it forward as it has created a special account for this feature – XHiring. This targeted strategy not only speeds up the hiring process but also illustrates Twitter’s commitment to building meaningful connections between business organisations and potential applicants.

According to the XHiring account’s first post on August 25, it said,

“Unlock early access to the XHiring Beta – exclusively for Verified Organizations. Feature your most critical roles and organically reach millions of relevant candidates. Apply for the Beta today.”

Some of XHiring’s unique features

The XHiring Beta has a number of unique features that provide specific benefits to premium users. First is that there is a monthly subscription fee of $1,000 that allows verified organizations to promote job positions on their X (Twitter) profiles. This not only provides a fresh method of reaching out to potential applicants, but it also gives these companies a competitive advantage in the recruitment market.

Another standout feature of the XHiring Beta is its compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and XML feeds. Reports indicate that the feature allows companies to effortlessly import job data through supported ATS or XML feeds. This seamless integration ensures that the hiring process is streamlined, reducing friction and enhancing efficiency for both employers and candidates alike.

The search process has been one feature that might just be very important especially when searching in a global market. According to a report, the search process is facilitated through customizable criteria such as keywords and location preferences, providing candidates with an enhanced and tailored job-hunting experience.

Moreover, candidates can directly apply for these roles on the X (Twitter) platform and these companies can only add up to five job vacancies to their profiles. Successful applicants will subsequently be contacted by employers through X (Twitter) ‘s communication channels.

Can XHiring take over LinkedIn and become the go-to for job vacancies?

While it is too early to anticipate the magnitude of the impact the new segment could have, this decision definitely sets the ground for a prospective shift in professional networking and job recruitment.

As Twitter expands its capabilities and explores new areas, it raises an industry question: Could Twitter’s X Hiring Beta represent a real challenge to LinkedIn’s dominance?

Considering the full scope of its impact and the distinct value propositions each platform presents, it’s plausible that Twitter’s journey toward challenging LinkedIn’s dominance might be a more extended endeavour than initially presumed.

Speaking about the matter, Andrew Fennell, a former global recruiter and Director at StandOut CV, a resume and careers advice service said:

For large organisations that already have an established brand and presence on Twitter/X, the new hiring features will probably widen the number of candidates they get per job. The $1,000/month will be something that hiring teams at large businesses can factor in, however, this fee and system will not be useful for small businesses.

He said when the options are out there for smaller businesses to pay less than $50 to post to multiple job boards at once, the comparison of fees is a no-brainer. Also, if a company isn’t active on Twitter/X there will be no audience for them to pitch the job advert to, making this only accessible to those who have developed a social media strategy specifically for that platform.

Fennel, admitted that in the longer term, this will be a useful addition for big businesses to access talent that might not be on LinkedIn for example. He, however, does not see it overtaking LinkedIn jobs as a preferred choice for most businesses posting their active vacancies. This is for the simple reasons that the high cost, plus the necessity to be verified on Twitter/X is going to put a lot of businesses off using the feature.