IT pros with LinkedIn (News - Alert) profiles seeking a new job or companies looking to hire the right people may be interested in the site’s latest plug-in designed to ease the process of applying for a job.

The new Apply with LinkedIn Now plug-in lets LinkedIn members directly submit their profile when applying for a job via the Web. Simply clicking on the “Apply with LinkedIn” button at a company’s Web site or a job site taps into your entire LinkedIn profile. This way you can highlight your career history and other information that’s already fully fleshed out at LinkedIn rather than relying on a standard resume.

But the button does more than just submit your LinkedIn profile, according to the company.

Beyond letting you update your profile in real time, LinkedIn can also show you any professional connections in your network who work at the company and may be able to offer a referral. Even if you don’t know anyone at the company, LinkedIn can point you to the right people who could introduce you to an insider. Finally, LinkedIn stores all your “Apply with LinkedIn” submissions in your Saved Jobs section, so you can keep a complete record.

In its official blog announcing the new feature, LinkedIn said the thousands of companies that have already set up the “Apply with LinkedIn” button on their Websites include LinkedIn itself, Netflix, TripIt, and Photobucket (News - Alert). LinkedIn has also been working with developers and users of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software to help them find the best employees for job openings.

Companies and developers can include the new plug-in and button on their Web sites by following LinkedIn’s instructions. LinkedIn has made the plug-in available via a small chunk of JavaScript code, as seen below, which Website developers can add to their sites.

<script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://platform.linkedin.com/in.js”>
api_key: <YOUR API KEY GOES HERE>
</script>

<script type=”IN/Apply”
data-companyId="1337"
data-jobTitle="Chief Cat Wrangler"
data-email="[email protected]">
</script>

Developers interested in learning more can check out LinkedIn’s page on the new plug-in and also access a documentation page on the feature. Those of you looking for work might now start seeing the new button at different company Websites, giving you a one-click ability to submit your LinkedIn profile to prospective employers.

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