Findable in AI search engines as an employer: how geo works

An employer can be found by AI search engines by structuring its ‘careers’ page in such a way that AI systems such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity can retrieve and cite the information. This means: direct answers at the top, concrete facts, clear headings and machine-readable data on job roles, location and terms of employment.

More and more candidates are no longer using a traditional Google search to find out about jobs, but are instead consulting an AI. For example, they might ask: “Which shipbuilding employers are looking for welders in Zeeland?” If your ‘careers’ content isn’t readable and searchable, you simply won’t feature in that answer.

This shift is known as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). Below, you can read exactly what GEO entails and how to optimise your ‘Careers’ page accordingly.

What is GEO and why is it becoming important for employers?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) involves optimising your content so that generative AI search engines can understand, summarise and quote it. Whilst SEO is all about achieving a high ranking amongst the blue links, GEO is about being quoted within the AI’s response itself.

This is relevant for employers because candidates’ search behaviour is changing. Some members of your target audience first ask an AI an open-ended question about sectors, roles or employers before they even visit a job site.

Research into generative search engines shows that well-structured sources containing facts, quotations and statistics are cited significantly more often than unsubstantiated text (Aggarwal et al., 2023). That principle applies just as much to a ‘Careers’ page as it does to a product page.

The labour market makes this all the more urgent. According to the UWV among the sectors with the most hard-to-fill vacancies, which means that every additional recruitment channel counts.

How do candidates find your careers page via AI search engines?

Candidates find your page via AI because the search engine breaks their query down into sub-queries and retrieves the most relevant passage for each one. Google calls this “query fan-out”: a single query is broken down into several smaller search queries, possibly spread across multiple sites.

Suppose someone asks: “How much does a marine electrician earn, and which employers are recruiting in the Netherlands?” The AI then searches separately for salary information, regions and specific employers. Only pages that independently answer one of these sub-questions are likely to be cited.

That is why a long, narrative “about us as an employer” text does not work well for AI. A page with clear sections on the role, location, terms of employment and application process works well, because each section can be retrieved separately.

At FosFor, we see this reflected in our data-driven approach: Target audience data determines the questions candidates ask, so that your ‘careers’ content provides answers to those questions rather than relying on gut instinct.

What elements ensure your ‘Careers’ page can be found in AI-generated answers?

You can make your ‘Careers’ page easier to find in AI-generated answers by writing the answer first, presenting facts in concrete terms and simplifying the structure. AI systems prefer to quote short, definitive passages containing verifiable data.

You should therefore work in this order:

1. Answer at the top: Start each paragraph with the direct answer (function, location, what you offer), and only then provide context.
2. Hard facts: Please state explicitly the job title, location, indicative salary, type of contract and the number of stages in your application process.
3. Headings as questions: Use headings such as “What do we offer mechanics?” or “What is the application process like?”.
4. Short paragraphs: one idea per paragraph of two to four sentences, so that each passage stands on its own.
5. Consistent terminology: Use the same company name, location and job titles throughout, so that AI recognises you as a single, identifiable employer.

Why do figures and facts help boost your page’s performance?

Facts and figures increase the likelihood of being quoted because an AI is more likely to pick up a verifiable statement than a vague promise. “We have a great team” won’t get you quoted; “Our recruitment process consists of three stages and takes an average of two weeks” will.

You should therefore include concrete details: team size, location, fringe benefits and specific career progression opportunities. These facts also serve as evidence for candidates who are undecided.

GEO versus traditional SEO: what’s the difference for employers?

The difference lies in the objective: SEO aims to generate a click through to your page, whilst GEO aims for a mention in the AI response. Both are built on the same technical foundation, but GEO requires extra attention to be paid to extractability and factual accuracy.

The table below sets out the key differences side by side, so you can see where you need to adapt your ‘working with’ approach.

Google confirms that AI features are based on the same quality and ranking systems as traditional results (Google Search Central, 2025). A technically sound, well-written page therefore remains the foundation of any SEO effort.

What technical requirements determine whether AI can read your page?

AI can only index your ‘Careers’ page if the content is readable and accessible. If your key information is contained in images or only loads via JavaScript, an AI crawler will miss that content entirely.

Please therefore bear the following points in mind:

• Please include the job title, location and terms and conditions in plain text, not in an image.
• Make sure that AI crawlers such as GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot and Google-Extended are not accidentally blocked by robots.txt or your firewall.
• Use schema markup (JobPosting, Organisation) that exactly matches the visible text.
• Keep your company details and job vacancies up to date, as AI places great emphasis on recency.

This technique is the invisible foundation. Without access, no AI will read your story, no matter how strong your employer brand is. Our vision on data-driven and innovative recruitment It starts right there: first make sure people can find you, then try to convince them.

Frequently asked questions about discoverability in AI search engines

How much does it cost to implement GEO on your ‘Careers’ page?

GEO is primarily about focus and restructuring, not expensive tools. You rewrite existing content using an ‘answer-first’ approach, add facts and check your methodology. The biggest investment lies in identifying the right target audience questions, which you can substantiate using labour market and target audience data.

Is AI-driven search behaviour replacing traditional job sites?

No, AI search engines complement the job search process; they do not replace it. Candidates often use AI early on in their search and then go on to click through to a job advert or ‘careers’ page. Those who are visible on both channels will reach the most candidates.

Does GEO also work for blue-collar roles such as fitters and drivers?

Yes, particularly in tight labour markets. It is precisely when certain roles are in short supply that some candidates use AI to search for sectors, regions and specific conditions. Including clear sections on location, shift work, salary and career progression will ensure you are found when candidates search for these specific criteria.

How soon will you see results from a GEO-optimised page?

This varies from search engine to search engine, as AI systems index and update content at different times. A technically accessible, factual page is usually included within a few weeks. Make sure to keep figures and job vacancies up to date, as out-of-date content is cited less frequently.

Would you like to know how to make your ‘careers’ content discoverable in AI search engines and attract the right candidates more quickly? Take a look at our data-driven approach or Book a no-obligation strategy meeting to work with you to refine your approach.