Job search websites have become one of the most common channels for uncovering employment opportunities for people hunting for a new position or those pursuing a new career. However, there are so many websites that feature job listings that one can be easily overwhelmed as to what job search engines to use. There are thousands of them out there! At Prime-Resume, we have researched and analyzed about a hundred of the most popular job search websites to single out the best ones that will help you be effective in your job hunting efforts. We recommend using a couple of websites at the same time to access more opportunities and increase your chances of getting a job offer. Before you start using any of the websites below, make sure you don’t limit yourself to job boards alone. Use your network and social media, apply directly to targeted companies, partner with employment agencies, visit career fairs, etc. Job search engines can help you land interviews but they should not be the only way of hunting for new opportunities.
Best Job Search Platforms
When we conducted our research, we tried to focus on those things that job seekers value when using job boards: intuitive interface, accurate job matches, unique job listings, resume storage, and helpful resources. These things have become the key criteria in our evaluations. According to our analysis, the ten websites below are the best ones in their niche. It doesn't necessarily mean that all other job boards are bad and shouldn't be used. It is just those job platforms below set high standards and are likely to help job seekers more in their career challenges. So here is the list of the best job search platforms.
LinkedIn Jobs
LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for career experts and professionals. This network is meant for people who are serious about their professional development and growth. Job seekers usually create profiles (which serve the same purpose as a resume or CV) and search for jobs. On the other side, the companies can also use LinkedIn to contact candidates and even recruit them via the platform. Content creation, recommended matches, candidate management, targeted job promotion, and other features make LinkedIn one of the best job search engines to use.
Indeed Jobs
Indeed is an aggregator containing postings from across the network. This job search engine consolidates job ads from a wide range of staffing agencies and smaller job boards. It makes Indeed.com one of the biggest job search engines with about 9 openings being added to the platform every second. Additionally, the site offers a resume building tool, company profiles, reviews, mobile recruitment, salary listings, sponsored job options, etc. If you have never used job boards before, Indeed may be a good place to start. You can save selected jobs, change the status of a job application, check company information and feedback.
Glassdoor Jobs
'Find the job that fits your life' is the Glassdoor’s slogan. This is more of a community for people trying either to get a job or find talent. The members can check a wide range of job listings based on their location or position preferences, access user-generated content (salary reports, ratings, interview questions, anonymous company reviews, etc.). The fact that companies looking for talent are willing to pay at least $99 to post job listings means that the jobs published on the website are worth taking a shot at. Overall, a great job search platform that is worth giving a try to.
CareerBuilder Jobs
CareerBuilder is one of the largest job search engines. It is not just a job board providing job listings to those trying to explore new career opportunities. The platform offers resume posting feature, career services, and helpful resources. The great thing about this platform is that it secures job listings from employers directly (in fact, they claim to have direct contact with over 90% of Fortune 500 companies within the States). Besides, CareerBuilder has significantly developed local listings and partnered with newspapers to incorporate their classifieds.
Google for Jobs
It would be weird not to have Google for Jobs on this list. This giant aggregates listings from a wide range of search engines. It is very similar to how Google search works. All you have to do is enter the type of job you want to get and choose the location (optional). If you find anything that seems interesting, you can apply by clicking the apply button. The application will be attached to the listed Google account by default (if you are logged in). The great thing about Google for Jobs is that it doesn’t have redundant results by displaying one listing for an open job.
US.Jobs
This is another great job search website for people to use. It provides access to a huge database of verified job openings from employers nationwide. In fact, this database contains over a million unique opportunities. This platform was created as a result of the partnership between the NASWA (National Association of State Workforce Agencies) and the Direct Employers Association. Thus, US. Jobs makes a great place for those job seekers who want to search through different kinds of jobs. Additionally, the website has a veteran’s job bank and schedule of career events.
Dice Jobs
If you are looking for tech jobs, then Dice.com is the platform you should try. According to our research, it is the leading website offering tech job listings. After the signup, you will be able to upload your resume (CV), store different versions of your main application document, track jobs, and access salary information. Besides, Dice offers helpful career advice as well as tech news for those who want to keep up with the latest trends. So if you consider yourself a tech talent, using Dice can help you save time and find relevant jobs faster and easier.
SimplyHired Jobs
SimplyHired is one of the most popular websites among job seekers. One of the reasons why job seekers often use this platform is because of the nice mobile app that allows looking for jobs while you are on the go. Free browsing, resume posting, targeted search, and national search make this job search engine a simple yet effective tool in the hands of job hunters. Lastly, the intuitive interface allows users to adjust quickly and find their target jobs. Although this platform sometimes displays irrelevant jobs, it still a great job search engine with a large pool of listings.
Jobsora
This is a relatively new job search platform available in over 30 countries all over the world. With over 10 000 000 users monthly using Jobsora services, this website is becoming more popular with job seekers who are open to opportunities from across the world. The interface is very intuitive: all you have to do is choose your target country, position title, and region where you want to land your next job. The platform displays accurate results that will help you find what you need.
USAjobs.gov
If you are trying to find your fit in the federal government, then this job board is for you. You can access over 2.5 million federal job openings within any kind of career. When job seekers create a profile, they can explore different career paths, save favorite jobs, upload resumes and make them searchable. The great thing website is that federal agencies partner with this USAjobs.gov to find the qualified applicants and facilitate the hiring processes.
How to Use Job Boards
Finding new career opportunities is the main purpose of job boards. Many people in attempts to find a new job hurry to open as many job opening as possible to apply to all of them in hopes that quantity will eventually convert to quality. The truth of the matter is that such an approach will unlikely land you any opportunities. The problem is that thousands of people do the same thing – they get on the job boards, type the position, and hit apply without thinking about how it all works. Well, hold your horses and save some energy for a smarter strategy if you wanted to do the same thing. Keep in mind that you have only once chance to make the first impression with your application, and resume specifically. So you want to make sure you use the opportunity to the max and make a lasting impression on a prospective employer.
Identify your target job. Be specific and narrow it down as much as you can (i.e. Front End Web Developer, Real Estate Sales Agent, Registered Nurse, etc.)
Analyze job descriptions for the position carefully. This will help you understand what usually the employers expect from the applicants. Then look at your resume and see what can you adjust to make yourself a stronger candidate.
Identify skill gaps. There are things you can’t add onto a resume simply because you don’t have them (taken that you are an honest person). This means you have to start filling those gaps as soon as you can. Otherwise, it is unlikely that you will have a chance.
Tailor your application. It is easier to create one resume and send it to multiple employers. It is easier but it is not effective. Instead, tailor your application to match the job’s requirements and address company needs.
Surf through the job openings to get a glimpse of realistic salary ranges. This will help you set your own salary expectations (which you will need later, during an interview).
Apply to job listings. Before hitting the apply button, please make sure to carefully read the content of the job opening. Sometimes, you may need to attach a cover letter or provide samples of your work. Whatever the additional requirements are, you have to make sure you don't miss them.
