Do Job Boards Really Work?

| Oct 16, 2011 | Comments 1



Job Boards Do They WorkThese days, there is a plethora of ways to look for a job, like social networking, going to professional events, or just being your own recruiter. However, one of the more popular job search methods out there is to use job boards. Be that as it may, many people who are looking for jobs find that many boards are either cluttered, full of spam, don’t cater to their needs, or just aren’t the right fit. So, this begs the question: Do job boards really work?

The real question may not be if job boards really work, but if we are looking for jobs on those boards correctly. For example, say you were a recent graduate scouring a popular job board for your dream job in advertising. You naturally think you have to look for entry-level jobs like “advertising assistant” or “advertising coordinator.” However, the results you find are just fluff, don’t look legitimate, or are not your cup of tea. So, should the advertising lover nix the idea of job boards all together, or find a better way to use the tactic? Probably the latter.

Job boards can be a great resource if you use them correctly. You just have to think like an employer when you look for a job. The entry-level advertising candidate probably shouldn’t be thinking of their needs when conducting their search, they should be thinking of the employer’s needs. The employer is looking for a candidate who fits within the position and the company, has the transferable skills, and the experience to back up their claims.

Further, many employers don’t place jobs in boards by title, but by occupational category. Why? Many jobs have lots of transferrable skills, so employers want to target the largest applicant base, whether the candidate has an extensive background in the industry or not. Therefore, if you’re only searching by title, you’ll probably miss out on tons of opportunities because you’re limiting your search.

For the entry-level advertising candidate, they may be better off searching in categories like management or communications in order to find the best match in job boards. In addition, resources like EmploymentPipeline.com allow job seekers to search through its “Occupation Pipeline” widget, a tool which sources occupations rather than job titles, allowing users to conduct broader searches. Job seekers find better opportunities and employers get higher quality candidates. It’s a win-win.

Guest Expert:

Mary Marino is the founder of EmploymentPipeline.com, a job search resource that inspires job seekers to become their own recruiter. EmploymentPipeline.com has launched its “Occupation Pipeline” widget, a unique tool which enables users to perform broader career searches by sourcing occupations and employers, rather than job titles. Connect with Mary and EmploymentPipeline.com on Twitter and Facebook.


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  • Anonymous

    Third party studies show that job boards are the second largest source of hires behind only networking by employers.

    I agree with much of Mary’s article except for the section where she tells candidates that employers “place” jobs by occupational category. They don’t. There are 100,000 job boards, about half of which primarily target U.S. candidates including the one that I founded, http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com. All of them require employers to enter a job title. Some of them — not all — allow or require employers to also select one or more occupational categories. So if you keyword search the job title that an employer would use, you will find their job posting ad regardless of what occupational field they categories the posting under.