Job Posting Sites Galore! How To Choose The Right One For You

In this day and age, the Internet fuels a lot of what we do in recruiting, and posting jobs is not as straightforward as it was when you simply placed an ad in the newspaper. Today, there are hundreds of job posting sites out there. So how do you decide which site is the best for your job opening?

There are a few different things to consider:

1. Cost

First and foremost, how much will the posting cost? They can range anywhere from free to $500, so it is important to look at that cost first and assess whether it is even in your budget.

From there you can move on to see if a site makes sense for you. Additionally, make sure to look into the length of the posting you get for your money. Is it 15, 30, or 60 days? A posting that costs $100 for 15 days might be cheaper up front, but it is not a deal when comparing it to a posting that costs $300 but is up for 60 days. When you consider time, decide how long you think you will need the post up before the position is filled. If it is a quick and easy find, maybe the cheaper 15-day option makes more sense.

2. ROI

You need to look into the expected return on investment for the postings. This will depend on a few different things and will vary for each job within each company.

• First, compare the cost of the posting to how much a specific hire will benefit the company and how quickly the role needs to be filled. If it is not as urgent, it may make sense to recruit heavily through sourcing, rather than spend $500+ on an elite-posting site.
• Second, speak with a rep from the site about the average applicants each posting draws and what percentage of people that view postings end up applying. Also, ask how much traffic the site gets and see if it has any testimonials or reviews from past clients that you can review. Well-established sites will have this information for you.
• Lastly, ask if there is any kind of trial period (i.e. 30 days or one free posting) that would allow you to try the site before committing to a job slot or a package of slots? This would be a great way to gauge first hand the quality of the applicants without having to pay for anything. In addition to proactively reaching out, monitor your e-mail for any promotional offers and always take advantage of them! Similarly, see if the site has any kind of guarantee (i.e. receive 50 applications or your money back). Even if it’s not advertised the site may have one, so it is worth asking about.

3. Target Market

There are a ton of job boards out there that are specific to a certain industry or skill set. Make sure you do your research to try to find those first. A lot of those sites are free and they are often the best way to reach the people you want. Also, a lot of professional groups and organizations have websites. You may be able to post the position there or send it out to group members in an e-mail. If nothing else, make sure you’re aware of the target market for the posting site so that you avoid posting sales job openings on an IT site.

With so many options out there, choosing the job posting sites that are right for your company and position can be daunting. Start by researching and looking into the three items above. Once you have a talent factory up and running, you will have a good idea of the sites that work for you and it will become second nature.

Next week I will talk about a few of the better known sites out there, and dig into the the markets or positions they tend to target, and the options for posting to them.