Consumer Advocacy
What you need to know
Job Posting Sites
  • Search across multiple job search sites for best results.
  • Tailoring your resume to each job is a great way of showing hiring managers you’re a good fit.
  • Add relevant keywords to your resume to improve your chances with recruiters.
Our Approach

How we analyzed the best Job Search Sites

Ease of Navigation
Look for filters by job type, salary, location, level, and company size. We also liked sites that let you read job postings in the same window without having to switch to a different tab.
Job Alerts
We favored sites that let you create job alerts based on your search filters, with emails or push notifications for new posts. This eliminates the need to log into the site every day.
Additional Services
Many companies also specialize in offering career-related services, such as resume builders to spruce up your CV, feedback on your cover letter, or interview coaching.
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We receive compensation from these partners, which impacts the order they appear on the page. That said, the analyses and opinions on our site are our own and we believe in editorial integrity.

Our Top Picks: Job Posting Sites Reviews

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the world into a new economic reality. As of June 2021, the U.S. unemployment rate was at 11.1 percent, according to the latest report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Though this is down from April's all-time high of 14.70 percent, this still means that over 1 million Americans have filed for unemployment claims week after week (for 20 weeks and counting, as of this writing). In essence, that means that the job market is more competitive than ever, especially as the gig economy is flooded with the newly unemployed—and some states have begun reinstituting a requirement that unemployment applicants prove they're actively looking for a new job. 

Still, there are some industries that are seeing growth, such as those related to e-commerce and customer service. And in the finance sector, areas such as bankruptcy, distressed securities, and turnarounds are on an upward trajectory, as well as less traditional roles such as high-frequency algorithmic trading. In any case, there are some steps you can take to make you a more attractive candidate, such as optimizing your professional profile on sites such as LinkedIn, creating a target company list of where you'd like to work, making sure your resume is formatted so that an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can read it, and writing a personalized cover letter for each application. Finally, try and make your connections work for you—studies have found that 82 percent of employers rate referrals as the best source for return on investment. So, if the online application process seems endless, maybe it's worth spending some time reaching out to people in your network.

According to Money.com, the key to finding applicants is to choose one of the best job posting sites, aim for a wide pool of applicants and consider job post boosting. A well-written job post that avoids jargon and explains the duties in simple language can help increase the number of applicants. Increasingly it is common to include compensation or a salary range to invite the best applicants to apply. Bonuses or benefits are also important to include in this increasingly competitive job market. 

ZipRecruiter review

Best For Employers

It's common sense: a job search site that makes it easy for job seekers to apply for jobs—and therefore attracts a massive number of candidates—is good for employers. Employers want choices, right? Job seekers, especially the creme de la creme, are busy people and many don't want to bother with cumbersome application portals and procedures. They want robust filters to help them zero in on the right opportunities and a great mobile app to make job-seeking more convenient. ZipRecruiter checks all of those boxes for job seekers. But employers need more from a recruiting partner than sheer numbers. They need tools that streamline the hiring process. That's where ZipRecruiter distinguishes itself.  

That's not to say that ZipRecruiter doesn't deliver the numbers. Its job seeker interface is also friendly, efficient, and easy to use. The company invests heavily in media advertising and tremendous brand recognition in its category. It's one of the most commonly consulted job search sites among job seekers and reaches 30 million+ candidates every month. Some job sites exceed that number, but ZipRecruiter ranks in the top tier.

But ZipRecruiter, which started out as a company that helped small businesses advertise their open positions, goes the extra mile to make a recruiter's job easier. 

Reach the Most Qualified Candidates

When employers advertise an open position on ZipRecruiter, the company posts the job to 100+ job sites automatically to ensure wide visibility. Some job search sites only post jobs on their own sites. That amounts to a significant competitive advantage, not only for ZipRecruiter, but also for its employer subscribers, who don't have to spend time posting their positions to multiple job boards.

Screenshot from ziprecruiter.com 2/03/2121

But even if a candidate never sees a post—some of the most qualified employees aren't actively job-hunting—ZipRecruiter employs proprietary technology to search its resume database and find candidates who best match the posted position. The service then delivers the cherry-picked resumes to employers. It also targets qualified employees with messages that encourage them to consider the open role. Employers also have the opportunity to reach out to the employees they're interested in quickly and conveniently from ZipRecruiter's employer dashboard. 

Screenshot from ziprecruiter.com 2/03/2121

 

 

Time-Saving Tools to Craft Better Job Posts

Job posts aren't all created equally. It takes a certain amount of skill to create a post that compels candidates to stop, read, and click to apply. It also takes time. ZipRecruiter supports recruiters by providing easy-to-use job post templates that are designed to deliver results. Templates provide the opportunity for customized branding.

ZipRecruiter affords employers the opportunity to insert screening questions into their posts to help them zero in on the most qualified candidates. The ZipRecruiter platform also integrates with many of the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) recruiters already have in place to help them stay organized and EEOC compliant.

Candidates and employers can access ZipRecruiter services via separate mobile apps designed to meet their needs. Sometimes hiring top candidates depends on timing. ZipRecruiter's mobile app gives recruiters a leg up by providing the means to respond to opportunities any time, any place. The app receives very favorable reviews from both Android and iOS users. 

But It's Not for Everyone

While ZipRecruiter has its roots in small business recruiting, nowadays its monthly subscription cost can be a high hurdle to clear for small companies. Employers pay a hefty subscription fee—starting at  $249 a month—to use the service, albeit for unlimited candidate access per job posting. But ZipRecruiter does offer a free trial, which allows employers to evaluate its platform and decide whether it's worth the investment. 

LinkedIn review

Best for Networking

LinkedIn is, first and foremost, a social networking site. It’s based upon the idea that, since most employers hire from people they know or candidates their employees recommend, having a network of people who know your qualifications can help you when it comes to job seeking. Recruiters also heavily rely on LinkedIn to find people, so the more complete and detailed your LinkedIn profile, the better your chances of getting contacted for a job.

Screenshot linkedin.com, September 4, 2019.

Job seekers are increasingly using LinkedIn to find new opportunities through its job search page that works much like the other sites on this list. You can sort for jobs from companies that are in your network, which is really useful because you’re more likely to get a call back from a company where you know an employee who can speak well of you. 

Screenshot linkedin.com, September 4, 2019.

Where LinkedIn really shines, however, is with the Premium subscription. Signing up for the Premium Career plan lets you send private messages to recruiters you haven’t connected with, see who has viewed your profile and where they work, and compare yourself with other applicants for the same position. Most importantly, it puts you at the top of the applicant pile with a “Featured Applicant” label, so recruiters will notice you first. The subscription starts at $29.99 charged monthly or $19.99 per month, charged annually.

The Flip Side

  • LinkedIn leans strongly towards professional, salaried work, so those looking for hourly jobs aren’t likely to find good opportunities here.

  • You need to keep a close eye on your LinkedIn profile to make it effective, which means adding or removing information that isn’t giving you the results you want.

Best for Additional Services

Monster was one of the first major job search sites on the internet back in the late nineties, and it’s still a great website. The layout is clean and intuitive. The search page doesn’t have as many filtering options as other sites, but it does include an advanced search that lets you search for specific job titles.

Screenshot monster.com, September 4, 2019.

When you create a profile on Monster, you can upload your resume and request a free resume review. If your resume review finds areas of improvement and you can’t—or don’t know how to—make it better, you can select one of three packages to have a professional resume writer make you a new one. You can choose to just have your resume rewritten, rewrite your cover letter as well, or revamp your LinkedIn profile, which potential employers look at frequently. Each package comes with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee: if you’re not happy with the end result, Monster will rewrite the resume for free.

Screenshot monster.com, September 4, 2019.

Monster also has a career advice blog with articles, videos, and even an advice column you can write into with any questions. There are resume templates, sample thank you notes, practice interview questions, and much more.

The Flip Side

  • The salary estimate page doesn’t offer a lot of information outside of salary averages that you would find on other sites.

Indeed.com review

Best Overall

Indeed is the number one result on Google for job search sites and our pick for Best Overall. According to the company, ten jobs are posted to the site every second. The site’s layout is simple and easy to navigate. One of the features that differentiates it from other job search sites is an advanced search similar to Google’s, which lets you search for specific job titles or word-for-word phrases in the job description.

Screenshot indeed.com, September 3, 2019.

Indeed lets you upload your resume to your profile, which makes it easy to apply for jobs through the site or receive inquiries from potential employers. You can also complete skill assessments (such as typing) and post the results on your profile, so employers can see your proficiencies. 

Indeed has company profiles where employees can post reviews and job seekers can post questions for employees, and offers career advice to job seekers through their blog. This section includes sample resume and cover letters sorted by industry that can help you build a more effective application package.

Screenshot indeed.com, September 9, 2019.

Additionally, Indeed has launched a service called Indeed Prime, a free recruitment aid for job seekers in the tech industry. After you create a profile, Prime reviews it, then puts you in contact with vetted companies seeking people with your qualifications. They also offer a $2,000 referral bonus if a friend you refer to Indeed Prime gets hired by a participating company.

The Flip Side

  • Indeed Prime is only available for tech jobs right now, and your application goes through a vetting process where Prime staff verify that you meet their requirements.

The Muse review

Best for Company Profiles

While The Muse started out as a career advice blog, it’s now turned into a very impressive job search site. You can browse for job postings from all kinds of industries. Muse partners with employers to build company profiles that show each company’s unique culture. The profile includes interviews with current employees and other information you can use to decide if the company is right for you.

Screenshot themuse.com, September 9, 2019.

The Muse also offers career coaching services. People at all stages of their careers may find this useful, as it can help them with everything from building a resume to improving their people management skills. The cost of each package is determined by the coach’s level of expertise. This is the only part of The Muse that’s not free. 

Screenshot themuse.com, August 22, 2019.

 The Flip Side

  • The Muse doesn’t have a job alerts feature, so you’ll have to run a new search every time to see if there are new postings.

  • Only companies on the higher end of the revenue scale advertise here, so you might be missing out on many smaller businesses that could be great for you.

Glassdoor review

Best for Company Reviews and Salary Information

Where The Muse lets employers create profiles to attract potential employees, Glassdoor focuses on letting employees post anonymous reviews on company pages. These company pages are very comprehensive, and include information on common interview questions, the CEO’s approval rating, employee satisfaction with benefits, among other things.

One thing to keep in mind, whether you’re looking at company profiles prepared by the company itself or company reviews written by current and former employees, is the author’s possible bias. Companies will always try to put their best foot forward, while employees may have their own reasons for giving an employer a good or bad review. We believe the more information job seekers have, the better prepared they’ll be to make a decision, so long as that data is evaluated fairly, dispassionately, and critically.

Screenshot glassdoor.com, September 4, 2019.

Glassdoor lets you narrow down your job search results using almost a dozen filters, such as location, company size, industry, and salary range, among others. Using these filters, you can also set up a job alert to receive new job postings at your email address daily or weekly.

One feature we really like is Know Your Worth. In addition to employee reviews, Glassdoor also gathers salary data. When you look at a listing that doesn’t include wage information, you’ll see an estimated salary range drawn from these surveys. Glassdoor also uses this information for a widget that gives you an idea of whether you’re being paid fairly in your current job, taking into consideration the industry and your position, location, experience, etc. It’s important to note that these graphics are based on an estimated market value based on user input, but they can still be really useful.

Screenshot glassdoor.com, September 4, 2019.

The Flip Side

  • Glassdoor doesn’t seem to have much control over who can post company reviews. One of our writers was able to write a review for Starbucks—where she has never worked. (Note: we deleted the review immediately after).

Other Great Job Search Sites

  • ZipRecruiter: Another major job search site that lets you set up job alerts, keep track of the jobs you’ve applied for, and upload your resume so recruiters can find you. You can also see suggested jobs based on your search history.

  • CareerBuilder: A very easy-to-navigate job search page with companies that allow candidates to “Easy Apply” (meaning you don’t have to manually submit you resume every time.) The Career Path feature shows the average national salary for your title.

  • VelvetJobs: A paid job search site (prices start at $9.99/week) where you can find curated job postings from companies in the media, entertainment, and fashion industries, and a free resume-building tool with templates. It also offers outplacement services, which companies use to help former employees transition into new jobs.

  • The Ladders: This site is aimed towards people in mid- or upper-level positions who are looking for new opportunities. A Premium subscription gives you access to targeted job postings and a featured spot on recruiters’ lists for $29.99 per month.

Our Research

More insight into our methodology

To find the best job search sites on the internet, we first took a look at the most visited companies. Big-name sites like Monster, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter landed on our list early on, as we were interested in seeing if they really measured up to their reputations. Then we went a bit further afield, looking for smaller sites that, despite offering fewer features than the better-known pages, were still very good at what they do. By the end of our initial research, we had compiled a list of almost thirty job search sites. 

We then narrowed down our choices by evaluating every company by the number of job postings and whether they specialized in an industry or a specific type of job. We looked at how intuitively a job seeker could search their job boards, the available search filters, and whether users could set up email alerts to let them know when new jobs meeting their requirements were posted. Also, because employers tend to post on multiple job boards at the same time, we favored companies that offer job seekers additional services such as writing resumes, reviewing LinkedIn profiles, and even career advancement courses.

In the end, we had five companies we really liked for various reasons, and we organized them according to the following categories:

  • Best for Company Profiles and Reviews: Searching for a job isn’t just about the position; it’s about the company’s values, culture, and experience. These sites double as industry or company research sources, so job seekers can learn more about the companies they can work with. 

  • Best for Additional Services: Many job search sites offer services like career coaching and resume building, which can help job seekers not only optimize their search, but become a more attractive candidate for recruiters.

  • Best for Networking: The sites in this category understand that most of the time, companies recruit from within or through referrals. Sites that combine job searching with networking can open up an entire world of opportunities by leveraging the power of personal connections.

  • Other Sites: In this category, we placed those companies that we think do a great job of letting job-seekers find and apply for jobs, but don’t offer anything else. The lack of a full-length review here doesn’t mean they’re not worthy of your attention.


Ease of Navigation

It’s often said that finding a job is a full-time job in itself, so sites with effective ways to streamline the process are key. The usability of a job search site is arguably its most important feature. To compile our list of the best job search sites, we looked for companies with an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, and detailed filters to help job seekers find the types of jobs they want. Being able to filter by type of job—from part-time and contract positions to seasonal work and full-time permanent jobs—is an invaluable help in narrowing down results.

Other useful filters are location, company size, position level (from internships and entry-level all the way up to executive roles), and salary. 

This last one, salary, is a tricky way to narrow down results, however: employers don’t always provide salary information in job posts. Often, sites rely on employees who provide information on their own salaries, which may be misleading. More frequently, sites aggregate data from different sources and provide average salaries for the position, company, and location. This information can serve as a guideline for knowing what the base salary might be, but it shouldn’t be used to eliminate positions from the running outright, unless it’s information specifically provided by the employer.


Job Alerts

As we mentioned above, website features that help job seekers use their time more effectively earned top marks from us. One of these features is job alerts. Once a job seeker sets up search filters to their satisfaction, they can set up an email or device notification that lets them know whenever new jobs are posted that meet their search criteria.

Not every site offers job alerts. Sites that don’t require job seekers to log in periodically, run their search again, and sort through the results to see whether any new postings are a good fit. Running the same search every day or so is not the best use of anyone’s time. Therefore, in most cases we preferred sites that offered job alerts. 


Additional Services

Whereas the job search industry used to be composed only of job boards, many sites are now pivoting into career-coaching services. Acknowledging that many applicants have ineffective resumes and cover letters, sites regularly partner with professional career coaches to offer resume writing services, and help compose cover letters that can land you an interview.

This is important because your resume and cover letter are the first things a recruiter will see. Having ample experience and a wide range of skills doesn’t mean much if employers aren’t impressed by your application. Everything from the format to the layout of the documents can have a positive—or negative—impact.

Many other sites are also offering additional career-building services, like interview coaching, which helps you make a stellar personal impression and takes you that much closer to a job offer.

Helpful information about Job Posting Sites

Getting a Job In The 21st Century

Even though the national unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been since 1969, for many it seems that finding a fulfilling and well-paying job has never been more difficult. Gone are the days of walking into an office, handing in your resume, and getting a call back the same day. The same goes for being recruited into a career straight out of college. 

According to a study conducted by Burning Glass Technologies, 43 percent of recent college graduates are considered “underemployed” in their first job after graduation. That means that almost half of grads are working jobs that don’t require bachelor’s degrees and which often don’t pay livable wages. When you combine this reality with the heavy weight of student loan debt, the situation can be very frustrating.

Searching for jobs online lets you cast a wider net than ever before. But that has not always been the case. In an article published in 2002, Peter Kuhn of the University of California at Santa Barbara and Mikal Skuterud of the University of Waterloo found that, at the time, people who searched for jobs online tended to be unemployed for longer. 

Kuhn told us that “it used to be the case in the early days that people looked on job boards sort of as a last resort. They didn't have a lot of informal contacts [and] they tried other things that didn't work.”

However, the trend has reversed in the last twenty years, and periods of unemployment were found to have shortened by 25 percent in 2011.

Kuhn added: “I think the technology has improved a great deal. [Searching for jobs online] has become a universal way to look for work. Even if you're looking for a job informally, by contacts or a job board, you're doing it with things like LinkedIn [so] you're doing it online as well.”

In this guide, we’ll talk about how job search sites work, what they do to attract the best applicants, and how you can optimize your application to get the job you want—whether you’re just out of college, switching industries, or re-entering the workforce.

The Low-Down on Job Search Sites

Job search sites get job information in two ways. Employers can post open positions on the website, sometimes paying a fee for every application received through them, or they can post the jobs on the company’s internal job board and allow the job search site to display the post. Sometimes, employers pay to give the post a prominent position in the search results. You’ll see these posts marked as “featured” or “sponsored”. 

Almost every job search site allows candidates to browse job postings without an account, but you get additional perks if you log in. For example, many sites permit you to upload your resume to your profile so you can apply for jobs directly and quickly through the site. Once you find a job post you like, you can click a button to send your employment and education history, saving you time you would otherwise have spent filling in a lengthy application form.

With most sites, if you do create an account, you can also opt into receiving daily or weekly alerts for the same criteria you selected. Then, whenever a new job that checks all your boxes is posted, you’ll get an email so you can submit your application. By setting up job alerts on multiple sites, you can avoid having to search for new jobs every single day, which can go really far in keeping you sane during the job search process.

Finding the Right Job Search Site

Most companies will use more than one job search site to advertise their job postings. This strategy allows them to cast a wide net and reach more candidates. For job seekers, looking for jobs in more than one site also makes sense. 

While most job seekers can find plenty of quality job postings by checking only the most popular sites, it’s good to remember that there are smaller job sites that cater to specialized industries. For a lot of people, looking for jobs on one or two of these niche sites might be enough to find really great prospects, especially for smaller companies that might get buried under the heavy hitters on other sites. For example:

  • If you’re interested in going into public service, check out USA Jobs for employment opportunities in the federal government, and Government Jobs for job postings at the municipal, state, and federal levels.

  • For jobs in technology, look on Dice, which focuses on jobs for web developers and engineers, and lets you search by coding language, software, etc. Another top choice for tech jobs is Hired, where you create a profile and companies reach out to you.

  • Employment in non-profit organizations can be found through sites like Idealist and Encore. This last one stands out because its aim is to help the 50+ population get involved with volunteer work that can make use of the skills they developed during their career.

  • College students or grads have many sites to choose from, but two of the most popular ones are Handshake and College Recruiter, both of which list internships, volunteer opportunities, and entry-level positions.

  • People who are interested in remote work have Remotey and Jobspresso, which only post jobs that let you work from home or wherever you are. 

  • For people in journalism, publishing, or media, there’s Mediabistro and JournalismJobs, both of which have been going strong for twenty years. Mediabistro also publishes industry news, so signing up for their newsletter is especially useful.

  • If you’re looking for hourly or minimum-wage work, try Snag, where hundreds of companies in food service, retail, and customer service advertise job postings from around the country.

These are just a few examples of the most popular niche job boards on the web right now, but you can find similar results for practically every industry out there. Try searching for “[your industry] + job site” and see which results come up. 

What is an ATS?

Once your application is zooming across cyberspace to potential employers, it may find an Applicant-Tracking System (ATS) blocking its path. These systems, as the name says, help hiring managers and recruiters keep an accurate record of everyone applying for jobs with the company, who has been contacted for an interview, and other progress statuses leading up to hiring. In addition, the ATS has a key job at the start of the hiring pipeline: applicants who don’t have the qualifications for the job are filtered out of the pool.

The ATS scans your application for keywords that show you’re a good candidate for the job. For example, if you’re applying for a job as an Office Manager, the ATS may be programmed to flag you as a potential hire if your resume contains words or phrases like “managed schedule” or “budgeting”.

Of course, an ATS is unlikely to be as accurate as a human being who reads the application and catches subtle variations in meaning. For example, perhaps you’re used to referring to one of your duties as “calendar management” instead of “scheduling”. If the ATS isn’t configured to allow for regional or industry variations, your application may fall through the cracks.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help your application land in front of the right people.

Optimize Your Application

Your Resume

Your resume is arguably the most important component of your application. It’s the first thing an ATS will scan and the first thing a hiring manager will read. Your focus should be on making it readable, comprehensive, and relevant. Beatriz Ferreria, a hiring manager at ConsumersAdvocate.org, put it succinctly, “if you don’t get a call back, it’s your resume that’s the problem. If you get an interview, but you don’t get the job, it’s you that’s the problem.” So, let’s focus on the first part of the equation.

Lose the Fancy Formatting

The more formatting your resume has, the more likely it is that it will confuse the ATS. Instead, use a simple text format that highlights your work experience, education, and skills. Only use fonts that are pre-installed on most computers. Some sources suggest that using serif fonts like Times New Roman and Georgia can trip the ATS up. To play it safe, stick to sans serif fonts such as Arial, Tahoma, and Verdana. Save it as a Microsoft Word document (.doc) or a plain text file (.txt). The file name should be simple too: just the position you’re applying for and your name.

Keywords Are Key

When you see a job posting you like, take a few minutes to identify its keywords. These are specific words that identify important roles or responsibilities for the job. Then, integrate them into your resume where applicable. If the job post is asking for “customer service experience,'' don’t just say that you “helped shoppers process their orders”. If you use the terms the company uses in the job posting, it’s more likely that the ATS will identify you as a good candidate and move you through to the next round.

New Job Application, New Resume

A typical mistake when it comes to applying for jobs is using the same resume for every application. Every company is different, from its culture and values to the specific qualifications they’re seeking in a candidate. To improve your chances of getting through the ATS and nabbing an interview, you should tailor your resume for every job. For example, if the posting says they’re seeking someone with “a proven ability to multitask”, you might emphasize that time you juggled three different projects and achieved excellent results for all of them. Identify what the company is looking for and show them you’ve got it. Which leads us to…

Show, Don’t Tell

For every job on your resume, you should include a detailed (but not lengthy) description of what you were responsible for and what you achieved in that role. You can mention how good you are at multitasking until you’re blue in the face, but if you don’t give specific instances of how that ability came into play in your previous jobs, the recruiter won’t necessarily take your word for it. Instead of writing, “Was responsible for managing client accounts”, say “Oversaw management of 52 accounts over three years, developed relationships with 5 new clients, and helped increased revenue by 45%”. Put numbers on your achievements whenever possible. 

Describe Your Career Objectives

This section goes right under your name, and it’s your “elevator pitch” for the hiring manager; that is, a brief summary of why you’re the right person for this job. Here, you should mention your current position, how long you’ve been in the industry, the stand-out skills that make you a great candidate, and the kind of job you’re looking for. That last one should always be the one you’re applying for, of course. This is one more reason you shouldn’t use the same resume for every application—your objective should be tailored to each job.

How to Write a Cover Letter

The cover letter is quite possibly the most hated job-related document in the history of job applications. It’s tedious, and more than a little awkward, to write a letter to someone you don’t know about why they should hire you. To top it off, a 2015 study by recruiter software company Jobvite found that 65% of hiring managers think cover letters are one of the least important factors considered in the hiring process.

Of course, this doesn’t mean it won’t play into the decision at all. As Lisa Lewis, career coach and CEO of Career Clarity, put it: “if there's a 50% [chance] they won't look at [your cover letter], there's also a 50% chance they will look at it.” 

She added that “if that's the thing that helps you tell your story and differentiate yourself, you would probably be really sad if you chose not to do it and it cost you the opportunity.”

The fact is, a cover letter can be a very effective way of crafting a narrative around your resume, especially if you’re switching industries or re-entering the job market after a hiatus, as in the case of parents who took time off to care for young children, people with chronic illnesses, or caretakers. Think of it as a longer version of your resume’s career objective. 

To start, nix the “To Whom It May Concern.” Writing that ubiquitous greeting might be the easy way out, but it doesn’t say much about your care or attention to detail. Find out the name of the hiring manager who is responsible for filling this position and address the letter to them directly. 

You might need to call the company directly to get this information. Not only does it show that you’re truly interested in the position, but you’ll automatically stand out because most people won’t do this. Remember to ask the hiring manager’s gender identification: you don’t want to address Taylor Smith as Mr. Smith when she’s actually Ms. Smith.

If you heard about the job from a friend or colleague, mention them by name in the cover letter. That could be the push you need to get your foot in the door. 

In addition, mention the specific position you’re interested in and then tell them why you’re a good fit. Showcase your most notable achievements and skills by giving specific examples. 

And last, but definitely not least, make sure to show the company what they can gain from hiring you and how your knowledge and skills could help them in the long run. 

All in all, remember that the cover letter should never be longer than a single page. 

Your Search

There are ways to make your search more efficient as well. For starters, avoid the impulse to apply to every single job and company you come across. Odds are you won’t get an interview for each of those jobs, so your time is better spent focusing on fewer jobs for which you truly believe you are well-suited and making sure you have a stellar resume and cover letter tailored for those jobs.

Ferreria went even further than that: “Make a list of the top ten companies you would like to work for and send the resume directly to them.” In other words, make a (realistic) wishlist of companies whose work is interesting to you, that are looking to fill positions whose requirements you meet, and with corporate values similar to yours.

This also means doing research on potential employers even before you apply. Ferreria posed the hypothetical scenario of a candidate who does not approve of alcohol mistakenly applying for a job that would require them to work with whiskey distilleries. Researching the company before applying can save you the awkwardness of having to turn down an interview (or even a job offer) from a company that simply isn’t a good fit.

The research component of the job search will also help you later on when you are interviewed, because you’ll be in a better position to ask questions of the interviewer that show you have a genuine interest in the company.

Another tip Ferreria has for job seekers is to track your applications. “In my experience, [when I call] candidates who send out resumes like crazy, [...]they ask me, ‘What position was this for?’” She said she doesn’t mind answering the question, but it shows a lack of attention that can be an immediate turn-off. There are online tools available for this purpose, such as Huntr, which lets you add jobs to a board and sort them by status (wishlist, applied, rejected, interviewed), but an Excel spreadsheet is one of the simplest ways to do it. You can download our application tracker template below.

Finally, if you’re still using your silly email from freshman year of college, consider opening a new account with a more professional-sounding address just for job seeking. An address with just your name (and maybe your state, town, or profession if you have an especially common name) will look infinitely better on your resume. But remember to check it often! Potential employers are contacting you through that email, so make sure you’re monitoring it consistently and able to respond quickly should they email you.

Job Search Sites: An Employer’s Perspective

If you’re an employer, instead of a job seeker, you might be wondering how to find the right job search site on which to advertise your open positions. Many job search sites let you post positions for free, while offering a paid premium option that boosts your posts in applicants’ search results so you can have increased visibility.

Ferreria says the top feature she seeks in a job search site is to be able to “see who passed [the first round of consideration], and to rank them by stages, like, ‘I called them for an interview’ or ‘I hired them’.” In essence, she says, she’s looking for “a mini ATS to manage my candidates without having to invest in an in-house ATS”.

As your company grows, however, you should look into buying your own applicant tracking system. A good ATS lets you cross-post on several job search sites, view applicants from all those sites on the same platform, and classify each applicant according to their stage in the hiring process (considered, interviewed, rejected, hired, etc.) Having this software in-house saves you time and filters for higher-quality candidates.

But an ATS can only do so much, and your results will largely depend on the quality of your job post. A good posting can give job seekers a realistic idea of what you’re looking for in the ideal candidate and will attract people that meet at least most of your requirements. A bad posting, on the other hand, can either get you candidates that don’t fit the bill or no candidates at all. Here are some guidelines to help you write an effective job posting.

  1. Talk about your company and the work you do. This goes far in letting job seekers know whether they will be a good fit, culture- and skill-wise.

  2. Provide contact information. Always include a website and an email or a phone number. It lets applicants know that you’re a real company and gives them the information they need to research you. The email should always be tied to a company domain (so no Gmail or Outlook accounts).

  3. Describe the position in detail. List the daily responsibilities the work requires. Think about what a typical day at work looks like for someone with that job title.

  4. List the skills the position requires. Considering what the employee needs to do on a daily basis, compile a list of the skills or proficiencies they need to do their job efficiently.

  5. Consider including salary information. If the job you want to fill pays below market value, consider including a salary range, which will give candidates fair warning. That way, you’ll avoid interviewing candidates who won’t agree to the pay cut.

  6. Don’t advertise for a unicorn. Be realistic about what you need and what you’re likely to find in a candidate. Don’t ask for eight years of experience in a coding language that was developed three years ago. The perfect candidate doesn’t exist, so keep that in mind while writing your job post.

  7. Avoid discriminatory language. Anything that mentions the candidate’s race, gender, nationality, physical appearance, etc, should be avoided at all costs (unless it’s a bona fide occupational qualification).

Ferreria says that a well-crafted job posting doesn’t have to go into great detail, but it should cover all the points listed above. “A good job description[…] will bring you the right person because they know what you’re looking for [...] And you’ll create branding in the process because you’ll make your company known in a positive way.”

Nuggets of Wisdom from Career Coach Lisa Lewis

Lisa Lewis, CEO of Career Clarity. (Courtesy of Lisa Lewis)

Setting out to find a new job can be akin to putting yourself through an emotional gauntlet. During the course of our research, we spoke with Lisa Lewis, career coach and CEO of Career Clarity. Her career coaching business was established in 2015 and she has helped over 500 people reach their professional goals. Here, she gives us a few tips to help you start your job search off on the right foot and get better results.

On whether you should solely rely on applying online:

Don't let that be the only way you try to get in front of a hiring manager. If there is anything you can do to develop a relationship at that organization so that you can mention a person in a cover letter or you send them your resume and see if they can forward it on to their employer, the better off you are. The more coveted the employer is [...] the less likely it is they will hire an external candidate or an online candidate without also having an accompanying internal referral. So, the number one piece of advice is, do not only apply for a job online if you really want it. 

On the importance of speaking the employer’s lingo:

Typically, when [employers] are setting up an applicant tracking system, it's looking for specific keywords that give a hiring manager the confidence that you can do the job they're hiring for.  [...] Something as simple as [seeing that] they want to see experience in “project management” and you have been talking in your resume about experience in “project direction”. Changing “direction” to “management” is a tiny tweak that can have a big impact on whether you make the shortlist for interviews.

On what you can learn from rejections:

If you're applying for ten jobs and you're not hearing back from at least three of them, you're either applying for jobs that are not a good fit for you or you're not doing a good job at showing your future employer how this would be a good fit for you via your resume or any other professional materials you might be submitting.

On how to know if you’re a good fit:

In the private career coaching work that I do, I talk about four elements of ideal job fit. (1) Does this role look like a good fit for your strengths and gifts? (2) Does this role seem to align with your interests? (3) Do this organization and this team seem like a good culture fit for your personality? (4) Will this opportunity give you the kinds of benefits and compensation that fit your lifestyle? [...] If you don't know what the answers to those four questions are, it's going to be really hard to strategically pick jobs that are going to be a good fit and it will be very easy to apply for jobs that are a poor fit without knowing it.

On why you shouldn’t disqualify yourself for a job:

Job descriptions are typically written to find a unicorn, not to find a strong-fit candidate[…] For most employers, hunger and enthusiasm trump perfect experience every time. And it gives job seekers a lot of hope, I think, because there is no such thing as a unicorn candidate out there who fits a job description perfectly to a “T” [...] who the company can also afford. Typically, if you are a 100% fit for a job description, you are applying for something that is too junior for you, and they're not going to hire you because you're going to want a salary that's higher than what they've budgeted for this position.


Our Job Posting Sites Review Summed Up

Company NameThe Best for
Indeed.com Job Search SiteBest Overall
Monster.com Job Search SiteBest for Additional Services
LinkedIn Job Search SiteBest for Networking
The Muse Job Search SiteBest for Company Profiles
Glassdoor Job Search SiteBest for Company Reviews and Salary Information
ZipRecruiter Job Search SiteBest for Employers
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