Pros and Cons of Using a Job Board to Apply for a Job

Years ago, job boards were the hot spot for job applicants to identify and apply for jobs online. After all, they’re easy to use, and anyone can do it from the comforts of home. Fast-forward a few decades and the internet has grown exponentially. While times have changed and recruiting efforts have broadened to social media and other strategies, job boards still are a valuable resource for job seekers. Here are some of the top pros and cons of using job boards to apply for jobs.

Pro and con: Easily find open positions

Job boards can be both a pro and con when it comes to finding open positions. It's easy to identify companies and open positions by using a job board's search tools—just plug in a few keywords and you'll find many opportunities right at your fingertips, 24/7.

Listings are typically easy to navigate, and you can have job openings sent right to your inbox. On the other hand, while you'll find numerous opportunities, all the other job seekers have the same search ability, increasing your competition for the most appealing jobs.

Pro: Ability to boost your visibility

Job boards not only give you the opportunity to get your name out there in your local job market but gives you the ability to connect with employers in other areas of the country—or beyond—further widening your career opportunities, all with a few simple clicks.

Con: Limited ability to cast a wide net

Statistics suggest 80 percent of jobs aren't posted online. If you spend all your efforts and focus on job boards, you'll miss out on this hidden job market and lose out on terrific opportunities. Remember, while on the job hunt, it's often not what you know, but who you know that determines the next step in your career.

Casting a wide net to try and snag your dream job is a smart strategy. This means you'll want to go beyond job boards to find positions. Employers typically receive massive responses to job board listings, and they may glaze right over your application.

Pro: Shave hours off your search

One of the greatest advantages of job boards is the way tools simplify the application process because these sites remove the most tedious elements of the job search.

• They make it incredibly easy to upload your resume, credentials, and any other important information.
• They allow your information to be available to employers and recruiters.
• They easily track your applications in one concise dashboard.

If you strategically utilize the features available to you on job boards, you'll find them to be huge timesavers, freeing up hours to spend on the rest of your search strategy.

Con: Sorting through junk listings

A big drawback to (some) job sites is the need to sort through redundancies which can make your search cumbersome. You'll need to learn how to identify the red flags in listings, especially if a website isn't vigilant about spam listings. These days, you can't be too careful, and you'll have to make sure you're not giving away your personal information to someone with nefarious intentions. You also might start seeing your inbox overflowing with emails you don't want.

Tips:

Job boards make it easy to streamline the job search process, but it can be time-consuming. If you use a good strategy and choose your job boards wisely, they can be a great resource and tool.

• Be selective about the job boards you use.
• Use keywords relating to your niche, but also plug in words employers are apt to use in similar, but not exact, jobs. This will help you to identify hidden gems your keywords aren't uncovering.
• Apply to the newest jobs first.
• Sign up for job alerts.
• Don't limit your search to job boards because you'll miss out on opportunities being presented in other places.
• Polish up your LinkedIn profile.
• Be sure to keep attending networking events—be ready to seize opportunity anywhere you can find it. Personal connections matter big-time when it comes to growing your career.

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