Here a Job, There a job!
Disclaimer: The opinions shared in this blog post are solely that of the author and not a reflection of LibLime or any of its affiliates.
Just about everyone has searched for a job at one time or another. It’s part of life. Swaths of challenges can present themselves during this hunt and many companies came up with solutions to aid job seekers. There are many different apps with corresponding websites, but it’s hard to tell which is the most useful. I’ve used some of these and found some to be… challenging… while others are quite easy to use. It boils down to what will work best for you, but how do you tell which might be best? Most of the main sites are free to use, but some do offer premium features for those willing to pay. Freelancing is an option too for anyone who can use a computer to accomplish a task, but getting going in that market can be very difficult. As someone who’s looked at job boards frequently, I am analyzing the top-rated sites as someone who’s used them.
The highest-rated is ZipRecruiter according to Consumers Advocate and a few other sites. It’s ideal for employers because it was designed with them in mind. “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.” Their job seeker platform is usable, but I found it to be more useful on a computer than in-app. The matches were adequate, and the 1-click apply feature is very easy. Much more so than the Easy apply LinkedIn has. Though, to be fair, that has significantly improved over the past year or so. ZipRecruiter does match you instantly to jobs and rates them for you on a scale of Great Match, Good Match, Fair Match, etc. This is more helpful than other sites because you not only see that your profile matches the job, or that you have some of the qualifications, but you see how good of a match you are without having to open the listing. These small but significant features are what sets this platform apart from others in my opinion.
Next in the lineup is LinkedIn. Most professionals are familiar with this platform as it’s been around for several years. It was designed to be a professional social networking site but added the job finder on March 1, 2005, per their press release. The services offered have increased substantially over the years and now include professional development and pricey premium service. This includes things like direct messaging to recruiters, the ability to be listed as a featured applicant (who wouldn’t want that?), online video courses, seeing who’s viewed your profile, applicant insights, and instant access to salary insights.
Monster.com is the next platform. Admittedly, I don’t know as much off-hand about this platform. When I went to the website I immediately noticed the Grad Hub. It was made for recent graduates as a tool to help them get started in the job market. You can search salaries by major (which might be useful before deciding on a major too), a resume assessment, and a search for entry-level jobs. They also have banner advertising resources for Ukrainian refugees, so if you need help click here to be directed to that page. It appears to be more geared towards the younger or newer job seekers, but still has plenty to offer the more experienced ones too. It’s relatively basic in features but simultaneously offers what job seekers need. Resume services, for a hefty price, career advice articles, salary tools, and a solid search tool. It’s a good option if you’re newer to the job hunt or don’t want to deal with more complex platforms.
Last but not least is Indeed.com. It’s the number one site listed on Google if you search for job search sites. They boast 250 million unique visitors monthly, 225 million resumes on their platform, and over 600 million company reviews and rankings. Designed with ease of use in mind, it has features every job seeker needs. One unique aspect is the assessments. You can take them on your own or when prompted by an application. They are graded but you can decide which results are visible to employers. Also, you can retake them to try for a better score. Per consumeradvocate.com, “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.”
Being in the job market is difficult at times, but using quality search platforms like these makes it easier to find what you need. There are other great sites too, but these ranked the highest overall. Have you had a great experience with a different site? Can you share a story of something funny or bizarre that happened as a result of using a job search site?
By Gretchen Hendrick Gardella, MLIS
Gretchen Hendrick Gardella is a Librarian with administrative, research, and vast technical skills. Ms. Gardella brings over 16 years of experience working in academic and public libraries to the discussion.