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From crafting the perfect resume and cover letter, to finding the best-fit niche jobs to apply for, there is a lot that goes into searching for the perfect job.
But with the right information and strategies, the entire process can be easier than you think.
Think about it.
Today, you really don't have to print a stack of resumes and start knocking on doors. It is the modern age and much of the job search now happens online!
There are hundreds of job search websites, tools, apps, and boards that you can use to make the hunt for your perfect job easier.
Unfortunately, picking the best job search website can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. This can be overwhelming!
But here's the good news: you just need to know where to look and what to look for to find jobs.
So where are the best places to go to find your next great job? In this guide for how to find work, we have compiled a list of the best job sites to use when looking for a job.
We have broken it down into general job search engines and niche job search sites for specific industries. By the time you're finished, you'll learn:
- Best sites to look for a job that could save you hours of work
- Best niche job sites to help you find job postings in your specific industry
- How to find work and get the most interviews
- Qualified alternatives for job search engines that can place you ahead of the competition.
But first...
What Are Job Search Engines and Job Boards?
While the two terms sound similar and are often confused, there is a unique difference between job search engines and job boards. Job boards are sites where employers and recruiters post their jobs.
Job seekers can then use those job boards to search and apply for new career opportunities.
Job boards can either be general (e.g., Monster and Indeed) or industry-specific (e.g., Dice and Behance).
General job boards have job postings from a broad range of industries while specific job boards are more focused to cater to a job market segment or a particular niche market.
On the other hand, job search engines scour multiple employer websites, job boards, and other job search engines and aggregate open job listings to help job seekers find exactly the kinds of jobs they are looking for.
Some job search engines such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter.com have adopted a hybrid job aggregation and job board approach, making them a one-stop-shop for any job seeker.
With that out of the way, let's now look at some of the popular websites for job search.
Top 15 Best Websites for Job Search
1. Indeed Job Search
This site has grown over time to include intuitive job search tools such as the one-button push application process and keyword search options allowing you to search and apply for local or global jobs easily. It also has a hybrid job board with hundreds of job openings posted every day.
2. Glassdoor Jobs
Glassdoor has some interesting tools such as "Company Compare" that provides job seekers with a side-by-side comparison of two companies based on employee reviews, the "Collections" tool that help you organize job listings based on company reviews as well as the "Salary Calculator" feature that helps you know your worth and only apply to those jobs that make sense to you.
3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is perhaps the most widely used social media platform for professionals. It not only offers a rich, user-centric platform to bootstrap your networking outreach but also allows you to access job listings directly from recruiters.
You can curate your profile to showcase your experience, skills, and strengths in a robust way that will catch the eyes of recruiters and employers. Since your profile serves as your resume, it is important to take time and create a well-optimized, keyword-rich profile that stands out. The crown jewel of LinkedIn is its intuitive search features that can help you narrow down results to see the exact type of jobs you want.
4. Job.Com
This is a highly automated job search engine that uses highly intuitive artificial intelligence and robust automation systems to match your resume with the best-fit job openings. It has an interactive system that gives you feedback at each step of the way, allowing you to tailor your resume more strategically to land an interview. As a cherry on top, this site promises to share 5% of its agency fees with you when you land a job through their site.
5. CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is one of the oldest and most trusted job boards on the internet. For more than 20 years, this site has been offering thousands of job postings that have been gathered directly from employers and local news organizations.
It has a highly customizable search feature that allows you to get job recommendations based on your resume keywords. You can also get a comprehensive report indicating how you compare with other candidates, so you can level up your resume.
6. ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is a job board that focuses on artificial intelligence to connect businesses with job seekers through their web, email, and mobile services. It uses powerful matching technology to scan through thousands of resumes and match them with jobs that require listed skills, experience, and education.
As a job seeker, you'll need to create a free profile, upload your resume and search for jobs in your field. The autonomous system will send you regular notifications when it finds a job (s) that you are qualified for.
7. Google for Jobs
You can use Google's high-end search algorithms to find work around you. Google AI-powered search engine crawls through the web to find job openings that match your skills. You only need to use the right keywords to find work. For instance, an IT graduate can search for "Entry lever IT jobs in Michigan" to find a list of matching openings.
8. Monster
Monster is a pioneer job board that has continued to reign supreme despite its negative reviews from job seekers due to its high spam rate. It has interesting features such as the ability to block your current employer and the ability to create a resume so potential recruiters and employers can contact you directly. With over 150,000 jobs posted monthly and an easy-to-use mobile app, Monster is still a nice place to find work.
9. SimplyHired
SimplyHired is a job search engine that crawls the internet to find hundreds of job listings. With over 700,000 unique employers, you can leverage this site to land your dream job. You can upload your resume and use the Simply apply feature to send out curated applications for different job openings. You can also click to add a cover letter if you need to.
SimplyHired has an intuitive local and global search option that allows job seekers to find jobs listed by city and by company. The job search engine has a mobile app to allow for easy access and provides critical details such as the salary calculator and local search tools to help candidates make a smart career move.
10. Snag (Formerly Snagajob)
Snag is a leading job board for hourly jobs that range from healthcare, customer service to thousands of other part-time and full-time categories. You can perform an hourly job search by company name, industry, or location to find an hourly gig that you are most qualified in.
On snag, you'll find job listings from local and national employers in hotel and hospitality, restaurants, office administration, construction, sales, beauty, marketing, education, automotive and more. Once you create a Snag profile you can easily search and apply for jobs using the information provided on your profile.
11. LinkUp
LinkUp is a sleek, robust job search engine that indexes jobs from more than 50,000 unique employers. The most unique LinkUp feature is that all job openings are verified by real humans to weed out spammy listings and ensure that all job openings are up to date.
It has locational and keyword search options to narrow down job openings, making the entire job search process fast and easy. You can set notification alerts to keep up with any new openings that match your criteria/qualifications.
12. Craigslist Jobs
Despite its not-so-good reviews, Craigslist is still a top choice for many small to medium local businesses to look for talent. This job board has a general jobs section where you can find a variety of jobs ranging from engineering, IT, accounting, retail, and more. The job openings are listed into locational and job type categories to make it easy and fast for you to find the right job for you.
13. Upwork
With the continued growth of the gig economy, Upwork ranks highly as a go-to job search website for people looking for freelance jobs in marketing, design, web development, engineering, writing, remote work, and more.
14. Robert Half
This is one of the oldest staffing agencies that have pivoted its business to offer a solid job search engine. Robert Half works with a bunch of companies and job boards to offer thousands of part-time and full-time job listings.
15. The Ladders
This decade-old job search engine allows you to find specialty jobs with a 100,000K plus salary. If you are looking for a well-paying executive job, this is possibly the best place to start looking. It allows you to upload your resume and have recruiters come to you.
Honorable Mention: CollegeRecruiter
This is an excellent job search website for entry-level candidates without a lot of practical experience under their belt. It has hundreds of internship and entry-level opportunities in major and growing industries.
The Most Popular Sites for Job Searching and Recruiting
LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed rank highly in the recruiting and job searching categories. Here are our top pick job search websites based on the number of listings, experience level served, reputation, ease of use, costs, and advanced features.
- Indeed: Best Overall
- Glassdoor: Best for Employer Insights
- LinkedIn: Best for Connecting Directly with Recruiters
- LinkUp: Best for Up-to-Date Listings
- FlexJobs: Best for Remote Jobs
- The Ladders: Best for Experienced Managers
- Snag: Best for Hourly Jobs
30+ Best Niche Job Sites for Specific Industries
Looking for a new job? While popular job search engines such as Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter have hundreds of job postings, you stand a better chance to find job openings in job boards that cater to specific industries and interests.
Niche job search websites help you focus your efforts on the specific field where you are most qualified. We have compiled a list of niche sites to help you find opportunities in an industry that best fit your lifestyle and career goals.
- FinancialJobBank: Best for accounting jobs
- eFinancialCareers.com: Best for banking and finance jobs
- Dice: Best for Technology and data analytics jobs
- Mashable: Best for Media and communication jobs
- Poached Jobs: Best for Restaurant and hospitality jobs
- College Recruiter: Best for Internship and entry-level opportunities
- Behance: Best for Design jobs
- Problogger: Best for Marketing Writing jobs
- WeWorkRemotely: Best for Startup Remote Jobs
- AllRetailJobs: Best for retail jobs
- Angellist: Best for startup jobs
- Archinect: Best for architecture jobs
- CoolWorks: Best for seasonal jobs
- HealthcareJobSite: Best for healthcare jobs
- ManagedCareBiz: Best for managed care jobs
- Mediabistro: Best for media jobs
- RecruitMilitary: Best for military veteran jobs
- Idealist.org: Best for nonprofit jobs
- RXinsider: Best for Pharmacy jobs
- Sales Gravy: Best for sales jobs
- JobsInTrucks.com: Best for driver jobs
- JobsinLogistics.com: Best for logistics jobs
- JobsinManufacturing.com: Best for manufacturing jobs
- Stack Overflow: Best for web and software development jobs
- JournalismJobs.com: Best for journalism jobs
- USAJobs.gov: Best for federal jobs
- PowerToFly: be Best st for female remote workers
- LawCrossing: best for legal jobs
- PoliticalJobHunt: Best for Political Jobs
- WorkingNotWorking: best for creative jobs
- JobsInSports.com: Best for jobs in Sports
- IEEEjobsite.com: Best for engineering jobs
- GetCADjobs.com: Best for CAD design jobs
- NurseFly: Best for traveling nursing jobs
- Medjobcafe: Best for medical jobs
Tips for Using Job Search Engines
Follow these tips to make the best of your job searching efforts:
- Start with the major job search engines. Sites such as Recruiter, Indeed, and SimplyHired provide a wide variety of job openings, allowing you to look for opportunities that match your skills and experience.
- Sign up on specialized niche sites. One job search site is simply not enough to land you're your dream job. Broaden your search by including niche sites that have job openings in your industry of choice.
- Go mobile. Once you've identified a couple of sites that meet your needs and preferences, install their mobile to help you look for job openings on the go such as during a doctor's appointment or when commuting.
- Optimize your resume. Some job search websites require you to submit your resume. Be sure to include a keyword-rich skills section. You should also include the terms listed on a job description in your experience section to increase your chances of passing the Applicants Tracking System (ATS) algorithm.
And once you've decided which sites are best, take the following steps:
- Apply for opportunities right away. One of the secrets of how to find work is to apply for job opening positions as soon as they become available. Filter the most recent job listings and make your application before other applicants make a move.
- Bookmark your favorite sites. Bookmarking your favorite job search engine and employers' career pages can help you stay organized and make your job hunting easier and less overwhelming.
- Leverage social media as a recruitment tool. Ensure that your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter profiles are strategically aligned to land you the next job.
Other Job-Hunting Tactics That Are A Good Alternative to Job Websites
You should never rely solely on job search engines to find a job. In fact, experts recommend that job search engines should only account for 20% of your job-hunting efforts.
- Networking. Many of the jobs are never advertised. As such, networking provides you an opportunity to meet with professionals face-to-face, allowing you to get an insider scoop of what's happening in your industry.
- Walk-In. The idea is to find a company that you'd be interested to work in, research their company culture and walk to their offices and request a meetup with a manager. Ensure that you create a lasting fast impression and have your resume and cover letter ready.
- Direct Company Outreach. If you already have a list of your dream employers in mind, you can create a well-thought-out plan that involves visiting their career pages and sending out highly curated resumes.
- Use a Headhunters and Recruiters. You can also enlist professional help from headhunters and recruiting agencies to land your dream job.
Key Takeaway
When searching for a job it's always a good idea to use a variety of resources including job search sites, networking, and traditional walk-in techniques. Before you start applying for jobs, ensure that your resume is up to date and it's optimized with the right keywords to increase your chances during ATS screening.
