Job boards are one of the most wide-reaching and practical tools to help you find a job.
Whether you have a vague idea of what a job board is and use one, or you have no idea they even existed, this guide will talk you through what a job board is, how they work and how to use them to get the best results when job hunting.
What is a job board and how do they work?
A job board, also known as a job site, is a type of employment website used by job hunters, employers and recruitment agencies. There are a whole range of job boards out there. Some are generalist, like CV-Library, and some are industry-specific.
Job boards are designed to host thousands of job adverts on behalf of employers and recruiters to increase the visibility of their vacancies.
You, as a job hunter, can search through these vacancies and apply for the positions directly through the job board. All you need to do is upload your CV to the job board and you’re ready to apply.
Using job boards to apply for jobs
You can sign up to as many job boards as you like, but be aware that many employers and recruiters post their jobs on several job boards to maximise their vacancies’ exposure. As a result, you may see the same role multiple times.
If you have seen the same role on several job sites, it doesn’t matter which site you use to apply for the role as job boards are just a hosting platform – your application will end up with the recruiter in charge of that vacancy regardless.
Therefore, there’s also no point in applying for that same role on all the job sites it’s hosted on. If anything, this could harm your chances of receiving a call back from the recruiter as you’re unnecessarily clogging the application pipeline.
It’s also worth noting that, once you have applied for a position via a job board, your application leaves the site and lands in the hands of the recruiter handling the vacancy.
As a result, if you’re interested in the status of your application, the job site can only inform you whether your application was successfully submitted. Any other details now rest with the employer or recruiter.
Other job board features
Once you have uploaded your CV, it enters the job board’s secure CV database. Recruiters and employers paying to use the job board’s services can access this database and use it to search for candidates that are suitable for their vacancies.
As a result, you may receive a few calls from recruiters pitching you positions that they think you’re a great match for.
If you don’t want to be contacted by recruiters, that’s OK. You can easily hide your CV from view in your account area, but you will still be able to apply for roles via the job site.
Tips for using a job board successfully
Hopefully you now have an understanding of how a job board works. Here are some tips to help you use a job board successfully and find your next role.
Find the latest opportunities
Job boards host thousands of vacancies which you can easily search through.
Most sites have a range of advanced searching tools so you can find the jobs you’re looking for. Some of the criteria you can search by include: keywords, job title, location, salary, job type, industry and the date the advert was posted.
You can also get clever with your search criteria through Boolean search operators. By using Boolean, you’ll be able to make your search as specific as possible to help you uncover the most relevant jobs.
Use Job Alerts to save time on searching
Job boards, particularly the generalist ones, have a useful feature called Job Alerts, which email you jobs matching your search criteria.
You can set them up in seconds. All you need to do is input the relevant criteria. For example, if you’re looking for a marketing assistant role in Bristol, your alert would feature “marketing assistant” AND “Bristol”.
With Job Alerts, you can keep an eye on several combinations of job titles, locations, industries and more, helping you stay on top of your search.
Optimise your CV and get scouted by recruiters
If you love the sound of recruiters contacting you with great opportunities, you need to optimise your CV with keywords and industry jargon related to your desired role or industry. This is so you can be found easily.
When recruiters search the CV database, they search via keywords related to the role they’re trying to fill – in the same way that you would look for a job.
To make sure your CV is pulled to the top of their search, you must tailor your CV to the job you have in mind. Simply look at a relevant job description for inspiration and try to mirror some of the keywords and phrases throughout your CV. This will help you become more discoverable.
Read career advice from industry experts
Most job boards also have a blog featuring a range of career advice written by industry experts. Therefore, if you need a helping hand with additional information job boards can be a useful resource.
About the author: Laura Slingo is Digital Copywriter for the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library
Whether you have a vague idea of what a job board is and use one, or you have no idea they even existed, this guide will talk you through what a job board is, how they work and how to use them to get the best results when job hunting.
What is a job board and how do they work?
A job board, also known as a job site, is a type of employment website used by job hunters, employers and recruitment agencies. There are a whole range of job boards out there. Some are generalist, like CV-Library, and some are industry-specific.
Job boards are designed to host thousands of job adverts on behalf of employers and recruiters to increase the visibility of their vacancies.
You, as a job hunter, can search through these vacancies and apply for the positions directly through the job board. All you need to do is upload your CV to the job board and you’re ready to apply.
Using job boards to apply for jobs
You can sign up to as many job boards as you like, but be aware that many employers and recruiters post their jobs on several job boards to maximise their vacancies’ exposure. As a result, you may see the same role multiple times.
If you have seen the same role on several job sites, it doesn’t matter which site you use to apply for the role as job boards are just a hosting platform – your application will end up with the recruiter in charge of that vacancy regardless.
Therefore, there’s also no point in applying for that same role on all the job sites it’s hosted on. If anything, this could harm your chances of receiving a call back from the recruiter as you’re unnecessarily clogging the application pipeline.
It’s also worth noting that, once you have applied for a position via a job board, your application leaves the site and lands in the hands of the recruiter handling the vacancy.
As a result, if you’re interested in the status of your application, the job site can only inform you whether your application was successfully submitted. Any other details now rest with the employer or recruiter.
Other job board features
Once you have uploaded your CV, it enters the job board’s secure CV database. Recruiters and employers paying to use the job board’s services can access this database and use it to search for candidates that are suitable for their vacancies.
As a result, you may receive a few calls from recruiters pitching you positions that they think you’re a great match for.
If you don’t want to be contacted by recruiters, that’s OK. You can easily hide your CV from view in your account area, but you will still be able to apply for roles via the job site.
Tips for using a job board successfully
Hopefully you now have an understanding of how a job board works. Here are some tips to help you use a job board successfully and find your next role.
Find the latest opportunities
Job boards host thousands of vacancies which you can easily search through.
Most sites have a range of advanced searching tools so you can find the jobs you’re looking for. Some of the criteria you can search by include: keywords, job title, location, salary, job type, industry and the date the advert was posted.
You can also get clever with your search criteria through Boolean search operators. By using Boolean, you’ll be able to make your search as specific as possible to help you uncover the most relevant jobs.
Use Job Alerts to save time on searching
Job boards, particularly the generalist ones, have a useful feature called Job Alerts, which email you jobs matching your search criteria.
You can set them up in seconds. All you need to do is input the relevant criteria. For example, if you’re looking for a marketing assistant role in Bristol, your alert would feature “marketing assistant” AND “Bristol”.
With Job Alerts, you can keep an eye on several combinations of job titles, locations, industries and more, helping you stay on top of your search.
Optimise your CV and get scouted by recruiters
If you love the sound of recruiters contacting you with great opportunities, you need to optimise your CV with keywords and industry jargon related to your desired role or industry. This is so you can be found easily.
When recruiters search the CV database, they search via keywords related to the role they’re trying to fill – in the same way that you would look for a job.
To make sure your CV is pulled to the top of their search, you must tailor your CV to the job you have in mind. Simply look at a relevant job description for inspiration and try to mirror some of the keywords and phrases throughout your CV. This will help you become more discoverable.
Read career advice from industry experts
Most job boards also have a blog featuring a range of career advice written by industry experts. Therefore, if you need a helping hand with additional information job boards can be a useful resource.
About the author: Laura Slingo is Digital Copywriter for the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library