The best job boards to review are the ones related to your industry. These include sites connected to professional associations for your field. Please know, though, that applying for jobs through online job boards is one of the most ineffective job search strategies available. It is so easy to apply that employers get flooded by applicants, many of whom do not meet the qualifications or customize their applications This severely limits the amount of time employers can spend screening these candidates, which may result in qualified applicants getting overlooked due to software programming, human error, or insufficient time.

You can use online job boards to your advantage, though. These sites can show you companies that are hiring, common qualifications for roles you are interested in, and provide names and contact information for individuals who are in hiring capacities. From there, you can reach out to your network to learn more about the companies, fields, and positions of interest, which can help you to become a referral candidate instead of an online job board applicant. This dramatically increases your chances of getting an interview and ultimately getting hired.

To learn more about effective job search strategies, check out our Conducting a Job Search webpage as well as our Job Search on-demand tutorial.