Pros & Cons of using Job Boards

As a recruitment consultancy its no secret we use job boards. So it makes sense that as an internal recruiter you would use them too, but what are the pros & cons of using them?

The Pros

• You can reach a large audience Job Boards attract thousands of candidates every month, so advertising your job online makes sense in many respects.

• 24 hours a day, 7 days a week The World Wide Web is accessible 24/7, meaning you can search for potential employees anytime, anywhere, and candidates can apply anytime, anywhere.

• Many generalist & specialist boards to choose from Meaning you can advertise lower level positions on the more generalist boards & more specialist roles on niche boards to ensure you get the right level of candidates you’re looking for.

• Making life easier for potential employees They can register with a job site & then make multiple applications without having to repeatedly upload the same information each time.

• Create an online Employer Brand If you don’t have a career page on your company website, job boards can be a chance to create an online profile of your business to attract talent, giving an idea of what its like to work in your business along with an outline of training & progression opportunities offered.

The Cons

• Prepare yourself to receive a LOT of applications As recruiters we see applications come in from candidates from all over the world, and while this can be useful it often means sifting through piles of cvs from people who don’t have the right to work in the country you’re recruiting in, making it a time-consuming exercise.

• Unqualified candidates Another issue can be the numbers of applicants that apply for positions for which they are not qualified. Some people treat the process as a numbers game and make as many applications as possible, which can be a frustration if you are already swamped with applications.

• No guarantee you will find your ideal candidate The downside of the global nature of the internet is that you may find lots of people that fit your skills requirements, but they don’t fit location-wise.

• Missing out on passive candidates Solely using job boards means you may miss out on people who are not actively applying for roles, people possibly perfect for your business but there are tantalisingly out of reach. Just because they are not applying doesn’t mean they are not open to the idea of moving for the right job.

Our advice

• Do your research first Find out which boards specialise in what you are looking for and consider using those first. As specialist recruiters ourselves we know how hard it can be to find the perfect candidate in a sea of generalists.

• Know your employer brand Who you are as a business, what you offer, what its like to work for you, what opportunities there are for progression. All these things can make a massive difference in attracting the right candidates

• Recruiters can offer better value Job boards can be expensive when used for one off job adverts, often recruiters will advertise over several boards for a fraction of the cost, so don’t rule out using them.

• Job boards alone are not enough Traditional networking still has its place, even if its virtual on LinkedIn.

• Listen to your own people Don’t forget the best employees often come from referrals.

Do you need help advertising a job? Get in touch with us here