Going door to door to businesses or checking the daily job section in the local newspaper use to be the main way people found work, but that’s no longer the case. In today’s day and age, job search sites are the most convenient way to stay connected to the job market and find ideal companies looking to hire.
These websites also help out recent graduates who are just entering the work force filter out jobs they qualify for and get their resumes to prospective employers, all without having to leave the comfort of their own computer.
Here’s a look at five of the main job search sites and how they operate.
1. Indeed
Indeed operates as a broad job search engine for all types of positions, as well as a place that employers can search for and find employees based on resume matches. Indeed allows users to upload their resume and take assessments (i.e. written communication) for future employers to see.
Resume-matching is a main feature of the site, which helps both those looking for employers and those looking for employees. The site also features an alert system that signs users up for daily emails of new job postings for specific keyword searchers. While this feature can be annoying by flooding your inbox, it does help to stay up to date with current job postings.
For recent graduates and college students seeking work, Indeed is one of the simpler and more straightforward job search sites to use. College students can simply search a keyword for their city and thousands of jobs will come up. You can also refine the search, allowing you to find the perfect match. The site earns an A for platform organization, simplicity for users and mobility ease, because it is downloadable to your phone from the app store and Google Play.
2. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is all about making connections and networking, which in turn can lead to finding future job positions. LinkedIn allows users to create a social media business profile that operates similar to a resume, cover letter and CV in one. The job site also has a jobs section where users can search keywords and seek out employment opportunities.
The platform even offers a premium upgrade and resume writers to help boost users’ chances at standing out to employers. The premium plans feature career, business, sales and hiring models for users to choose from — basically for $29.99 to $99.95 (depending on the model) you get your profile promoted, a look at your insights and an instant-messaging option.
LinkedIn can pose challenges for college students and recent graduate students, because unless you know someone in your area of interest that is hiring there is a smaller chance of building the connections needed to find work. However, it is still beneficial to create a profile and find as many connections as possible since some employers ask for and look at LinkedIn profiles upon applying for a position.
3. CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is another job search site that allows users to upload resumes and cover letters for employers. One function of the database that gives it a leg up over other job search sites is that it that gives users a break from coming up with keywords that sometimes lead to dead ends, with their career browsing option that categorizes postings into three separate categories: job titles, type and by state.
However, for college students the site is limited because there are not many minimum wage jobs available; plus, CareerBuilder also seems to have a smaller collection of job listings compared to Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn and ZipRecruiter.
4. ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter comes in both website and app form, which is great for those constantly applying to positions, even on the go. Similar to the other job search sites, ZipRecruiter has a straightforward platform of searching for a keyword and producing the related results.
The one downside of the site, however, is that they only feature mainly office jobs, such as financial assistants and receptionists. ZipRecruiter stands out mainly because of its use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their recruiting process. According to an interview with the company’s founder, the use of AI recruiting helps to match recruiters and future employees based on job title, skill set, years of experience and location alone, rather than based on the descriptions in resumes.
The AI process may be beneficial to college students who are rapidly sending out resumes to help match them to a multitude of employers. That being said, the AI function does cut down on the personality aspect of a resume, such as the introduction statement, which for young applicants may be the only thing that lands them the job if they do not have much experience.
5. Glassdoor
Glassdoor is often used a site where future employees check out pay rates, current or previous employee reviews and of course job ratings before applying; however, the site can also be used as a job search engine and place to easily apply.
Similar to Indeed, CareerBuilder and ZipRecruiter, Glassdoor uses a keyword search engine. The site also features a “What’s New” section where they have live streams and articles posted for users to watch, read and learn from. Whenever users click on a job listing they can see real users reviews, and they are not filtered to show only the positive reviews that boost company ratings. Each user review shows a pro-con list, if other employees of the company recommend the job and the perception (positive, neutral or negative) of working for the company.
While Glassdoor is primarily a job search website, the main attraction is the reviews section. Having the perspective of former employees separates them as a platform, as users get a feel for the company before having to apply and accept a position that they may not mesh well with.
