Using online job boards is part of doing business today. When recruiting, it can be one of, if not the most, cost-effective ways to reach the right audience and attract the best candidates. Developing a standout job posting and identifying the right job boards are key steps to successful recruiting.
Tips for using online job boards effectively
- If a job board charges a fee to post, request a free trial. Many sites are willing to offer at least one free trial
- If your startup is planning serious growth, try to negotiate a volume discount
- Establish a presence on LinkedIn and other social media: This gives you access to millions of professional candidates
The following list will help you identify job boards that are right for your startup.
General job boards for recruiting candidates
- Bullhorn Reach: Two jobs can be posted for free
- Canadajobs.com: A nation-wide, general board (free to post and links to other Canadian boards)
- craigslist: Local classifieds site (free to post)
- Higher Bracket: A national board featuring jobs with salaries greater than $100,000 (free to post)
- Job Bank (Government of Canada): A nation-wide, general board hosted by federal government (free to post)
- Indeed: A very popular general job posting board. Free, with very good reach
- JobBankCanada.com: A nation-wide, general board, not to be confused with the federal Job Bank listed above (free to post)
- Jobboom: Popular in Quebec
- Jooble: Another popular general job posting board.
- Kijiji: Canadian classifieds site (free to post)
- Monster Canada: A well-known job board with a high degree of visibility. More costly than smaller, niche sites, so startups are advised to explore more cost-effective options first
- TweetMyJobs: This board actively pushes your jobs out to social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. It offers options for small companies
- Workopolis: A major international board with many associated niche boards
- Trovit: An international job board (free to post)
IT/engineering job boards
- Brainhunter: A national board with an IT, engineering and professional focus
- careerbuilder: A national board with a focus on sales, IT and finance (is based out of the United States)
- Dice: An international board with an IT focus
- EngineeringCareers.ca: Job site of The Engineering Institute of Canada
- iitjobs: An international board with an IT focus (free 30-day trial)
- LabVIEWjobs.com: A free, niche board specializing in automated test, instrumentation and measurement jobs
Finance/marketing job boards
- Canadian Marketing Association: Specializes in marketing-related jobs (has a free to post)
- American Marketing Association: Lists marketing jobs in Toronto and Vancouver (has a fee to post)
- Certified General Accountants of Ontario: Posts jobs to 30,000 Certified General Accountants (CGAs) and CGA students. A cost is involved, but is a good site to use if you specifically need a CGA
Other niche job boards
- CharityVillage: A national board featuring jobs in the not-for-profit sector
- ECO Canada: A board focusing on environmental jobs
- WorkCabin: Also focusing on environmental jobs
Local job boards
Local sector associations, professional associations and business development organizations in your area may run job boards—make sure to check them out.