More than half of job seekers choose online job boards as the first destination on their search for employment. Candidates are no longer sifting through newspaper ads with a marker pen, and traditional face-to-face networking has taken a hit in the last couple of years too.
There are numerous job boards to choose from, so additional features have become key to attracting users. The search itself is just one aspect – candidates and recruiters want more from online job platforms. Big players in the market are continuously making strides to improve their offering, and new technology has brought exciting developments to the table.
A convenient way to search
Online job boards act like a search engine. Well-established sites such as Indeed, Monster and LinkedIn have extensive databases containing a variety of available roles that are posted on behalf of recruitment agencies and employers. Job seekers can submit search criteria and instantly find matched roles.
These online platforms don’t just make it easy for candidates search through postings. They also share search tips, recommend positions, and simplify the application process. It’s the sheer convenience that sets them apart from agency and employer job boards.
Going beyond the search
With so many online job boards around, sites are looking to be more than a typical job search engine. There have been many different approaches to this, but the focus is making life easier for both the job seeker and the recruiter.
Indeed:
With Indeed, users can upload their resume to enhance their job-hunting power. Doing this opens up their profile for recruiters to connect, as well as empowering them to utilize the ‘easy apply’ option. Candidate and recruiter can communicate with each other through the platform too thanks to email integration.
LinkedIn:
As a social media channel, making connections has always been central to the LinkedIn approach. Networking is often a successful recruitment strategy in its own right, but combining it with online job board technology unlocks so much more.
Having a rich database of candidate profiles already in place makes job matching a lot easier. Recommendations are more accurate and recruiters can find candidates as easily as candidates can find jobs.
Glassdoor:
Glassdoor is another example of evolution in online recruitment. The initial purpose of the site was to gather and publish employees’ workplace reviews. Now, candidates research companies, read reviews, and compare salaries before submitting an application, all on the same site.
The continuous development of online job boards has changed the way recruitment works. The search process has now been simplified to the point where candidates are used to jobs being brought to them.
Specialist job boards
The monstrous scale of some online job boards can sometimes be a disadvantage. There are several industries that require specific skills and qualifications. This leads candidates and recruiters towards specialist job boards to find a match.
Here are some examples:
Charity and Non-Profit – Idealist
Entertainment – Entertainment Careers
Ex-military – Recruit Military, Miltary.com
Finance and Accounting – Career Bank, eFinancial
Legal – Law Jobs
Medical – Health eCareers
Student and Graduate – AfterCollege, CareerRookie
The future of online job boards
Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing many business sectors, and recruitment is no different.
Google has an unrivalled influence on everything web-based, and in 2017, they launched the brand into online recruitment. However, they have taken a different approach to the competition by implementing sophisticated AI technology.
Google for Jobs isn’t even a standalone site – instead, candidates perform a normal google search such as, “marketing jobs near me”, and up pops a list of relevant job postings.
Established online job boards are developing their own AI capabilities to keep pace with Google. The outcome will be a faster, smoother, more targeted experience for both candidates and recruiters.
Improved job match accuracy (algorithm improvements)
More granular job searches
Automatic removal of expired roles
More effective collection of candidate information
Google is not the only internet giant getting involved. Facebook Jobs also launched in 2017 and brought some interesting features with it. As well as being able to search and apply through the “Jobs” tab, users can browse their favorite company pages for the latest job openings. ‘Liking’ a company page means that users will automatically receive vacancy updates in their news feed.
Facebook is the second most popular social media network for recruiters, and over 65 million businesses have an official presence on the site. With the average Facebook user spending over 2 hours a day on the platform, it is certainly a good place to grab a candidate’s attention.
The lines between social media and online recruitment will continue to blur as recruiters find ways of connecting with candidates using such channels.
Applicant Tracking
Mindscope’s applicant tracking system seamlessly integrates online job boards using the Shazaam! Parsing Tool. Candidate information can be imported into an agency’s ATS database, keeping everything up to date. This includes contact details, resumes, and current work status.
This software works with all online job boards. So, if a job is posted in several places, the system can collate all the applications in a consistent format and begin the tracking process in one place.
These are just some of the advantages of Mindscope’s bespoke ATS tools. We are committed to helping our customers succeed – contact us today to see how we can transform your agency’s approach to express staffing.
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