Home » Guides » Employees » Recruiting Employees » Recruiting with Online Job Listings

Linda Formichelli

Guide to Recruiting with Online Job Listings

For low-cost, effective recruiting post your job openings online

By Linda Formichelli, Freelance Writer

If you're looking for good employees, online recruiting can be a small business owner's best friend. Once limited largely to local newspaper classifieds and window signs, help-wanted ads have shifted to the Web in a big way. Online recruiting is one of many places where small business has embraced Internet-based solutions with gusto. The reasons are clear:
  1. Placing employment ads online is quick, easy and effective.
  2. You can write your ad, post it and have your first responses literally within hours at some sites.
  3. You can find specialized talent for industry-specific jobs by advertising on industry-specific sites.
  4. You can spread your recruitment net across any area you like – from just you neighborhood or town, to the entire country, or world for that matter.
  5. You can cut the time it takes to fill a position by days if not weeks.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done


Place ads on the major Internet job sites

A few job sites let employers post ads for free, while the best and more widely-used sites charge a fee.
I recommend: Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, WetFeet.com and Yahoo! Hot Jobs are all good places for small businesses to post job openings. Monster's fees vary by location; for example, posting a job ad in New Hampshire for 60 days is $295, while New York City is $395. You can also buy in bulk at a discount. Careerbuilder.com charges $389 for 30 days, and also offers bulk prices. Craigslist, an online bulletin board that targets cities all over the U.S., is another popular place to post job ads; you can post for free in most cities. For more job posting opportunities, RecruitersNetwork lets you search their directory of career sites, and Weddle’s offers a guidebook that analyzes various job sites.

Find targeted help via industry-specific job sites

Just about every industry – from high tech to food service – has a job site to help its members find positions, so you can target your ad to the most qualified candidates.
I recommend: Looking for an IT professional? Try Tech-Engine.com. If you're seeking a writer, editor, advertising sales person, publishing expert or other media professional Mediabistro.com has become the best place to recruit online. Search for other job sites by industry at onrec.com. Also, look through Business.com's directories for more industry-specific employment sites, such as airline personnel jobs and residential real estate jobs.

Get LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a networking site that helps its 6 million members get connected. You can use the service to find qualified job candidates in your area.
I recommend: Post a job on LinkedIn for $95, or you can join (it's free), link up with your friends and colleagues, and use your network to scout for candidates. You can search for members based on keywords or criteria such as industry, title, or location.

Search resumes online

Instead of advertising for job candidates to come to you, with resume database sites you search for resumes that fit your qualifications and contact the candidates yourself.
I recommend: Some of the job search sites that let you post ads also have resume databases: Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com, both of which charge for database access, let you search by such categories as amount of education, years of experience, and job title. Or try a free service like ResumeSpider.com.

Place an online classified ad

Most traditional newspapers now have Web editions as well and offer online help-wanted classifieds in addition to print ads.
I recommend: Find an online newspaper in the area you want to recruit from; ThePaperboy.com lists more than 6,000 online newspapers by state. The article Jazzy Job Ads Attract Lots of Responses on Inc.com has good tips on how to write an ad that attracts the best candidates.

Make your own Web site job-seeker friendly

Put a link to your job listings in a prominent spot on your home page. Keep the listings on your site complete and up to date.
I recommend: For more details on creating an applicant-friendly site, check out the article “Is Your Company Web Site Turning Candidates Away?” on Inc.com.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • You can also attract qualified employees through your own Web site. Make sure it gives clear descriptions of open positions, provides simple instructions for applying and offers an easy way for the candidate to send a resume.
  • To create a compelling ad, experts suggest that instead of focusing on having (i.e., what experience applicants must have), you should focus on doing and becoming — what the applicants will do on the job and what they will become.
  • Have fun with your ads. If you were a candidate and you saw the ad you're about to post, would you apply — or yawn?
  • Some job sites, such as CareerBuilder.com, let you "test drive" their resume database so you can see the kinds of results you'll get before you shell out the cash.

The official source of Recruiting with Online Job Listings is
the Online Recruiting page at Business.com

Applicant Tracking Software Directory
Compare applicant tracking software using Capterra's free, comprehensive directory.
Capterra.com
Aerotek Online Recruiting Services
Find employees that fit your needs perfectly. Aerotek has recruitment and staffing services to help you meet your goals. Contact us!
www.Aerotek.com
Recruiting Online
Find 45,000 jobs that pay over $100,000. Search now.
All Jobs | HR Jobs | Sales Jobs | Marketing Jobs
www.theladders.com
Kensington Executive Recruiting Resources
Find Kensington Executive Recruiting. Search listings and reviews of retailers, specialists and services in your local area now.
JustClickLocal.com

Recommended Solution Providers

The Vault
Job resource containing job listings, career resources, message boards, resume assistance and salary surveys.

Careers.com
Online job board which allow searchers to search by Keyword, City, State and Job type

Careerbuilder.com
Search for jobs or careers using 13 different criteria, or post resumes and let employers with job openings find you. Also has a section of advice and career-related information resources.

Net-Temps
Site finds immediate full time, part-time and contract jobs.

Yahoo! HotJobs
Online job site which allows searchers to search by keyword, city, state and job type. Includes career tools and a section with online resumes.

America's Job Bank
Job site sponsored by the United States Department of Labor. Includes basic and advanced search strategies, searching by state, and career center.

Monster.com
Global job site which contains career advice, resume posting, and networking area.

Weddles: Job Search
Guide to resources for employment, personal development and career success.

ResumeSpider: Online Service
Targets jobs online.

Best Sites to Learn More

Electronic Recruiting Exchange
Articles on recruiting and talent acquisition.

Association for Internet Recruiting: Recruiter's Network
Resource center includes articles, a newsletter, forums, career sites, job fair information, training opportunities, software and discounts and trials.

Inc.com: Recruiting
Section which contains articles about recruiting, including online recruiting.

AllBusiness.com: Online Recruiting
Articles and resources about recruiting online, getting started and additional resources.

Online Recruitment Magazine
International online magazine which includes articles and a discussion forum from an about online recruiting.

Electronic Recruiting News
Daily Newsletter for Human Resource Professionals, Headhunters, Placement Firms and Recruiting Agencies on the Net. The Electronic Recruiting News includes tips, trends and analysis of players, events and occurrences in the Recruiting Industry.

Recruiters Network: Writing Ads
Advice for managers to write effective ads for employment.

Quintessential Careers: Interviewing
Suggestions for interview questions.

JobStores: References
Features questions to ask in order to check references.

Best Blogs and Forums

Recruiter's Network: The RecNet Forum
Forum from the Association for Internet Recruiting covering internet recruiting and sourcing topics.

ERE Discussions
Boards focusing on electronic recruitment topics.

Workforce Management Forums: Recruiting and Staffing
Forum discussing Human Resources concerns, including online recruiting.

HRM direct
Blog about recruiting and technology.

Advanced Online Recruiting Techniques
Methods for recruiting via the Internet. Includes search strategies and ideas.

Hire Calling
Blog about online recruiting.

Hire Blog: Recruiting Technology Blog
Blog about new human resources and hiring technologies.

ERE Blog Network: E-Cruit Blog
Blog about online recruiting



FEATURED LISTINGS

What WorksTM for Recruiting Employees

Linda Formichelli

Recruiting with Online Job Listings

For low-cost, effective recruiting post your job openings online
If you're looking for good employees, online recruiting can be a small business owner's best friend. Once limited largely to local newspaper classifieds and window signs, help-wanted ads have shifted to the Web in a big way. Online recruiting is one of many places where small business has embraced Internet-based solutions with gusto. The reasons are clear: Placing employment ads online is quick, easy and effective. You ... Read more

Free B2B search marketing whitepaper, B2B Search Marketing Strategy Guide: Advice From the Pros.
Download

To advertise on Business.com, click here