Recruiter? Here’s how to get the most from job boards

To be successful in recruitment, there are two key things you simply cannot live without – job openings to fill and good candidates to fill them with.

And the recruitment industry is booming right now! The pandemic has led many people to re-evaluate what they’re doing with their life, starting with where they work and the kind of work-life balance they are achieving. This is seeing many workers hunting out something new, a trend that has earned the nickname ‘The Great Resignation’.

It’s a movement that is showing no signs of calming down just yet, with around one in five UK workers saying they are likely to change jobs in the next 12 months.

So, the candidates are there for the taking and companies are competing more than ever to try and attract them. But as a recruiter, how do you ensure you have a constant supply of quality talent coming through for the roles you’re recruiting for?

While being active on social media and getting out and about networking can both help, for anyone working in recruitment today, job boards are now a vital tool.

Here’s how to make the most of them.

What is a job board?

Back in the day, the place to go to share current job openings was the job centre, or classified ads in the local paper. But the internet has changed all that by shifting things online, which is great for recruiters, as it’s opened the door to a far broader pool of talent!

In essence, a job board is a living and breathing database of job opportunities. It’s a one-stop shop for companies to post about roles they are looking to fill and where job seekers can head to seek out their next career move.

While many companies will advertise jobs on their own website and across their social media channels, job boards offer them a valuable and effective route to candidates.

Some of the biggest and most popular UK job boards currently in operation are: Indeed, Reed, Monster, Jobsite and CV Library, but they are facing increasing competition from the likes of Google for Jobs and LinkedIn Jobs.

Do you need to use job boards?

If you’re wondering whether you should be using job boards, the answer is – probably, yes.

Job boards are one of the most popular ways for potential candidates to find a new job, so they’re the place to be for recruiters. Applications received through job boards now account for around a fifth of job hires worldwide and almost half of all job applications, second only to career sites (Statista).

It’s worth mentioning here that they’re not the only place you need to have visibility, if you’re looking for candidates. 79% of job seekers use social media platforms when searching for a new job, with LinkedIn being the biggest online job advertising platform worldwide.

(Check out our blog on Recruiter Personal Branding for some pointers on maximising your impact on the platform).

How to write a great job board ad?

The performance of any ad you place on a job board will ultimately be a reflection of how well it has been written. You’re trying to do two key things, to get your advert seen by the right kind of candidates and to ensure it is appealing enough to encourage them to apply.

This can sometimes prove a little tricky when you’re a recruiter, as you may not always be willing or able to reveal too many details. So, you need to find a balance between leaving out certain key information, while sharing enough details to get a candidate interested.

Get it wrong and you could end up with very few applications, or things could go to the other extreme and you receive a high number of the wrong kind of applicants. Both of which will waste precious time.

Some recruiters may be tempted to post fake job ads too or to keep advertising for a filled position, in order to sift out some potential candidates to add to their books. We don’t recommend this as it could put serious dint in your reputation. Plus, it may turn people off from coming forward when you have a real role to recruit for.

So, what should you aim to include in your ad?

Did you know that a job vacancy that’s shared without a salary can lead to 66% less candidates applying, so it’s a great place to start. Here is what else you need to consider:

• Salary
• Industry
• Geographic location
• Whether it’s full or part-time
• Whether the role is office-based, home-based or hybrid
• The company’s stance on flexible working
• Other perks and rewards of the role

Something that’s hugely important for job seekers at the moment is flexibility, along with better pay and job satisfaction. Temporary solutions that may have been introduced during the pandemic, such as hybrid working, have turned into employee preferences and expectations. Make sure you’re highlighting anything you can along these lines, as it will be a real selling point.

 In summary

Job boards can be a recruiter’s best friend if used in the right way. Just remember, taking a little more time to craft your ads could make a big difference. And ultimately, the best thing you can do to secure a stream of quality talent is to mix things up – to get active on LinkedIn, to get out there meeting people, and to ensure you’re making the optimal use of job boards.