Navigating Job Boards - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Job boards can be a great resource for finding fresh job listings, but it's important to understand the limitations of these platforms as well.

The Good: Job Boards have fresh jobs… but not all jobs!

Job boards are a great place to find the latest job listings, but it's important to remember that not all jobs are listed on these platforms.

Many companies prefer to fill positions through referrals or by recruiting directly from their own networks.

So, while job boards can be a great resource, they should not be the only tool you use in your job search.

The Bad: The ads are normally legal descriptions… not accurate!

Many job listings on job boards are written by HR departments and are often legal descriptions rather than accurate representations of the job.

This can make it difficult to understand what the job is really like and whether it's a good fit for you.

Simply put... don't read the job description and list of qualifications as if it was accurate and prioritized... because it isn't.

The Ugly: Job Boards aren’t always up to date!

Job boards are not always up to date, so it's important to verify that the job is still available before applying.

Many job listings are left up even after the position has been filled, which can be frustrating and a waste of your time.

Even Uglier: Applying is easy… but getting an interview is hard!

The ease of applying to jobs on job boards can make it seem like the process is straightforward, but getting an interview is often much harder.

Job boards can be very competitive, and you may be competing against hundreds of other applicants for the same position.

It might seem like the lotto… where more entries makes you more likely to win… but that simply isn’t true.

The Ugliest: Applying via a Job Board could reduce your chances!

Applying through a job board gives you the worst chance of getting an interview. This is simply what the data says.

It's not the job board's fault... it's because of the sheer number of people applying who are not qualified.

This causes employers to look for different ways to filter and qualify applicants so that they don't get buried in the stack of resumes.

But... There is Hope!

Referrals and networking are much more effective in increasing your chances of getting an interview.

You are 10x more likely to get an interview if you apply directly thru the ATS, and list an employee's name as a referral, than simply applying thru a job board.

So... What is your takeaway?

While job boards can be a great resource for finding job listings, it's important to understand their limitations.

Remember that not all jobs are listed on these platforms and that the ads are often legal descriptions rather than accurate representations of the job.

Also, be aware that job boards aren't always up to date, and that applying through a job board gives you the worst chance of getting an interview.