In the two decades since the business world became digital, a wide range of job boards (websites for job-seekers) have sprung up, with overlapping target audiences and of varying degrees of utility. Many are helpful in narrowing down candidates for executive positions, and each takes a somewhat different approach to matching job seekers with would-be employers.
- All offer resume tips and general advice from HR professionals
- All are useful in providing a preliminary look at the kinds of jobs currently available
- All use algorithms to match candidates with jobs
- All are based on having a significant volume of users on both sides of the hiring equation.
While no one should rely entirely on job sites to help them find their next job, they can still be an effective part of a job-search strategy. Yet no matter how smart a job board’s AI may be, it can’t match the value of an executive search firm for the simple reason that job boards use technology to match employers with candidates, while search firms combine tech with recruiters’ brains, skills and judgment.
Simply put, executive search firms are more people-oriented. When people apply to jobs listed on job boards, their resumes are scanned by machines looking for key search terms. The result is that those who understand how the AI works are more likely to be called in to interview than someone who has better professional and people skills, but who doesn’t understand the software system. Gertsburg Licata’s Executive Talent practice offers personalized, one-on-one connections to help find candidates with both the professional and soft skills that a firm needs.
Below is a list of the top job boards used by business executives:
Indeed aggregates job listings from thousands of websites, including job boards, staffing firms, associations, and company career pages. The site
posts job listings from all over the world and is the most-visited job board in the U.S., offering all levels and types of work. While it may not be the best executive job search site, the volume makes it worth checking out.
Monster is a volume website that targets itself to large employers seeking to diversify their workforce with ethnic minorities, veterans, and Gen Z employees. Its large volume includes some executive positions.
ZipRecruiter allows job candidates to create a profile, then uses artificial intelligence to bring them to the attention of possible employers–and vice versa. It can be useful to engineers, IT specialists, accountants, and other jobs whose skills are transferable among many different industries. In 2018, the company reported that over 1.5 million businesses and 430 million job seekers used its platform.
LinkedIn is a professional social network, something like a business-oriented version of Facebook. While it is primarily used for professional networking and career development, job seekers do post their resumes on their profiles, and employers post jobs on the site. LinkedIn offers a one-click “easy apply” button that can be helpful to people whose skills fit a broad range of employers. As with ZipRecruiter, it is less useful to those who need to tweak their resumes depending on the particular position for which they are applying.
Established in the pre-internet era by a senior executive who was himself laid off, ExecuNet’s mission is to provide those in similar positions with seasoned career advice and help them face the unique job challenges that go with being laid off from a senior-level position. ExecuNet’s members have landed jobs at some of the top telecom firms. The site offers free job-hunting advice, but charges $30/month to access job postings.
The Ladders focuses on management and executive-level positions that pay salaries of $100,000 to $500,000. It helps its members improve their resumes so they will stand out to recruiters. Unlike other job boards, the site allows its members to search for job openings by company. Some jobs are available to non-paying members, but many of the benefits require a $30/month fee.
ExecThread is a peer-to-peer job-sharing network whose 55,000 senior-executive members share confidential job opportunities with one another for a $25/month membership fee. A free option is also available that offers fewer benefits.
SimplyHired focuses mainly on mid-level and service sector jobs, but it also lists executive positions.
Hired.com is a newer job board. Its primary focus is on tech jobs, and it focuses more on careful matching than on volume. The company is based only in a dozen cities in North America and two in Europe, but it offers remote positions worldwide. Unlike other job boards, job seekers do not apply for jobs; instead, they create profiles that potential employers can read and then contact them directly for interviews.
How to Use Job Boards and Search Firms
Any executive exploring the job market should begin their search by perusing job boards. At the same time, they should be aware that many high-level positions are not posted online: They are only known to recruitment specialists who have been hired to seek out potential candidates in confidence.
Gertsburg Licata has built up a nationwide network of trusted connections that can help firms locate and hire their dream management teams. Call 216-435-5800 or contact Gertsburg Licata here.
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