What are the best job boards for employers?

Some of the best job boards in the UK offer employers a more affordable alternative to recruitment agencies. Many sites have reduced rates on subscription plans, whilst others offer free job postings altogether.

Combine this with the vast pool of talent you might find online, and it’s not hard to see why hiring managers often ditch pricey recruiters for a more DIY approach!

That said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

As with most things in life, job sites for recruitment come with their own drawbacks. It’s a case of comparing the pros and cons of job boards to find out which one is best for your business..

With so many options out there, it can be difficult to pinpoint the best job boards for your hiring needs.

That’s why the experts at Caroo have done the research for you.

So, what is the best jobs board?

We’ve collated the pros and cons of different job boards so you don’t have to.

Read on to discover the best job boards for recruiting new hires…

Table of Contents:

• Indeed
  • Advantages of using Indeed for Jobs
  • Disadvantages of using Indeed
• Glassdoor
  • Advantages of using Glassdoor
  • Disadvantages of using Glassdoor
    
• Monster.co.uk
  • Advantages of using Monster Jobs Board
  • Disadvantages of using Monster Jobs Board
    
• Adzuna
  • Advantages of using Adzuna
  • Disadvantages of using Adzuna
    
• LinkedIn Jobs
  • Advantages of LinkedIn
  • Disadvantages of LinkedIn
• Facebook for Jobs
  • Advantages of Facebook
  • Disadvantages of Facebook
• Totaljobs
  • Advantages of Totaljobs
  • Disadvantages of Totaljobs
• Google for Jobs
  • Advantages of Google
  • Disadvantages of Google
• CV-Library
  • Advantages of CV-Library
  • Disadvantages of CV-Library
• Reed.co.uk
  • Advantages of Reed
  • Disadvantages of using Reed
    
• Caroo
  

#1 - Indeed

Ask anyone to name a job site, and they’ll probably mention Indeed. It’s perhaps the most popular job site around today, praised for its easy-to-use interface and sheer volume of users, both jobseekers and companies alike.

To make an Indeed job listing, you simply need to set up an Indeed for Employers account, click the ‘Post a Job’ button and it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there.

Let’s break down the pros and cons of Indeed for hiring.

Advantages of Using Indeed

• Its size and popularity mean you have huge reach - there are more than 200 million visitors to the website every month.
• Many people love it for its user-friendly design.
• It has a free job posting option for those wanting to save money, without limiting you too much on features.
• You can purchase Sponsored Job packages to widen your reach and make your job post appear at the top of candidates' searches.
• It has a customisable application process, which allows you to screen candidates and send them prerequisite assessments before they apply. This immediately eliminates irrelevant candidates from the process.
• Search millions of uploaded CVs in the Indeed CV database, which has 25+ filters to help you narrow down on your ideal candidates. If you find someone you like, you can directly invite them to apply.
• Indeed has its own ATS (Applicant Tracking System), so you can easily keep track of any applications and keep all of your hiring information in one place.
  

Disadvantages of Using Indeed

• The popularity of Indeed is also one of its drawbacks. With so many jobseekers, it's likely that you'll receive more than a few irrelevant applications, even with screen questions in place.
• The huge volume of recruiters on Indeed also means big competition. Ultimately, the free posting option is usually not very effective and your job post is likely to get lost in the sea of other ads.
• As a result, sponsored posts are the way to go. However, this can be a pricey option and is unrealistic for small businesses and startups.

#2 - Glassdoor

Glassdoor is a job site with a twist - employees can leave ratings and reviews based on what it’s like to work for the company. Its transparency makes it the place to go for jobseekers who are researching their next potential employer.

Glassdoor is partnered with Indeed, so you’ll need to create an account for both. You must post an Indeed job listing for it to be shared on Glassdoor.

Advantages of Using Glassdoor

• Around 40 million people visit Glassdoor every month, largely because of the transparent nature of the site (no pun intended.) This means your job ad will likely be seen by many.
• As your job post will be posted on both Indeed and Glassdoor, your exposure increases significantly.
• The large focus on employers allows you to showcase your company brand and emphasise key points of interest for candidates, such as benefits and culture.
• You're likely to attract high-quality applicants who resonate with your company's ethics and values.
• Your current employees can leave reviews for potential candidates to see. An accumulation of positive feedback  leads to a good image for your business and encourages more candidates to apply to your jobs.
• It's a rare opportunity to acquire honest feedback from employees.

Disadvantages of Using Glassdoor

• To take advantage of Glassdoor's benefits, you need to set up an account on Indeed first and create a job listing. This adds an additional step to the process.
• The free account is limited in nature. If you really want to create a great brand story and profile to impress potential candidates, you'll need to opt for the paid tier which can get pretty expensive.
• A few bad reviews can reflect poorly on your company.
• Glassdoor requires some maintenance, for example, you'll need to make sure you have a collection of positive employee reviews on there to boost your brand image. If these don't come naturally, you may need to ask for some from your current team.
• You'll also need to reply to any negative feedback in a way that reflects well on your company.
  
  

#3 - Monster

Monster is a job site that’s been around since 1999, so it’s had plenty of time to build up its candidate database and loyal customer base. It’s pretty basic in terms of its hiring features, but posting a job is straightforward and it offers various priced options depending on your needs.

Advantages of Using Monster

• The platform notifies you when candidates who fulfil your job requirements make an account. You can then get in touch with them either through Monster or by email, adding a more personal touch.
• Standard and Premium subscriptions allow you to access Monster's candidate database and view its extensive collection of CVs.
• You can search the CV database using SearchMonster, which ranks and scores candidates according to your specific criteria. This helps to narrow down your search and increases the chances of finding well-matched individuals.
• You have the option to pay for a 'Performance Boost', where Monster automatically sends your job posts to hundreds of partner sites to increase your exposure.
• Job listings are also promoted on Monster's social media channels, so this is another opportunity to spread your reach.
• Monster has a handy candidate dashboard, where you can keep on top of all your searches, see who's applied, manage your campaigns and more.

Disadvantages of Using Monster

• There's no free option. The lowest you can pay is £5 a day for one job posted over a 30-day period. A standard subscription starts at £299 for 3 job listings, so it might not be great if you're a start-up or are on a tight budget.
• For every paid plan, you only have a limited number of views of Monster's CV database.
• Compared to other large job sites, the filters for narrowing down your search are limited and basic. For example, you can't filter by salary or experience level.
• When setting up your job listing, you can't add screening questions or assessments to filter out irrelevant candidates - you just have to trust that your job description is relevant enough to only attract suitable people.
• Monster doesn't receive as many visitors as other job sites, so there is a smaller pool of candidates.
• The job site has an outdated interface compared to many of its competitors.
• Users have complained of redundant listings, scam job positions and spam adverts, so it would be easy for your job listing to get lost in the noise.
  

#4 - Adzuna

Adzuna is a job site that’s fairly new to the UK but is already well established around the world. Adzuna’s competitive edge is its ‘powerful, technology-driven’ job search engine, which aims to cut straight to the point by matching jobseekers with relevant jobs.

Advantages of Using Adzuna

• The site offers free job listings, so it’s accessible to those on a budget. 
• There are paid ad options for employers wanting to increase their reach or place more of an emphasis on their employer brand.
• Adzuna’s international presence means the site gets tens of millions of visitors a month.
• It aims to cut out the clutter of typical job sites by helping jobseekers find well-matched jobs - meaning you’ll get better-suited candidates.
• Adzuna prides itself on its ‘smart matching technology’ and advanced job search to place the right candidates in front of employers.
• The site also provides a wealth of job market data, so you can see current trends and insights to help you stay ahead of your competitors.
• Job ads last for 30 days but can be stopped or renewed at any time, at no cost.
• Adzuna provides lots of filtering options, allowing jobseekers to find a well-matched company through salary, location, job type, and much more.

Disadvantages of Using Adzuna

• Unlike many other job boards, Adzuna does not provide access to a CV database. This means you rely solely on the site’s matching capabilities to place your job in front of suitable candidates.
• The job site is fairly new to the UK, so receives fewer job seekers than in other parts of the world. This may limit the people who see your job ad.
• There’s no hint of the cost of paid ads on Adzuna’s website - you must fill out a form to get this information.
• Adzuna doesn’t provide much detail about its ‘smart matching technology’, so it’s difficult to say how accurate it actually is.
• The advanced job search doesn’t include fields for skills or experience.
  
  

#4 - LinkedIn Jobs

With so many professionals already using LinkedIn as a channel to network, showcase their experience and share knowledge, it’s easy to see why employers turn to the networking site for their hiring needs.

It’s primarily a social media platform - not a job site - but the fact that companies can reach thousands of potential employees who are actively or passively looking for work makes it a popular option.

Advantages of Using LinkedIn

• LinkedIn Jobs is free if you're only looking for a few hires each year.
• Its intuitive interface makes it easy to post a job, and you can opt to include additional screening questions to hone in on promising candidates.
• LinkedIn Jobs targets your job ad to relevant users, who it finds based on their qualifications, experience and more.
• The platform is best for filling executive roles, as these individuals will usually have a detailed LinkedIn profile with plenty of experience and endorsements.
• LinkedIn's excellent networking opportunities mean you might find who you're looking for simply through word of mouth.
• People who are open to work or looking for new opportunities will usually update their profile with the most up-to-date information about their skills and experience, as well as endorsements. You can find out more about them without having to enquire.
• LinkedIn is good for finding passive candidates who many not necessarily be looking for work - yet. You can search for promising individuals using its refined search function.
• LinkedIn Recruiter is a paid option that provides access to a greater number of profiles and advanced search options. You can also build a talent pool within the platform, which is good for those recruiting at scale.
• Job descriptions are clearly displayed - meaning a well optimised job description can boost the amount of candidates your listing receives.

Disadvantages of Using LinkedIn for Jobs

• With close to 60 million companies on LinkedIn, there is a LOT of competition - your job listings may get lost in the regular influx of job ads, many of which are posted by well-known companies.
• LinkedIn Recruiter can be expensive for smaller businesses and startups, limiting access to the profiles you see, advanced search options and more.
• If you use LinkedIn to search for relevant candidates, this can be time-consuming. You also risk wasting time contacting passive candidates who aren’t interested in new work right now.
• LinkedIn isn’t so effective if you’re looking to hire blue-collar or graduate candidates, who are either less likely to update and maintain their profile, or simply haven’t had enough experience to include on there.
  

#5 - Facebook

Like LinkedIn, Facebook isn’t a job board - it’s a social media platform.

It differs from LinkedIn in its less professional, more personal nature, which can be advantageous when recruiting for some positions. 

The site did have a dedicated Jobs for Facebook product for business pages, but this shut down in February 2023.

Employers can now use word of mouth, ads or similarly Facebook Groups to spread the word about a new vacancy.

Advantages of Using Facebook to Find Candidates

• Facebook is free to use.
• You can promote a role using Facebook Ads, which is more affordable than many paid options on other job boards. This is great for those wanting a cost-effective form of recruiting. 
• The platform has an unparalleled number of users, which opens up hundreds of opportunities for your job ad to be shared with the right people.
• There’s a greater chance that your job listing will end up in front of someone through referrals or mutual interests, so you’re more likely to receive well-matched applicants who share similar values to your company.
• The personal feel of Facebook can positively impact a potential candidate’s perception of your company. It is less corporate than other job sites.
• Facebook profiles and feeds present a transparent and honest look at your company. People can view your company’s posts, comments, media and any reviews left by customers.
• You can join relevant Groups within Facebook to promote your vacancy to members who are already interested. For example, if you’re advertising for a job based in Manchester, you could post within the ‘Jobs in Manchester’ Group.

Disadvantages of Using Facebook as an Employer

• Facebook isn’t as useful for filling more executive positions, as people in these roles are more likely to be on LinkedIn. It tends to be better for entry- or lower-level jobs.
• Due to the nature of social media, the posts or comments on either your company’s page or a potential candidate’s profile may not necessarily reflect them in a professional light.
• There is no official jobs tab for companies wanting to advertise vacancies. 
• To apply for a job you have posted, candidates must message or comment to show their interest, or head to your website to apply for the position. These extra steps may deter people from applying.

#6 - Totaljobs

As one of the UK’s top job boards, Totaljobs attracts millions of users per month and boasts a hefty CV database.

On top of the typical recruiting features found across the other job boards we’ve covered, Totaljobs is somewhat of a leader in its field and provides loads of insightful reports, advice and guidance to jobseekers and employers alike.

Advantages of Using TotalJobs as an Employer

• Totaljobs has a ‘new customer’ deal, which offers a discount on both job postings and searches of the candidate database. It costs £89 per job for 1 month, compared to the normal £169.
• You have the option to add ‘Job Upgrades’ to boost your job ads. These pin your listing to the top of search results, as well as promote your job on Totaljobs’ social media channels.
• With all subscriptions, you can take advantage of candidate management tools. These let you view and manage your candidates at every stage of the hiring process, as well as highlighting the top candidate matches for your job vacancy.
• The candidate database means you can browse around 23 million CVs using advanced search. You can filter using keywords, location, current salary and more, as well as hide profiles viewed since the last time you searched.
• Matching candidates are sent directly to your inbox, so you can reach out as quickly as possible.
• Totaljobs stretches across 138 countries, so it’s the best job board if you’re looking for international employees or remote workers in other countries.
• The Totaljobs site has a wealth of information and advice relating to recruiting and managing people.
• There’s a useful ‘Gender Bias Decoder’ tool, which analyses your job specification to identify any male- or female-coded words.
• Employers frequently praise the excellent customer service and training provided by the Totaljobs team.
  

Disadvantages of Using TotalJobs as an Employer

• There’s no free job posting option, and its paid packages are costlier than many of its competitors’.
• You have to pay extra for better branding. A ‘Standard’ level will only show your company logo on the job listing. You have to opt for the more expensive ‘Premium’ option to even include photos or a background image.
• Users have noted a large number of spam ads or vacancies recycled from months ago.
• When buying a package upfront, you have a limited amount of time to post the number of job listings you’ve subscribed to. For example, if you paid for 3 job ads but only used 2 of them within your subscription time, you would lose your money - it can’t be carried over.

#7 - Google for Jobs

Rather than being a job site, Google for Jobs is a job search engine which pulls relevant ads from job sites and careers pages, then displays them in its results. For your job post to appear in Google’s results, you need to a) use a job site that is already integrated with Google’s job search experience, or b) edit the HTML of your job postings on your website’s careers page.

Advantages of Using Google for Jobs

• Google for Jobs is free.
• It’s a good way to increase your reach and place your job ad in front of people who may not have ventured onto the job site where your vacancy is listed. You get in there before they even make another click.
• If the job site you use is already integrated with Google, you won’t need to change the code on your listing for your ad to be eligible. Partners include LinkedIn, Monster, Reed.co.uk and Totaljobs.
• If you do need to edit the HTML of your job postings, Google will continue to pull any new jobs that you add.
• Engagement with your job post is tracked and can be monitored in Google Analytics.

Disadvantages of Using Google as an Employer

• Google for Jobs’ structured data requirements are fairly complex if you have no coding experience, meaning extra expense to hire someone who has the relevant technical know-how. Google provides some guidance, but it’s not particularly straightforward.
• Job ads can’t be uploaded by employers - you must post your job ad to another site for it to be displayed by Google.
• The results generated don’t do a good job of displaying your company brand - the listings lack images and personality.
• Google’s ranking system is notoriously difficult to master, so it takes extra work to write a detailed, relevant job ad that’s also optimised for the search engine.
• There’s no ability to target passive candidates, i.e. people who have engaged with your job ad but then moved on.
• There’s no guarantee that your ad will be displayed in Google for Jobs’ results - even after going through the extra hassle and/or cost of adding HTML code to your job posting, or researching third-party sites that are connected to Google.

#8 - CV-Library

CV-Library was one of the first job board sites in the UK and continues to be an asset to many companies searching for new talent.

Although it’s not as popular as some of the other job boards we’ve covered, it does have a range of useful tools to help employers find their perfect hire.

CV-Library for Employers Advantages

• CV-Library offers an impressive deal for new customers who want to set up a company profile and advertise their first job. It’s only £75 per job for 28 days, as opposed to the usual £149.
• Its employer packages are more affordable than other job boards.
• CV-Library has a clear and intuitive design. It’s easy to create your company profile, post a detailed job ad and include screening questions to encourage more relevant applications.
• The CV database features 18+ million CVs that you can narrow down using its advanced search feature.
• Candidates can apply to your job in just one click, so you avoid losing out on people who see your listing but are deterred by the process.
• Jobseekers are notified of vacancies relevant to their skills and industry (not just their job title), so your job ad may fall into the hands of the ideal candidate.
• There’s the option to display your job ad on the CV-Library homepage via the Job/Employer of the Week or Month feature. This makes an impression on users as soon as they visit the website and increases your exposure.
• At no extra cost, CV-Library shares your job post across its network of 800+ specialist recruitment websites. This means you’ll receive far better reach that extends beyond the job board.

Disadvantages of CV-Library for Employers

• There’s no free option for those on a tight budget.
• By no means does CV-Library have the biggest network, so your pool of potential candidates is limited from the get-go.
• You have to pay for a separate package to search the CV database. This means you may end up paying for two subscriptions - one for posting jobs, the other to access the database.
• Job ads are only up for 28 days instead of the usual 30, after which they’ll no longer be visible to jobseekers.

#9 - Reed.co.uk

Reed.co.uk is another well-known job board in the UK and attracts millions of hopeful employers and jobseekers each month.

It offers similar employer advantages to other job sites, but its popularity gives it an edge over some of its competitors. 

What’s more, Reed.co.uk’s career development courses successfully attract thousands of people wanting to upgrade their skillset, so your job posts have the potential to reach some passive candidates too.

What are the advantages of using Reed.co.uk?

• Reed.co.uk receives around 11 million visitors a month, so there are countless opportunities to find your ideal hire.
• It offers a first-time customer discount - £89 for your first job post. Your listing will also be emailed to 100 relevant candidates. This package would normally be £175.
• ‘Subscriptions’ are a good way to save time and money if you’re hiring lots of people on a rolling basis. Pay a fixed fee per month and post as many times as you like.
• When creating your job listing, you have the option to include screening questions to eliminate irrelevant applications.
• Job alerts are sent to up to 250 well-matched candidates (depending on your payment plan).
• It has an extensive CV database of 12+ million CVs, with advanced filtering options such as skills, location, education and more.
• Job postings are active for 6 weeks, which is more than the typical 30 days with most job sites.
• There’s the option to pay for a featured job ad, which will display your listing at the top of search results.
  
  

The disadvantages of using Reed.co.uk

• There’s no free option for either job posting or database searching. The cheapest package after the first-time customer deal is £150 for a single job advert.
• The site has around a quarter of a million job listings at any one time, increasing the competition massively. 
• To ensure your job post is seen, you’ll probably have to pay for a Featured Ad option.
• It lacks the advanced candidate matching tools that other job boards have, so you may find yourself sifting through some less relevant applications.
  

#10 - Caroo

Caroo is an intelligent job-matching app that helps employers find perfectly suited candidates.

This smart form of recruitment brings all the opportunities of the best job boards, while eliminating many of their drawbacks.

It’s the most effective way of finding candidates you actually want.

This is how Caroo helps employers find brilliant tech, sales and marketing talent:

• Hiring isn’t restricted by a pricey fee.
  With Caroo, you get unlimited users, unlimited job adverts and unlimited hires… from as little as £38 per week for as long as you need.
  
  
• It’s a time-saver.
  No more trawling through millions of CVs in a candidate database - Caroo does the CV searching for you.
  
  
• Hire with AI
  Caroo’s AI matching system goes one step further and matches candidates based on skills, experience, qualifications and other employer requirements. It only shows your vacancies to people with the skills and experience you need.
  
  
• Attract Passive Talent
  Caroo is positioned to professionals as their way to keep an eye on the job market without being active. This means you can chat to passive talent who may be interested in relevant opportunities.
  
  
• Quick Time-to-Hire
  If you have an urgent, niche or hard-to-fill job requirement, Caroo’s team of in-house recruiters provides a personlised service to help you find someone - quick. And with just 9.5% fees compared to the usual 20% charged by recruiters, it’s a no-brainer.
  

Caroo is a smart, quick form of recruitment that does all the hard work for you. 

Transform your hiring process and book a demo today.