Job Sites: Reviews

SimplyHired.com is a job search site that aggregates results from major job websites, company websites, associations and other online sources. Employers cannot post jobs directly on SimplyHired -- this site is strictly… expandfor job seekers. You can search by occupation, job title or location, and filter the results by job type, work experience, company revenue and size, or niche characteristics like fastest-growing companies. Although job searchers can't post resumes here, a free feature allows you to send your resume out for posting on five other sites. Job widgets that link the site to Facebook, MySpace and iGoogle allow for networking opportunities. collapse

Experts say that while most people find jobs through in-person networking, online networking is almost as good. LinkedIn.com, a social networking site for professionals, offers a number of services for job seekers; you… expandcan post a profile and resume, browse job listings, build a professional network of colleagues and friends, and ask members of your network to recommend you. When you indicate interest in a particular job, LinkedIn shows you people in your network who work for that company. Besides its own listings, LinkedIn searches SimplyHired.com's listings as well. The site has also partnered with Twitter, so you can cross-post to the two platforms and link your LinkedIn profile to your Twitter account. The basic services are free; paid upgrades let you do things like send messages to people outside your network without a LinkedIn introduction and search up to 700 profiles at once. collapse

Niche sites offer a more targeted approach to job hunting than general job sites do; you can find such sites for a wide range of professions. One highly regarded site, MediaBistro.com, focuses on careers in print and… expandonline publishing, graphic design, PR, television and other media-related careers. You can register on the site and search the jobs board free of charge, narrowing your search by type of job, location and industry. MediaBistro sponsors networking events all over the country and has active bulletin boards on useful topics like launching a freelance career. A premium membership costs $50 a year and gives you access to a wealth of content, such as guides to pitching articles to big-name publications like Rolling Stone. Premium members also get discounts to seminars and courses and health insurance deals for freelancers. MediaBistro also has earned a Best of the Web award from Forbes.com. collapse

Monster.com is easily the largest job site. In addition to seemingly endless job postings, it offers advice on resumes, interviewing and salaries. Its Privacy Plus feature blocks specified companies from viewing a user's… expandresume, keeping it hidden from a current employer. Monster Networking hooks up people in the same industry to provide possible leads, and a profile application helps to facilitate networking on the site. Monster Learning offers a directory of online degree programs. Users can also subscribe to newsletters, read the site's blog or sign up for job alerts. However, while Monster has the widest scope, some complain that many of its listings are bogus or misleading, or just not very targeted. collapse

Craigslist's job board functions like a help-wanted section organized by city and state. Employers post for free or at a nominal cost, so a broad variety of positions are listed, both full- and part-time. The large search… expandengines are generally blocked from gathering ads here, so opportunities on Craigslist won't show up elsewhere. Craigslist is often recommended as a source of interesting or unconventional jobs. Job seekers can post resumes, though they will be available for anyone's viewing without restrictions, so privacy precautions are strongly advised. collapse