Best Job Sites

Some job sites search other sites

SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com are job search sites that aggregate millions of listings from all the major job sites (with the exception of Craigslist, which blocks this access), plus corporate job boards and other professional sites. These two sites are different from the traditional job site because both focus on the job hunter. There are no services for employers, though they can advertise on the sites.

SimplyHired.com is singled out by experts as the most effective aggregator site. You can search for a job by keyword, location or specific occupation, and filter results by job type and required experience; you can even add a filter that lets you find, for example, the most dog-friendly, eco-friendly, or diverse companies. You can also filter by company size and revenue and view fairly comprehensive company profiles. In addition, SimplyHired allows users to rate each job result, and when you've rated enough job listings, SimplyHired.com will begin suggesting job listings based on your preferences. PCMag.com named it one of the 100 Best Web Sites of 2009 in the information category.

SimplyHired.com has an uncluttered, easy-to-use interface. Rather than allow users to create their own profile on the site, SimplyHired has partnered with LinkedIn. Its "Who Do I Know" feature allows users to view their LinkedIn and Facebook connections at each company alongside their job search results. Additionally, the site has tools for job seekers to connect their information on SimplyHired with their MySpace and Facebook profiles, and a widget that allows users to view new job listings on their desktop or their personal blog. Other applications include widgets for cell phone access, RSS feeds and trends information. In June 2009 SimplyHired launched a number of international sites where users can search for jobs in Europe, Asia and South America, in addition to the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  

Indeed.com is another aggregator site that searches hundreds of other sites and other sources of job postings. According to PCMag.com, "its simplicity and ease of use are its best features." Indeed gets more daily traffic than SimplyHired.com, although its features are not as advanced. However, Indeed has a few compelling extras, including a job trends graph that displays the number of jobs with a specific keyword over time. There is also a Firefox job search plug-in and a salary search tool. You can get new search results delivered to you by RSS or email.

Yet another option is Oodle.com, which aggregates classified ads, pulling its listings from thousands of other sites (though not from Craigslist). The site simply links to ads found elsewhere, with some tools to refine a search. Hound.com narrows its search results to employer websites only. The idea is to weed out bogus listings and positions that have been filled in favor of the most current postings from company sites. Juju.com uses a similar strategy. JobCentral.com is a membership organization of major corporations like IBM and Hewlett-Packard. It allows job seekers to directly search employer ads and might be worth a try if you're looking for work with a huge corporation.

Monster, Yahoo! HotJobs, CareerBuilder are still good options

By all accounts, Monster.com lives up to its name, with countless pages of career advice, over one million job postings and 41 million resumes. The job listings cover positions in all industries, in all locations and at all levels in addition to part-time, seasonal, temporary and contract jobs. Monster Networking is a feature that connects people in the same industry to provide possible leads. Job seekers can also subscribe to targeted newsletters, browse message boards on various topics and read the job site's blog. The Privacy Plus feature allows those who post resumes to block viewing access for certain companies (such as their current employers). Newer features of Monster include a profile page for users that allows for greater networking abilities; your profile page displays job, resume and applications activity.  Monster also has mobile apps for those who want to keep up with their job search while on the go.

Reviews are nearly unanimous in listing Monster.com as the best big job site. Job seekers agree there is an extensive listing of jobs on Monster, but a common complaint is that there are too many temp agencies and recruiters posting jobs. Forbes lists the site as a Forbes Favorite and says the best thing about Monster is the number of job listings and the career advice; the worst thing about the site is that a job search "goes to a special offers ad before displaying results." LoveToKnow.com's reviewer agrees that Monster's popularity comes with a price: "ad-rich pages (often, an ad loads before you're allowed to go to the next page)."

Yahoo! HotJobs is also one of the best mega-sites, according to job site reviews. HotJobs makes it easy to find jobs and allows you to save your job searches and listings. Its location search is more specific than the engine at Monster.com, allowing a user to look in smaller towns as well as large cities. Another advantage is that although HotJobs allows postings from headhunters and agencies, job hunters can choose whether their searches include listings from staffing firms. Job seekers can subscribe to any of nine free newsletters; the discussion boards at HotJobs are another good source of information and career advice.

Monster.com bought Yahoo! HotJobs in February 2010, and when the deal is finalized later this year Monster will provide job listings for HotJobs exclusively over a period of three years; it is not yet known what other changes might follow. For the time being, HotJobs will operate as usual.

Finally, there's CareerBuilder.com. As with Monster.com, CareerBuilder users have to contend with ads and pop-ups, but CareerBuilder offers some bonuses like smaller sites dedicated to freelance work, career information and job listings for older adults. Reviewers generally give CareerBuilder high marks, though StarReviews.com notes that CareerBuilder's popularity makes finding your dream job there a very competitive enterprise.

Industry-specific sites help filter options

Job search sites that cater to niche markets are rapidly gaining in popularity. Online job sites have always served technical professions better than others, and reviews continue to recommend Dice.com, which appeals directly to tech-minded people with its intelligent, no-nonsense interface. There are more tech jobs at Dice than at any other site. The site claims that many who post their resume receive a job offer within 48 hours.

MediaBistro.com also wins notice from reviewers. This site caters to those looking for jobs in the media, including print and online publishing, PR, TV and more. Both Dice.com and MediaBistro win Forbes Best of the Web awards; the Forbes review notes that MediaBistro has "prime listings from the biggest names in the country, including Random House, The New York Times, and Hearst." On the downside, Forbes says that many of the job postings at MediaBistro do not have information about salary or benefits.

In addition to niche market sites that cater to specific industries, some new sites cater to job seekers looking for a specific income level. One site that serves the executive market is TheLadders.com. The site prescreens all jobs to be sure they pay more than $100,000 annually. The site does not require an invitation to join, but does require a fee. The main downside noted is that users cannot fully access the site during the free trial. The site 6FigureJobs.com also specializes in high-paying jobs, as its name suggests.

Beyond.com is a network of "niche career communities" with job listings in many specific industries and sectors. You can browse the site by industry or location. There are also niche sites for students and teens, recent college grads and others. Alison Doyle lists many of these niche sites in an About.com article; see our Useful Links section for more information.