How do I use free job boards to advertise a job?

Most major online job boards charge to post an advert or access premium features.

For the best results, paid and sponsored adverts are likely to attract more applicants (and Flat Fee Recruiter can provide access to multiple paid-for job boards at a reasonable price).

However, it is sometimes possible to promote a role, for free, on a variety of job boards.

By following a few simple steps, you may be able to source candidates – or at the very least, test the candidate market – without any initial costs whatsoever:

Identify the best job board for your role: Most ‘free’ job boards will tend to be aimed at a general audience, with sector specific sites charging a premium. Mainstream job boards that provide a free option, or free first advert, include Indeed, Find a Job and LinkedIn.

Create an account: On almost all job boards, in order to post a vacancy you will first need to create your own employer account. This typically involves providing some key information about your company, such as business name, location, and contact details.

Write a compelling job description: An appealing job advert is essential. Competition for applicants is incredibly high, and you will also be fighting for attention against ‘paid’ adverts.  Your advert should be concise, informative and properly formatted. Make sure you have an easily searchable job title and are clear about core responsibilities, experience required, and any specific skills or attributes you’re looking for.

Be sure to also include information about your company and the benefits too: Did you know that 69% of candidates would choose one job over another if it provided better benefits?

Effective use of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) will help your advert perform: be sure to use appropriate keywords to ensure job seekers will find your post. For the best possible reach, post your advert on as many sites as you can.

Post your job: After you’ve created your job post, you can publish it on the job board. Some boards are less straightforward than others – with Indeed in particular being quite labour intensive. As as rule of thumb, allow for about 15 minutes per board.

Manage your applicants: Assuming your advert is properly keyworded and formatted, your inbox should soon start filling with applications. These can be difficult to keep track of, but some job boards will provide an in-built ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to help organise and shortlist applications. If you are advertising on multiple job boards, it’s worth investing in your own ATS system so that you easily can manage candidates all in one place.

Refresh your advert: Free-to-post adverts will fall down search results quite rapidly as new jobs are added to the board. To keep your vacancy visible, you should repost your advert every few days.

For a comprehensive guide to advertising a job role for free, download your how-to guide by clicking the link below.

Do remember that while the job boards themselves may be free, there may still be costs associated with the time it takes to write, post, and manage job ads, as well as to review applications. Flat Fee Recruiter can provide a complete job advertising campaign for as little as £299. Plus, we provide many recruitment support solutions to make your hiring strategy as effective as possible for the lowest possible cost.

Using job boards properly is a time consuming process, and we can help make it as efficient as possible.

To find out more, speak to a member of our team today on 0113 322 7242.