This article is all about our ranking of the top free job boards you can use to find your next dream job.
Finding a new job can be stressful. Here at ReysUp, we’ve written lots of articles that provide guidance for various parts of the job search journey including preparing your professional materials, interviewing with companies, negotiating offers, starting a new job, etc. The list goes on. This article is focused on one of the earlier stages of the job search. In fact, it’s all about the literal SEARCH part. Before the job search can start, you need to know where to view what is available and on the market. In this article, we will provide the ReysUp definitive ranking of the top FREE job boards that you can use to find your next dream job.
Our rank of top free job boards
#1: LinkedIn
The holy grail of job boards. For one, this site is not limited to tech. It houses a plethora of job postings across a long list of industries and disciplines, so selection is broad. Another reason is that it’s an integrated platform. Your LinkedIn profile is “linked” to your job search page that is then “linked” to your application page that is then “linked” to your recruiter’s recruiting platform. In other words, it makes it very easy for you the applicant to submit an application with only a few clicks and limited annoying hoops to jump through.
Some features we love:
- Easy to navigate user interface. At the top of each job posting is a nice organized card that lists out things like role leA close second to LinkedIn, Indeed is another popular job board used by job seekers all over the world. Though it has less bells and whistles than LinkedIn and is less “integrated”, it still offers a lot of great stuff. vel, role type (onsite vs remote), number of employees, and people in your network that work there. This last part is one of the superpowers of LinkedIn Job Search. As we discuss in our other article here, being able to host informational interviews with current employees that are also in your immediate or peripheral networks is incredibly valuable.
- Feature rich. For instance, LinkedIn AI will read a job requisition for you and highlight what skills sets are required that are missing from your profile. How cool is that?!
- Easy apply button. For some applications (not all), LinkedIn will also offer the “Easy Apply” button. This makes it incredibly easy for you the applicant to submit your application. With a single click, you can submit everything you need to put your name in the hat, and you don’t even have to leave the LinkedIn platform! This is especially helpful if you are submitting many applications and your bandwidth is limited.
- Personalization & guidance. LinkedIn Job Search will also provide you recommended job postings called “top picks for you” based on the qualifications in your profile. You can use the “similar companies” or “people also search for” buttons to easily navigate to other similar companies in the industry to check and see if they have openings too.
#2: Indeed
A close second to LinkedIn, Indeed is another popular job board used by job seekers all over the world. Though it has less bells and whistles than LinkedIn and is less “integrated”, it still offers a lot of great stuff.
Some features we love:
- Easy to navigate user interface. Search functionality allows you to quickly search by job, keyword, or company name. To allow for easy navigation, general job postings appear in “card” form on the left hand side of the screen and when you click into one, a more detailed card pops out on the right side of the screen and organizes the information in a very digestible way. Things it highlights includes: link to the website, location, salary (if provided), skills required, and benefits. It also allows you to “bookmark” jobs you like so you can easily navigate back to them.
- Apply now button. Like the similar LinkedIn button, the Indeed Apply Now button makes it incredibly easy for you the applicant to submit your application. WIth a single click, you can submit everything you need to formally apply and you don’t have to leave the Indeed website.
- Company reviews. Because it has thousands of users, Indeed also exposes “company reviews” on it’s site, free of charge. This allows applicants to quickly gut check if the company they are applying to is in fact a great place to work based on hundreds of reviews from real applicants and past employees.
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#3 Wellfound (formally AngelList)
This site is definitely the authority on startup jobs. This company has gone through its fair share of changes over the last few years, but it’s still a trusted platform that is used broadly across the startup industry. For what it lacks in usability and interface, it offers in helpful features and capabilities.
Some features we love:
- Company tags. For each company that is hiring, the site will list out color coded tags that make it easy for you the applicant to chose if you want to take the next step and apply. These tags include things like: if the company is actively hiring, rating, investors (and what other big name companies they invest in), and scores for categories such as “leadership” or “work life balance”.
- Apply button. Like the above boards, Wellfound makes it really easy for your to apply to a job with a simple, single button. When you hit apply, a dialogue box (that actually has a much better interface) pops up and highlights important callouts on the left hand panel such as location, remote offering, visa sponsorship status, and the best part: the hiring manager’s name and location!
#4 BuiltIn
This is a site that skews more startups, though it does have postings for larger tech companies as well. For each major city, there is a BuiltIn instance that exists. For instance, here in Manhattan we have BuiltIn NYC. We don’t love the user interface as much as the other site (there is just a lot going on and it’s easy to get lost) but it does provide a lot of great information on what is available in the market and it’s definitely a resource we recommend to those looking to join an earlier-stage company.
Some features we love:
- Featured Articles. This site will not only provide you the lowdown on the company and the open jobs, but they also include articles where the company is featured. This is super helpful if you are preparing for an interview and want to stay “up to date” on company current events.
- Learning Lab: This is a really cool feature for people that are newer to the job search. This section of the site lists out common roles / titles and actually gives you a deep dive description of what the role is / what it entails, how to become one, what type of salary you can expect, and what skills you need to do the job.
Top free job boards bonus: Venture Capital Firm Sites
While these are technically not job boards, they are incredibly valuable sites to visit if you are interested in joining a startup. Most VC firms will post their “portfolio” of companies on their websites. If you focus your search on the top VC firms in the nation, you may be able to discover other startups that you’ve never heard of that are backed by firms with reputations of spotting potential. Some VC firms we usually keep an eye on include: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Founders Fund, Insight Partners, Accel, and Kleiner Perkins.
