How To Create A Job Board

We asked the experts, what it takes to get your job board started. Our very own Alexander Gutin, Co-Founder and President, had these words of advice for your association when considering implementing a job board or career center for your members.

Understand What You’re Getting Into

‍Running a job board could take a lot of time and energy (depending on the service you use and even more so if you do it house), probably way more than you realize. Even if you are using the easiest job board software out there, you will still need to spend time working on the back end. Coding is not necessarily a concern these days, but you will want to make sure you select options that create exactly the job board you want. You will also need to spend time curating job entries and managing subscribers. After that comes customer service and solving problems as they arise. Once your board takes off, you may have the funds to outsource these kinds of tasks. At the beginning, however, it’s likely to be all you.‍

What to Look for in a Job Board Platform

‍There are a ton of different options available for job board software. Choose one that is easy for you to use and that you are able to keep up with on your own. Ideally, you want to give your subscribers options to perform both quick searches and more advanced searches, so look for software that supports these functions. Also, job alerts are a fantastic way to provide your subscribers with a way to be notified if their dream job is posted on your site. A software that enables you to offer RSS feeds for your subscribers is another option. By offering several subscription methods, subscribers can view job postings in the manner they choose. Look also for software that allows you to choose multiple payment methods from your subscribers. If you exclude certain methods, you lose those potential sales.

‍Does Your Job Board Cater to a Niche?

‍From the beginning you need to have a goal in mind. Is your job board niche-specific, or are you looking to service a broader job-seeking public? If you want to drill down to highly specified job searches, keep that in mind as you set up your job board. Make lists of items that both job seekers and job posters would find relevant and include those in your board. Think about what you look for in a job board. Are there features that you wish you could find more often? Maybe those features need to be highlighted in yours. This can always be used as a selling point later.

‍Enlist Test Drivers

‍Now that you are getting closer to your launch, talk to friends and family about test driving your job board for you. They can often find issues before your intended visitor find them, giving you a chance to correct problems before you open to the public. Have your test drivers start from the beginning and follow the process all the way through so you get a full perspective. Once you have collected some feedback, you know exactly what if anything needs to be changed.

‍Syndication Can Be Your Friend

‍In the beginning you may not have many companies beating down your door to post their job openings. Other networks, however, have syndication services that allow you to cross post some of their job listings on your board. This helps to fill in empty spots on your own board and also gives you time to gather more of your own listings. On the other hand, some job boards opt to stick with syndicated content because their niches are so specialized. You may even decide to play around with this option to see what works best for your particular board.

‍Get the Word Out

When your job board goes live, start marketing your latest career resource. Social media is a great tool to use to get the word out quick. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to start letting people know what you have to offer. Does your association have a monthly newsletter? Featuring your latest member benefit in your newsletter is a great way to get your job board announcement straight into the inboxes of the people who will most benefit from it. Additionally, your association's website is an excellent place to promote and link to you job board. Forums are another great place to advertise your job board, especially forums that cater to the same niche you do. Soon you will have plenty of job seekers ready to use your service.

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Whether your association is looking to switch job board providers or is new to the idea of having a job board, there are variety of services out there, each offering a different experience. If your association is looking to become a career hub that you and your members will love, contact us today. Our team of experts is here to assist you with any questions and would be happy to walk you through a demo of our job board software!