25 Free Job Posting Sites To Help You Find Candidates

If you’re looking to hire someone for your company or small business, one of the best ways to recruit talent is to take advantage of one of the fantastic job posting sites that are available. Not only are they a top way to advertise your opening and attract talent, but many of them are also free.

That’s right – free job postings. Even the newspaper used to charge for postings, and today you can advertise to many more people for no cost at all.

How to Post a Job for Free

So how do you advertise your job opening without spending a dime? There are a couple of different ways to do this.

• Direct. Select the job site you wish to use for your job posting and follow their specific instructions for posting your job opening.

• Aggregate. Get a little more out of your work by posting on an aggregating job page that will share your listing with other sites.

Tips for Posting a Job Ad

While posting the job ad might be pretty straightforward, and just a matter of filling in the appropriate fields on the website, writing a job ad can be the most challenging part. It’s a hard task and requires a lot of forethought, planning, writing, rewriting, proofing, and more. These tips will help you write a job listing that attracts applicants.

• Explain a bit about the company. No need to get super detailed, but people want to know about the culture, the atmosphere, benefits, size, etc.

  Most often, people want the job, not the company. And if they want to work for a specific company, they already know all they need to about it. This means you don’t have to kill yourself writing a lot here.

• Job description. Briefly describe the job you have open. But – and this is the most important part – use keywords.

  The keywords are what job seekers will use to find your opening, and it’s what job sites use to categorize you. This is a great place to plug them.

• Responsibilities. Compile a list of the tasks that this job entails and what the person you hire will be doing. Bullet-pointed information is trendy these days, and it’s easy for an applicant to read.

  Being thorough is crucial here, and this will probably take the longest time to write.

• Requirements. Make sure you let people know if there are any requirements (and what they are). Being transparent about this allows everyone involved to be on the same page.

  If they fit or are close, that’s great. If not, even better because no one’s time is wasted.

• How to apply. Make sure you explain how you want the person to reply to the job posting. You might want them to go to your company website and fill out your forms.

  Maybe their application on a job board is good enough. What if you want some special information or you have a request? You better include it in the posting, or you won’t get the information you want.

• Be straightforward. We mentioned that your job description should include keywords. Another blanket statement that you should remember is that you shouldn’t try to be too clever or creative. A straightforward want ad is the best way to go. It makes your listing easy to find, read, and respond to.

20 Free Job Postings Sites

1. Zippia. Career experts, Zippia is a leader in bringing candidates and employers together to begin the conversations that matter.

2. LinkedIn. LinkedIn is probably the best known professionally targeted website in the world. Oddly, it’s not often thought of as a place to advertise and get jobs.

   Change that mindset and turn LinkedIn into the best place for your company to connect and recruit. Posting a job on LinkedIn can be free, or you can pay to promote the job.

3. Craigslist. Known as your go-to for getting just about anything. Posting on job openings on Craigslist can be free, depending on where you live. Some areas charge for these postings; others don’t.

4. Indeed Free. Indeed is a growing brand that’s becoming synonymous with employment. Indeed free is just that – a free way to post your job listings on Indeed. It’s worth it because of the visibility that Indeed has.

5. SimplyHired. This is a new part of the big umbrella that Indeed falls under. They’re tops in the business, and adding this job board to their holdings is a smart move. SimplyHired is one of the most popular free job posting boards.

6. Glassdoor. This website is a must for employers, but not so much for the job postings. Glassdoor is a must so you can manage your online reviews.

   And as long as you’re signing up for that, take advantage of the 30 days free membership to try out the job posting section.

7. LiveCareer. A traditional job board, LiveCareer posts jobs for seekers to review and select. They also offer some resume building services for job-seekers who want to come out on top.

8. Jora. Job aggregator Jora is a global force that lets you post jobs for free, giving you access to candidates around the world.

9. Jobcase. Advertise hourly jobs for free if you’re a hiring manager or an HR executive. Recruiting companies and headhunting agencies will have to opt for a paid plan to find employees through Jobcase.

10. Jobxoom. Jobxoom offers both free and paid options for any job in any industry across the United States.

11. JobInventory. JobInventory takes posts from other job boards and pulls them onto their site. There is a free option, but you need to sign up for an account before posting. This is actually for the benefit of job-seekers, as it’s intended to weed out scams.

12. JobSpider. Not as well known as it should be, JobSpider is free to employers and jobseekers. It was created by someone who was frustrated by all of the job scams on Craigslist and should give you a more legitimate experience.

13. AngelList. AngelList is a totally free option for job postings. It’s especially useful if you’re looking for people in the tech and/or startup industry. This has become their niche, and they’re particularly good at getting jobs and employees connected.

14. Learn4Good. Not as slick looking as some other sites, it’s still worth using Learn4Good for your next job posting. They offer 20 free job postings over the course of six months. That’s a significant amount, especially when some boards only provide one free post.

15. PostJobFree. On the basic site, you can post for free on PostJobFree, but the real benefit that this site is a feeder site.

    That means when you post here, the post is picked up and posted on other job boards, which in turn means you’re posting free and getting on many other sites at the same time. It’s an effective way to reach applicants.

16. Hubstaff Talent. A relative newcomer, Hubstaff is geared toward the gig generation. It’s a great place for freelancers and those who need infrequent help.

    It also has a time tracking element, which means it can be useful even after finding a freelancer to do your work.

17. Ladders. Ladders started out as an upper management or executive job search site, but it’s now open to a much broader market. If you’re looking to hire and want to try Ladders, they give you 20 free job postings.

18. Mighty Recruiter. This is another aggregated recruiting site. Post your job listing on Mighty Recruiter, and it will be spread to many other boards. So, you’re getting more bang for your buck.

    And speaking of bucks, it does cost to use this website, but you get 30 days free, and you might find that’s all you need to get a great new employee.

19. Handshake. With an interesting business model, Handshake was founded by students and designed for students, young people, and people looking for their first job.

    You can post your jobs for free here. Just remember, you’re looking at a pool of talent that’s fresh and not experienced.

20. Wisestep. Wisestep is a social recruiting job-search board that lets you sync your hiring and social network together. This enables you to target people who are already aware of you, interested in your company, or might be a tertiary connection.

21. When I Work. If you have a small business (under 75 employees) and hire people on an hourly basis, you may already be familiar with When I Work. It’s a time tracking app that helps you keep track of schedules, shifts, and hours worked.

    Catering to this niche of businesses, When I Work also has a job posting board so you can find employees to fill your empty spots.

Free Niche Job Posting Sites

The following free job posting sites aren’t for all positions or companies, but they might be just the thing you’re looking for to cut through the noise and get a more qualified candidate pool with less hassle:

1. Google for Jobs. A Google feature that’s rapidly gaining steam, Google for Jobs helps job seekers find job postings that are relevant right in their Google search results.

   It’s not really a job posting site, per se, but rather a tool that indexes job posting sites and delivers them to users. To make sure Google for Jobs will show your job, either post is it with the correct HTML code (provided by Google) to make it possible for Google to index it or simply post your job to a site that Google for Jobs regularly indexes.

2. HotJobs.Vet A site that connects businesses with veterans, HotJobs.Vet is a great place for those looking to hire folks who have served the United States. A military background is highly valued for several reasons, not least because of a sense of duty and responsibility.

3. CoolWorks. The perfect place for seasonal business owners to find part-time help for the busy times of the year. Great for those trying to work seasonally at everything from hotels to national parks, CoolWorks allows you to find candidates from all over the country, with an option to pay for their travel if they’re highly qualified.

4. Chegg. You may know Chegg as an education technology company that many college students have bought books from in the past, but the website also has a job posting feature. It’s free, but specifically for internships and other part-time and/or short-term roles that can become full-time positions after graduation.

5. National Labor Exchange. This is a government-run site that’s free for employers to post jobs to state workforce systems. The website then indexes your job posting on other job boards based on your company’s location, making it easy to reach plenty of applicants for free.

How Free Job Posting Sites Work

Job boards all work in about the same way. They are basically search engines that show people job openings. They either grab their data through free postings or charge employers for postings.

The thing you want to look for with a job board is what market it serves. Some like to plug themselves into a niche, like a region they support or the industry they cater to. The experience or pay level of the employees can also be a focus. Just make sure that using a board that targets your ideal employee.

Why Sponsor Your Jobs

First, let’s break down sponsored job listings and non-sponsored job listings.

Non-sponsored listings are those free job ads. Or they could be ones that a search engine aggregates from other job sites and uses. Either way, they happen when the employer doesn’t pay that particular job board to post an employment ad.

Sponsored job ads are ones you pay for. Sponsored ads get top billing, so they’re more likely to get clicks and views. They may be sent out in emails to very interested candidates. Some have features where matched applicants are notified that they are a match. Some job boards offer more features to sponsored customers, making this a more attractive offer.

A sponsored job listing (as opposed to a free one) gets you more views, a deeper pool of qualified candidates, and quick access to the best hires. If you’re serious about hiring, this is the way to go. There’s also a significant benefit to getting someone in place quickly.

Job Posting FAQ

1. Where can I advertise my jobs for free?

   You can advertise jobs for free on several online job sites and aggregating job pages. Advertising jobs for free is a great way of attracting and finding qualified professionals without breaking the bank.

   Some of the best online platforms that allow businesses to post jobs for free include:

   • Zippia

   • LinkedIn

   • Indeed Free

   • Glassdoor

   • Craigslist

   • SimplyHired

   • Handshake

   Whatever platform you choose to advertise your job for free, it’s important to ensure your job posting is clear and concise. Before publishing a job advertisement, be sure it includes a job description, job responsibilities, information about the company, and application requirements and directions.

2. Is Craigslist job posting free?

   Yes, Craigslist job posting is free in most cases. Advertising jobs on Craigslist can be done for free in most areas of the United States. However, some locations do charge a small posting fee.

   If you want to use Craigslist—the online site that millions of Americans use to buy and sell virtually anything—to advertise your job posting, you could be charged to do so.

   Meanwhile, in certain areas of the United States, posting a job on Craigslist is entirely free. If you live in a location that requires an official paid account to post job advertisements on Craigslist, you can expect to pay a posting fee between $10 and $75.

3. How do I post a job on Google for free?

   Posting a free job advertisement on Google requires you to first post your job listing on a job board that Google for Jobs regularly indexes from. Google’s job listing tool—dubbed Google for Jobs—is a career tool that pulls job listings from job posting sites, including many free platforms like Zippia and LinkedIn.

   Since Google for Jobs is not quite a job posting site, you’ll have to first post your job listing on an external website for it to appear on Google search.

   To make sure Google for Jobs picks up your posting, you’ll want to post on a job site that Google regularly pulls from and ensure your post is formatted correctly with the proper HTML (provided by Google).

4. What is the cheapest place to post a job?

   Free job sites are the cheapest place to post a job. If you’re looking to hire a top-notch employee while also saving money, consider using a free job posting site to advertise the open position and recruit qualified candidates.

   While many career sites allow you to post a job opening for free, some of the best free platforms include Zippia, LinkedIn, and Indeed Free. To advertise a job for the cheapest price possible (for free!), head to one of these sites to post your listing, get noticed, and find and recruit the best talent for your company.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to job-hunting, no two job-seekers are alike. Entry-level applicants have different strategies they employ when looking for a job compared to freelancers, part-time applicants, or those looking for internships.

That’s why the best job search strategy will include postings on a multitude of job search sites and cast a wide net for a more diverse and impressive candidate pool.

Finding a job candidate that wows isn’t a perfect science, and other elements of the hiring and onboarding processes will cost money. But when it comes to posting your job ad across the internet, you don’t need to spend a dime in today’s world.

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.