Understanding Job Boards: Strategies for a Smarter Job Search

 In today’s episode, Marisela Morales shares strategies for using job boards effectively, including filtering by date, applying early, tailoring applications, and avoiding scams. But first, Peter Michaels highlights the NACE competency of professionalism and the importance of attention to detail in resumes and cover letters. After listening, you’ll better understand how professionalism and smart job board tactics can boost your job search. 

Full episode transcript can be found on the episode page. Below is a general timestamp summary. 

00:00:01 – 00:01:36 | Introduction & Professionalism Overview
Hosts introduce the episode and explain NACE competencies, focusing on professionalism and its role in job applications.

00:01:36 – 00:05:58 | Attention to Detail & Proofreading
Discussion on why polished resumes and cover letters matter, common mistakes, and tools like Grammarly and VMock to ensure accuracy.

00:06:00 – 00:08:02 | Job Boards: Why Strategy Matters
Transition to job boards; overview of using them strategically rather than passively, and the importance of a multi-platform approach.

00:08:02 – 00:13:06 | Types of Job Boards
Detailed look at general boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor), niche boards for tech, remote work, nonprofits, and local/state resources like Illinois Job Link and WorkNet DuPage.

00:13:06 – 00:14:05 | Unique Opportunities
Specialized boards for internships, seasonal work, and micro-internships (CoolWorks, Parker Dewey, The Forage).

00:14:29 – 00:16:58 | Advanced Search Strategies
Tips for filtering by date, applying early, using multiple job titles, and screening for scams to avoid wasted effort.

00:17:02 – 00:23:12 | Application Tips & Networking
Why tailoring beats quick apply, applying directly on company sites, tracking applications, and following up with recruiters to stand out.

00:23:15 – End | Closing Remarks
Recap of strategies and invitation for listener questions in future episodes.

Sources: 

Forbes, US News, The Forage, Job Hero, Money, Boston Public Library, Forbes, Extern

Listeners in the College of DuPage community can visit our website. All other listeners are encouraged to view the resources of their local community college, WIOA training programs, or other local support centers.

Send us YOUR Listener Questions at careerpodcast@cod.edu

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Transcript

Welcome to the Career Ready podcast. Learn about resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, interviewing and all the things you need to be career ready with the Career Services Center at College of DuPage. 

I'm one of your hosts, Marisela Morales. Later in today's episode, I'm going to lead the conversation talking about ways to job search by utilizing job boards. 

And I'm your other host, Pierre Michiels. I'm going to start our episode today highlighting a behavior of the NACE competency: Professionalism. For those not familiar, NACE is the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Through their work, they survey employers identifying top skill sets employers desire. With this, eight competencies are traditionally identified, professionalism being one of them. 

Professionalism defined by NACE is knowing how work environments differ greatly, understanding and demonstrating effective work habits, and acting in the interest of the larger community and workplace. This competency is essential because it reflects how you show up on the job. But in addition to being on the job, this is reflected through the application process as well. 

As we think of these NACE competencies, they're also identifying behaviors in addition to the definition. One of these behaviors for professionalism is having an attention to detail, resulting in few, if any, errors in their work. Attention to detail might sound simple, but it's one of the most important and powerful ways to demonstrate professionalism. Employers notice when your work is polished and accurate. 

, is there a way you could think of us demonstrating our professionalism through accurate, polished work in the application process? 

So I think that a really good example of this is resumes. One of the things that we love to emphasize when we are writing resumes are the skills, the skill sets that we have. And one of the things that I've often seen and that I am guilty of doing myself is being detail-oriented or attention to detail, something to that effect. Yet that same resume is going to be riddled with errors. And again, I have been guilty of this myself. 

So why is that important? Because when we have a professional document, whether it is your resume, whether it is your cover letter, it's going to be a reflection of you. They're going to be reviewing your experiences, your education, your skills. They're already tuning in to who you are as a professional. They are looking at your professional story. But then when they stumble upon an error, it kind of takes them out, right? 

Like we do it ourselves when we are reviewing resumes where we're just like, ooh. So that is a really good example of the importance of attention to detail. It really does not reflect well on us when we are trying to prove our value. And yet we ourselves are not presenting ourselves in the best way possible in a document that we ourselves created. It wasn't something that was put together at the last minute. It was something that we submitted willingly, and yet it has mistakes. 

So then when we as these professionals or when we're talking about employers saying one or two mistakes on the resume will get you eliminated, now we're understanding why. They're assessing our professionalism and the detail that we put into our work on the job. It's not just to weed out applicants. It's really about how we present ourselves through this important process of getting a job. 

Your resume, cover letter, even LinkedIn—these are all great ways to reflect your professionalism. How you're creating these documents, creating that profile is going to express your attention to detail and professionalism, not just for the application process, but also once you're on the job. Any type of typo or inconsistency can send the wrong message to the employer. So it's really important to pay attention to this to reflect better professionalism, not just in the application, but also giving them insight into how you'll perform once you're on the job. 

As  was saying, we in our office will proofread resumes, find other people to proofread them, make sure you're slowing down and taking the time to proofread your own documents. I know I'm really guilty of this. I spend so much time working on a document that I have a hard time going back and proofreading it myself because I know what I want to be there. So then I miss those mistakes because I'm already correcting them in my mind. 

Get other people to look at it, but use different tools to help you as well. In our office we've got VMock, but other resume AI platforms are out there that could be helpful. Grammarly is another resource you could use, or even just using general AI to submit and have it review. Double-check names, dates, job titles—all those little details—because any inaccuracy can throw things off and reflect poor professionalism. Make sure you're following their instructions. If they're asking for a PDF, that's how you're submitting it. If they say no cover letters, even though our office always encourages a cover letter, follow their instructions. Because if you don't follow their instructions, you're not reflecting that professionalism they're expecting of you, not just from the job search process, but also once on the job. 

By demonstrating attention to detail, you're signaling to that employer that you're reliable, thorough, and ready to contribute to that organization. 

So now that I've shared some thoughts on demonstrating professionalism on the application, I'm going to head over to  to talk about approaching the job search by utilizing job boards. 

Thank you, Pierre. The average job posting gets hundreds of applications, so we need to do more than simply click apply. Today we're diving into searching for jobs through job boards and breaking down the strategies that move your application from the bottom of the pile straight to the top of the recruiter's desk. Let's get started. 

The first mistake people make is treating job boards like a library—just browsing. Job boards are more like databases. We need to use them strategically. Use a multi-platform strategy where you use general job boards, niche job boards, university job boards, and company sites. Start by identifying 10 to 15 companies, 3 to 5 job titles. Think about your preferred industries and locations and then expand outward. 

Read your job descriptions closely. Apply early. Aim for roles where you meet at least 60 to 70% of the qualifications and track everything. Network alongside your applications and follow up. And don't forget to build your skills while searching. 

Now this is just a little bit of an overview of what we're going to discuss today, but now we're going to go ahead and deep dive a little further, starting with discussing the job boards. 

First, never rely just on one job board. Instead, use a combination of general job boards for volume roles and niche boards for more targeted, lower competition opportunities. For internship roles, start early and use internship-friendly websites. And finally, never underestimate the value of going directly to the source—company websites. That's where you'll find the most accurate, up-to-date listings. 

Let's talk about general job boards. These are great because of the sheer volume of jobs posted. Some of the best known include: 

• Indeed: Well known because of its massive listings and easy filters for salary, location, remote options, etc. 
• LinkedIn Jobs: Fantastic because it lets you not only apply directly, but even better, you also get to network. 
• Glassdoor: Gives you an inside look at salaries and company culture because sometimes the real story isn't just in the job description. 
• ZipRecruiter and Monster: Oldies but goodies that remain strong general job boards, especially for people open to a variety of industries. 

Next, let's talk about niche job boards. These are tailored for specific fields or populations. Examples include: 

• Dice: Great for IT and tech professionals. 
• Built In: Focuses on tech hubs in New York City and Chicago. 
• FlexJobs: Specializes in verified remote and hybrid roles. 
• Ladders: For high-paying jobs, typically $100,000 and above. 
• Idealist: Excellent for nonprofits, social impact, and community-based work. 
• USAJobs: A source for federal job opportunities. 
• Air Crossing: Focuses on HR roles. 
• Media Bistro: Specializes in journalism, publishing, marketing, and other media fields. 

Thanks for sharing these wonderful lists right there. It is so helpful to realize that there are so many job boards out there, because a lot of times when I'm in appointments, people just come in and they're like, “Oh, I'm using Indeed,” right? Indeed is normally named. It's one of the most popular ones. I just love that you're providing this list so people can realize that there are options out there. 

And if you're getting overwhelmed from this list that  is sharing, she doesn't know all this off the top of her head. She looked it up, right? You could just jump online. And what I recommend is people just go to Google your job search engine and type in job boards for that. And you'll actually get a list of a few different sites that will pertain to you. 

So, , thank you for helping open up this idea of all these different options. And I also wanted to note, so it even goes beyond that. You can even look up job boards based on professional associations and clubs. There are different ways that you can search for specific niche job boards. Think about how you can identify job boards that are more suited, more tailored for your specific needs. 

But you don't even have to think about specific industries. You can even think about location. Think about it in terms of your state, your county, your city, chamber of commerce, college. So for example, we live in DuPage County, so people who live in our area, they can look at Illinois Job Link. That is something that is specific for people in Illinois. But if you want to get more local you can go to WorkNet DuPage. Or if you want to get even more local, you can go to Get Hired, where we not only list job opportunities for county students, but we also have job opportunities that are available to community members as well. 

Then we have job boards that are also available for college students searching for internship or entry-level positions. There's Handshake, WayUp, Idealist, Volt (which I had never heard of until I started researching this). This particular job board is ideal for people who are in finance, consulting, or law. And then you have again, people who are in technology. These are some really interesting ones because we've heard of Dice, but I had never heard of TechGen. TechGen is for tech and startup internships with extra resources. And then there's Y Combinator, which has job boards. Now this is a hidden gem for internships and roles at innovative tech startups. And then there's Go Government, which has federal internships. 

Once again, just as I had mentioned for the other list, always check professional clubs and industry associations. Now, if you're looking for something a little more unique or a unique experience and you are starting off, check out CoolWorks where they don't necessarily offer internships. However, they do promote seasonal jobs at national parks, resorts, tours and companies. YouTurn is unique because it connects college students with mentorship-based internships. Parker Dewey offers short-term professional assignments that are also known as micro-internships. And then we have The Forage, which offers free virtual job simulations from some of the world's biggest companies. 

So I highly recommend that you check these out. But again, we don't want you to feel overwhelmed. Look on the internet. I will also be providing the resources that helped me discover some of these wonderful job boards because I want you to gain access to these as well. 

Now, finally, and this cannot be stated enough: never forget the value of checking the actual company's direct website. That is because the listings posted there are the most up-to-date and the most dependable. 

So we talked about using a variety of types of job boards, whether it is general, niche, local, or through the college. But now let's go to another strategy that you can use and that is filtering. Filter your job search so that you can avoid jobs that are not relevant to your needs. Focus on filters, whether it is location, job type, experience level. But there is one particular filter that I really want to focus on, which is “posted date.” This is for strategic purposes. Filtering your search to the last 24 hours or jobs that were posted within the past week is incredibly powerful. It helps you avoid expired listings and roles that have already been inundated with other applicants. It significantly increases your chances of having your resume reviewed because most recruiters look at early applicants first. 

Another key strategy is searching using different job titles for the same role. For example, if you're looking for a marketing intern but you only use that job title, you're going to be missing opportunities. This is because different companies use different job titles for similar roles. So instead, practice playing with the job title that you have or search by skills such as content, digital, brand, or social media. If you're unsure of what terms to use, look at tools such as O*NET or Career Coach to help you. 

Next, be sure to screen for scams and vet the company before you apply to anything. Take five minutes to research. Look for red flags such as no company name or a similar Yahoo contact email, or a salary or job opportunity that just seems too good to be true—because it probably is. Then check the company site. You can check out Glassdoor for the reviews. You can check the Better Business Bureau. You can look at recent news, the company site, etc. Make sure that the role looks legitimate and that the company appears to be stable. 

, thanks for running through all these things. So many resources and I love what you're saying as far as these filters and researching. I gotta emphasize that date posted because we know there are employers that will post a job and they're not actually even hiring. They're just collecting applications. So then if you're using that filter, you know that, okay, it's something that they're recently posting that they're actively looking for as opposed to something that just kind of sits out there and they're just waiting until they have a really good applicant, then they'll move forward. Because sometimes that's how employers operate. 

And then also pointing out using various search terms, you know, this is something that comes up a lot in my job search appointments where they're like, “I'm working on this degree.” And then that's what we're using as a search term. And then we don't find anything because it's the degree, it's not the job. So being able to use some various language will definitely help yield more results and expose you to some different possibilities that are good fits that you wouldn't have come by otherwise. 

Absolutely. And going back to the importance of applying as soon as possible. Another thing that I wanted to point out was that just because a job is still posted does not mean that it is available. So that's another reason that it is really important to apply as soon as possible—like within the first 24 hours, within the first 48 hours, 72 hours—as soon as possible. What I mean by that is it may no longer be available because a lot of times employers are not able to remove a job posting until somebody has actually filled the role. And we're not talking about merely identifying a candidate that they want to hire or even extending a job offer. We're talking somebody has actually physically started the job. So sometimes you will see job postings that are very dated, but they're still posted. And that is why that is the case. So it is best to apply as soon as possible because that shows that it really is something that is recent and that likely has not gone through the interview and hiring process. 

If you're going through the search process and there's a really good opportunity, you want to apply to it, always take that opportunity and apply to it, but try to make sure that you're applying within the first two weeks of it being posted because you want to be in this window that 's referring to. 

Absolutely. And on another note regarding applying, this is another thing that we really want to emphasize. So once you have identified the job posting and we are emphasizing the importance of being expeditious, right? However, we don't want you to lose sight of the importance of tailoring. So there's a couple of additional tips that I want to add. You might be tempted to hit that quick apply. However, I want you to remember that we are being strategic. This is not a numbers game. This is not about how many applications you have put in. It's not about quantity. It's about quality. So as tempted as you might be to reach that 24 hours, it's okay to hold back. Take a moment to make sure that your resume is ATS-friendly and that you have actually tailored it to the job description. 

Look at the job description. Look for those key phrases. Reflect: How do I meet the job requirements, the experience, the education? Make sure that it is reflected in your resume using the specific key phrases that they have used in the job description. This is going to help you with the applicant tracking systems that so many employers are using today. 

Yeah, using that quick apply or easy apply—whatever they're labeling it as—may meet that instant gratification, but it's going to create this future frustration of “Why am I not hearing back?” And so we always preach it through our office, through the podcast, that you need to be tailoring, you need to be targeting that employer. And while we're talking about trying to get in there early, if you get in there too early and going back to what we discussed earlier as far as professionalism and all these errors that you now have because you rushed to do it, well, you're going to get disregarded. So take the time to personalize it. Don't follow that idea of a quick apply and just get in there with a strong application. 

Absolutely. And there's another reason that we want you to think twice about the quick apply. Quick apply is something that is incredibly convenient. And sometimes it's the only option that we have for certain job listings. However, whenever possible, use it sparingly. This is because it often funnels your application into a huge, lower-quality applicant pool that may never be reviewed. So once you have taken the time to review and tailor your resume and other professional documents, including your cover letter or any other supporting documents, try to apply directly to the employer's website. Again, we recognize that sometimes that is not an option. Sometimes the employer will direct applicants to some of these job boards with the click apply. However, whenever possible, try to apply directly to the website. 

After submitting your application, increase your visibility by networking with the company. Use LinkedIn to connect with the employers or send a message to the recruiter. A personal touch or referral can move your application straight to the top. After this, track your applications. Create a spreadsheet with the company name, job title, the date that you applied, your status, and your follow-up dates. This is going to keep you organized and consistent. 

Now most people apply and they wait, but you're going to make yourself stand out. Wait maybe about 5 to 7 days after submitting, and then send a brief message to the recruiter or hiring manager. The message could be something as simple as this: 

“Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I recently applied for [Job Title] and wanted to express my interest. I'd love to learn a little bit more about this position if you have a moment.” 

This small initiative often brings your application to the surface and will separate you from the rest. 

And that's a great way to wrap up this conversation about the job boards because if you've been listening to our series here on the job search, we started off talking about the importance of networking and making those connections because that's how employers like to start off. So if you haven't listened to that episode, I recommend that you go back and listen to that because these connections—even the simple follow-up that  was just advocating for—go a really long way in helping you stand out to these employers. 

So thank you, , for all this great information, all these wonderful resources. And thank you to all our listeners for joining us today. We hope you feel better prepared for going through the job search and utilizing job boards. There was no listener question in today's episode, but if you have a question you want to hear answered in a future episode, you can submit it to CareerPodcast@cod.edu and join us for our next episode to get more career-ready content.