The pricing models of job boards vary from one vendor to another. There are some free job posting sites where companies can post jobs at no charge. Aside from that, paid job board vendors may employ any of the following pricing structures:

• Pay-per-click: In this pricing model, you pay every time your job post is clicked. This pricing model is typically implemented for advertised jobs.
  Pay-per-post: In this pricing model, you pay a fixed amount for each job you want to post. Job boards may have discounts if you purchase a certain amount of job posts in one go. 
• Pay-per-contact: In this pricing model, you pay every time you want to reveal a candidate’s contact information.
• Pay-per-month: In this pricing model, you pay a fixed monthly fee for either a limited or unlimited number of job posts, depending on the platform in question. 
  

Do keep in mind that in all cases, additional fees may apply for on-demand services such as product customizations and dedicated account management.

Not all job boards are created equal.Besides varying in price points, they often vary in features too. Be that as it may, below are some of the most common features you can expect from most job boards available today: 

• Job post sponsoring/promoting: Besides the most obvious features of a job board, i.e. letting you post jobs, a good job board should also provide employers the option to sponsor those job posts so that they appear more frequently in candidate searches and don't fall back in the search results over time. This is very important, especially if you’re hiring in a competitive industry or using a popular job board where hundreds, if not thousands of new jobs are posted daily. ‍
• Searchable talent database: A job board provides you with access to a large database of registered candidates who are ready to work. All you have to do is filter the database with your job requirements to find the most relevant candidates, then check their profiles to see if their experience and skillset is the right fit for your available role.‍
• Candidate matching: Candidate matching is a great feature many job boards available today have. Leveraging AI and machine learning technologies, this feature saves employers a great deal of time by scanning the job board’s talent pool and automatically bringing up the most qualified candidates for the job. ‍
• Candidate assessments: Several job boards provide employers the option of enabling assessments across a wide range of job levels and professions to screen candidates upfront for their career aptitude, cognitive abilities, and skills that are needed for the job in question.‍
• Interview scheduling: Interview scheduling is another neat feature some job boards have. It makes it easier for employers to connect with applicants, confirm availabilities, and schedule meetings. In most cases, the interview scheduling feature is mindful of the time zones both the employer and the candidates are in and sends alerts to all parties as the interview time nears to avoid no-shows.‍
• Company page: Many job boards allow employers to create branded profiles for their companies. This page can have all sorts of relevant content, including the company’s history, vision, and mission. A company profile page is also a great place for companies to showcase their culture, which is something most job seekers care about.‍
• Send messages and automated rejections: A good job board should enable you to reach out to candidates directly through their platform for quick communication. It should also provide the option to send bulk rejection letters for candidates that didn’t make the cut. ‍
• Analytics: An important feature of any software product or online platform is analytics. This gives you a snapshot of all of your activities and lets you know how well you are doing in reaching your goals. On a job board, an analytics feature would provide you with insights that you can use to improve your job posts. This includes how many times a job posting has been viewed, candidate bounce rate, “Apply” clicks number, and more.  ‍
• ATS integrations: Most job boards integrate with applicant tracking systems (ATS) to optimize the candidate experience as well as the hiring process for employers. When your ATS is integrated with your job board, applicants who click-to-apply on the job board are sent directly to your ATS without any interruption, and information about your job posts is always up-to-date on both platforms.
  

When shopping for a job board (or any solution for that matter), we always recommend that you schedule as many demos as possible with different vendors to make sure their solution is compatible with the needs of your business. Here are a few questions you can ask during your demos: 

• How many candidates are registered on your platform?
• How many countries can I hire from?
• Can you show me the filtering criteria to search your database for specific candidates?
• Can you show me how I can reach out to candidates through your platform?
• Can I sponsor job posts on your platform?
• Do you have partnerships with other job boards for job post distribution? 
• Does your platform automatically match or suggest relevant candidates to my job posts?
• Does your platform pre-screen candidates?
• Does your platform offer a candidate assessment option?  
• Can interviews be scheduled through your platform?
• Can I reach out to candidates directly through your platform?
• What processes can I automate through your platform?
• Can I create a page for my company on your platform and if so, what other employer branding options does your platform offer? 
• How easy is it to implement your solution, and would I be able to do it myself?
• What 3rd party solutions does your software integrate with?
• What metrics have you used to prove the effectiveness of your solution, and where can I see these in my analytics dashboard?
• How much does the platform cost for my team size/business needs?

Using a job board is relatively easy, especially since the majority of them are cloud-based, delivered through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) infrastructure. Getting started with a cloud-based solution is very quick; once you’ve signed up for (or purchased) a plan that meets your needs, you can create an account and start configuring it right away. This includes designing your company page, posting jobs, searching relevant resumes, and more.

What is a job board?

A job board is online database of open roles that job seekers use to source their next positions.

How can job boards benefit employers?

Job boards are a great place for companies to post their open roles to reach a large, targeted audience of potential hires. Job boards are also a good place to build your talent brand and share content. Employers often see reduced time- and cost-to-hire.

What are the best job boards out there?

The best job boards out there are LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, Monster, Indeed, Snagajob, Ladders, AngeList, and Dice.