Finding great people to work for your company can be tough. Where you advertise roles can often make a big difference as to which applicants you receive. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best places for UK employers to post job ads including general job boards, specialist job boards and social media platforms.
General job boards
These should be your point of call. General job boards are excellent for achieving a wide reach and high volume of applicants.
Some of the top examples of general job boards include:
- Indeed: This is the largest job site in the UK and it is where most candidates start their search. Listings are free with the option to sponsor jobs for added visibility. Use this site for entry-to-mid-level roles and positions that you need to fill quickly.
- Reed.co.uk: Reed is another hugely popular job site that is excellent for office, admin and finance roles. You must pay to post job ads on this site.
- Totaljobs: Totaljobs excels when it comes to mid-level roles – particularly within sales and customer service. Like Reed, job listings are not free however.
For some roles, you may get an avalanche of responses when advertising through these general job boards. This will include a mix of highly relevant and less relevant applications that you’ll need to be prepared to sift through, so dedicate some time to screening.
Specialist job boards
These are job boards that cater to specific industries, regions or levels of experience. They tend to be the best choice when hiring for niche roles.
Some of the industries that you’ll find specialist job boards for include:
- Healthcare: There are many niche boards to consider when hiring for your healthcare vacancy.
- Education: Sites like Chronicle of Higher Ed and K12JobSpot focus on teaching vacancies.
- Tech: Some job boards like Dice focus on tech roles.
- Finance: You’ll find many specialist job boards focused on financial roles such as accountants, analysts and brokers.
- Creative/marketing: There are many job boards aimed at creatives like writers, designers and performers.
While you’ll likely get fewer applications through these job boards, those you do get are more likely to be relevant. When looking to fill experienced and higher level roles, this tends to be the best place to find serious candidates. Just be wary that some sites may charge higher rates for job listings.
Social media
Social media can be a great place for connecting with candidates too – especially suitable candidates who may not be actively looking for a job, but who may apply after stumbling across your ad.
There are two main social media platforms for posting job ads:
- LinkedIn: This business networking site is excellent for advertising professional and office-based roles. It has a dedicated job posting option, plus you can headhunt candidates by searching for individuals with relevant skills and messaging them directly.
- Facebook: Facebook can work surprisingly well for job advertising – especially for local ads. You can post in community pages or run targeted ads to find talent in your area. Many retail, hospitality, care and courier roles are filled through Facebook advertising.
Feel free to try other social media platforms too like Reddit, X or even Instagram. Social media not only provides great scope, but also allows you to get a better idea of candidates by checking out their social media profile.