Whether you work in tech, manufacturing, hospitality, or any other industry experiencing a talent shortage, you know just how hard it can be to find the right candidates. But what if you’re casting too wide a net to begin with?
Instead of adding round after round of screening to find your diamond in the rough, you can connect with top notch candidates who have the exact skills, experience, and qualifications you’re looking for via niche and premium job boards.
These job listing sites make it easy to find one-in-a-million candidates. By going straight to the job boards that cater to professionals within a specific industry or function, you can zero in on highly-skilled candidates in a fraction of the time.
Whether you’re looking to find skilled candidates from diverse backgrounds or secure top software engineering talent, niche job boards are here to help. But like all things human resources — success with these tools is all in how you use them.
The 12 best niche and premium job boards:
- CareerBuilder
- Indeed Sponsored
- LinkedIn Premium
- Monster Premium
- ZipRecruiter TrafficBoost
- Consultants500
- Dribble
- Upwork
- AllRetailJobs
- ConstructionJobs
- Idealist
Why do top candidates flock to premium job boards?
We all know job boards are one of the most effective ways to recruit top-notch candidates. But why are premium job boards just that much better at it?
One of the main reasons five-star candidates are so eager to hop onto these job search websites is the reduced competition. Because these sites are more targeted, there may be greater chances to get their resume in front of a real recruiter. This also streamlines things for the recruiter, resulting in fewer non-relevant resumes clogging the pipeline.
Ultimately, both recruiters and candidates love niche job boards for the same reason — the laser-focused specialization.
Even though niche job boards may not have the high traffic of no-cost, general job boards, they are often better at attracting hard-to-reach candidates with skills employers actually want. And the result is better, faster hires.
In our annual Source of Hire Report, we found that the programmer-specific site StackOverflow held the top spot for the shortest time to hire at 34.21 days, followed by WeWorkRemotely, a site specifically for remote jobs, at 34.84 days.
That’s nearly two months quicker than the average time to hire across all job boards, a whopping 91.5 days.
But it’s not just a faster time to hire that niche and premium job boards can deliver. These sites can also help you level up your talent acquisition by giving you:
- Access to pre-vetted candidates who are ready to work
- Easy targeting for specific certifications and special skills
- Fewer unqualified applicants to sift through
- Opportunities to get your employer brand in front of qualified candidates
- Value-added services like market shift tracking and salary benchmarking
- More chances to build awareness among passive candidates
This eye towards specialization also helps candidates find job opportunities that align more closely with their expertise and career goals, rather than squeezing into an ill-fitting job in the name of transferable skills.
With the right approach, niche and premium job boards are a true win-win for candidates and recruiters. So where do you begin?
12 niche and premium job boards for finding all-star candidates
Alright, you’re ready to step up your hiring game and connect with quality candidates. The following niche and premium job boards are great places to start.
1. CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is one of the most trusted sources for job opportunities, career resources, personalized salary tools, and insights, giving candidates access to all the decision-making info they need. And with a large pool of job seekers, advanced search and filtering tools, and Breezy applicant tracking integrations, recruiting your all-star has never been easier.
Pricing: Packages range from pay-as-you-go after a one-time payment of $425 up to $749 per month for the pro package with all the bells and whistles
2. Indeed Sponsored
Indeed Sponsored Jobs are the paid postings that appear on the top and bottom of the search results on Indeed. From increased visibility and greater reach to advanced targeting options and detailed analytics, this premium Indeed feature makes it easy to recruit the cream of the crop.
Pricing: As little as $5 per day
3. LinkedIn Premium
Tried and true, LinkedIn can fill your inbox with qualified applicants, no time wasted. Especially if you go for the Premium option. Whether you want to find candidates faster, seamlessly reach out to passive candidates, or manage candidate relationships, LinkedIn has your back.
Pricing: Set your own budget
4. Monster Premium
Post jobs or search Monster’s resume database to find your best-fit candidates. Hiring products and solutions include resume search, employer branding, veteran recruitment solutions, pre-written job descriptions, and more.
Pricing: $649 per month for the premium package
5. ZipRecruiter TrafficBoost
TrafficBoost provides increased placement for your job on ZipRecruiter.com, partner sites, and job alert emails, meaning higher visibility and better applicants.
Pricing: It depends…but the Premium plan costs $24 per day per job
6. Consultants500
Consultants500 is a specialized job site built for business advisors and consultants. The site is special because it’s not just a go-between for employers and freelancers…it connects them directly.
Pricing: $85 every 60 days for one job post
7. Dribbble
Dribbble is a social-network-meets-job-site designed for creatives, specifically graphic designers. Scroll through posts to find fresh talent, or post job boards to find the designer of your dreams.
Pricing: $249 per month
8. Upwork
As the world's biggest freelancer platform, Upwork is the best site to recruit freelance and remote workers. Whether you need a graphic designer, a copywriter, or a web designer, Upwork can help you find your perfect-fit freelancer as you read over top-notch proposals and pitches. And best of all, job postings are free!
Pricing: Free! You just have to pay a 5% marketplace fee per task.
9. AllRetailJobs
The name says it all — AllRetailJobs offers the largest selection of retail jobs, from entry-level to executive.
Pricing: $167 per job per month if you only purchase one posting, but the more you purchase the cheaper it gets
10. ConstructionJobs
The proof is in the titular pudding — ConstructionJobs helps connect construction workers to job openings according to specialty. Whether you’re looking for a carpenter, a mason, a roofer, or a jack of all trades, ConstructionJobs simplifies the search for specialty workers.
Pricing: $250 per 30-day job posting
11. HealthcareJobsite
Another site where the name speaks for itself, HealthcareJobsite does just what it says — connects healthcare workers to employers. From counselors and nurses to health aides and lab assistants, this site connects you with job seekers who have the specialized skills your company needs.
Pricing: $199 per month
12. Idealist
There’s a niche job site for every corner of the job market, and Idealist fills the gap for the nonprofit sector. Whether you need to fill a full-time job, find an intern, or search for volunteers, you can post a job and find candidates who are truly passionate about the work you do.
Pricing: It depends on the role and your organization type. If you’re a social-impact org or government agency, expect to pay $105 per job or $25 per internship posting.
Rock the candidate experience pre, post, and beyond premium job boards
Niche job boards are a recruiter or hiring manager’s secret weapon.
But to get the most bang for your buck, you need to elevate the candidate experience before, during, and after posting. After all, there’s no reason to make those money moves if premium candidates aren’t inspired to actually engage in your recruitment process.
Here’s your glovebox roadmap to a well-loved candidate experience.
Before you post:
- Ensure your job ads are powerful and inclusive.
- Provide real clarity on what the role is, with clear responsibilities.
- Reach a team consensus on which requirements are must-haves vs. nice-to-haves.
- Set up a clear and fair blind hiring process.
- Update your interview guide and nix the cheesy/sleazy/illegal questions.
- Define your candidate scorecard to review applicants objectively.
While you post:
- Utilize screening tools like a candidate Match Score to help you find your best-match candidates quickly.
- Take advantage of automated workflows to respond to each and every incoming applicant.
- Use easy scheduling tools so candidates can self-select the best time for an interview.
- Create stage automations to move the best candidates forward quickly.
After you post:
- Follow best practices for following up with unsuccessful candidates (keep it kind and direct).
- Automate your referrals, offers, and background checks to accelerate onboarding.
- Learn from the latest round and adjust your process to do even better next time! 🎉
Get more out of your premium postings with Breezy
From high-impact job descriptions to team-approved interview guides, setting the stage for hiring success will help you find your next all-star faster. And that’s especially true when reaching out to top talent via niche and premium job boards.
Get the most out of your premium job postings with Breezy. With our user-friendly applicant tracking system, you can instantly publish your open roles to premium job boards and identify your best candidates faster.
Try it out free for 14 days and find out just how easy recruiting can be!
