The 17 Best Job Search Sites 2020

Just graduated college and looking for a job? Or maybe you want to change careers or are looking for part-time work while you’re in grad school. Whatever your case, it’ll be really helpful for you to know what the best job search sites are.

We give you our picks for the 17 best job search sites right here. These resources include both general job search sites and specialty sites for specific fields and/or certain types of applicants. We also give you a few tips on how you can use these job search sites effectively.

17 Top Job Search Sites at a Glance

Before we look at each site in detail, here’s an overview of the best job search sites and what kinds of features each one offers:

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Best Job Search Sites Overall

In this first list, we introduce the top job search sites for all types of job seekers and industries, so no matter what kind of job you’re looking for, you’re likely to find something with at least one of these websites!

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most popular professional networking and job search sites out there. With more than 645 million users from over 200 countries, LinkedIn offers tons of opportunities to build connections with people in your industry and find jobs on a local, national, and even global level.

Currently, LinkedIn advertises 20+ million jobs, so there’s surely something to apply for!

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: You can’t beat the reach LinkedIn provides in terms of jobs and networking. With millions of users and job postings, you’re bound to find something that matches what you want (or, at the very least, someone who can connect you to a position).

• Biggest Con: Jobs often get so many applicants that it can be hard to get noticed. If you find a popular position to apply for, be prepared for competition. Also, although the basic account is free, a LinkedIn Premium account, which offers a lot more advantages and resources to job seekers, costs money.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Making a LinkedIn account is both easy and free. Once you have one set up, you can write up your profile (which is similar to your resume), upload a head shot or other picture, and add links to any portfolios, articles, websites you’ve worked on, etc.

To look for jobs, click the "Jobs" link at the top of the home page; there, you can search for jobs by location or keywords. You’ll also get recommended jobs on this page based on your previous job searches and what you have down as your "Career Interests."

Job descriptions on LinkedIn are usually fairly detailed, with info on everyday duties, qualifications, job type, seniority level (i.e., entry-level, mid-level, or senior-level), and even how your designated skills on your LinkedIn profile match the skills required by the job.

You can also use LinkedIn’s Salary tool to get an idea of what salary you can (and should) make for the jobs and industries you’re interested in.

Glassdoor

Glassdoor is another popular job search site, with 12 million job listings, 1 million employers, and 67 million unique visitors every month. The website was founded on the concept of increasing transparency in the workplace by aggregating salaries and reviews by real employees of jobs and businesses.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Glassdoor offers detailed information on the companies that post in addition to reviews from current and previous employees—a feature that's especially useful to those who want a clear sense of what to expect when working at a particular company.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Emails can start to get spammy fast from Glassdoor, but you can easily fix this issue by turning them off in your account settings. The site also lacks a more advanced search function.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You can create a free profile on Glassdoor that summarizes your job history, skills, specializations, education, and other pertinent info you’d like potential employers to see. You can then search for jobs by title, company, keyword, and/or location using the search bar; you can also save jobs and apply for them later.

To apply, click the "Apply Now" button on a job posting, which will take you to the application page on that company’s website. Job postings with an "Easy Apply" button allow you to apply with either your Glassdoor profile or your email and resume.

Job descriptions are typically comprehensive, with details on duties, qualifications, salary, benefits, job type, and required years of experience.

Indeed

Another big-name job search site is Indeed. Founded in 2004, Indeed offers job seekers an easy-to-navigate search engine, which you can use to look for jobs in the US and dozens of other countries.

Indeed gets more than 250 million unique visitors every month—that’s more than triple what Glassdoor gets!—and aggregates millions of job postings from a wide variety of online job boards and company websites.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Indeed is one of the most successful job search sites in regard to the number of interviews and jobs offered. A 2017 report revealed that the popular job site accounted for a whopping 65% of hires and 72% of interviews from all top job search sites.
  
  
• Biggest Con: There aren’t many special features of Indeed, so the site can feel redundant if you’re already using other more comprehensive job search sites.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Make a free Indeed account and use the search fields to look for jobs based on keyword, job title, company, and/or location. Advanced search options let you narrow your searches even further using filters for salary ranges, distance, experience level, and job type.

As is the case with other top job search sites, you can save jobs you find and apply for some jobs directly through Indeed (instead of going to company websites) with the resume you uploaded.

Each Indeed job posting normally includes a comprehensive description of the job as well as info on salary, skills, licensure and/or experience needed, and the employer.

SimplyHired

SimplyHired is a popular job search site founded back in 2003 that, like Indeed, aggregates millions of job postings with the aim of simplifying job hunts. The site currently caters to around 30 million unique visitors a month.

In 2016, SimplyHired was bought out by Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd., the owners of Indeed, so the two sites are no longer true competitors.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: The local job function shows you what the job market in your area is like. In addition, the resume builder tool is very handy for those looking to create a clean, highly polished, professional-looking resume.
  
  
• Biggest Con: There are lots of sponsored ads, which aren't often that relevant.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You can search for jobs by keyword, job title, company, or skills. Where SimplyHired really shines is in its local jobs tool, which allows you to see what kinds of jobs are available in your area and what salaries are typical for that area as well.

To apply for a job, simply click the "Apply Now" button and you’ll be taken to that company’s official website. Jobs that have a "Simply Apply" option can be applied to directly through SimplyHired with your uploaded resume.

Job postings typically have details on the type of job it is, required experience, and the benefits and salary offered.

Monster

One of the longest-running job search sites on the web and therefore one of the most well known, Monster offers millions of job postings, as well as career services, in more than 40 countries. The robust website has an impressive array of tools and features, including basic job advice, a free resume assessment, and elaborate company profiles and reviews.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Monster not only gives out free professional advice via its blog, but also boasts a useful resume-writing service to help you get the job you want (though the latter isn't free!).
  
  
• Biggest Con: Spam and duplicate postings are big issues, as many disreputable businesses try to take advantage of the site’s massive audience; this makes searching for and finding jobs a somewhat tricky process.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Monster is a very functional website with an easy-to-use interface. With your free Monster account, you can search for positions by keyword, title, and/or location. The advanced search function lets you conveniently focus your search using criteria such as company, job type, and date posted.

With your profile filled out and your resume uploaded, you may apply for jobs with a single click through Monster. Job descriptions normally include information on major duties, job scope, skills and competencies, and qualifications.

CareerBuilder

Established in 1995, CareerBuilder has many helpful features, such as a salary comparison tool, job alerts, career advice, and a mobile app. The globally oriented site welcomes more than 20 million unique visitors a month.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: CareerBuilder really does want to help you build a career—it's got lots of useful advice on its blog. It’s also one of the few job search sites to have a big focus on finding jobs around the globe, making it perfect for more internationally minded job seekers.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Ads tend to get in the way.

How to Use This Job Search Site

After you've made a free CareerBuilder account, you can begin searching for positions by keyword, title, and/or location. Advanced search functions are available and allow you to narrow your job search by criteria such as job type, date posted, pay, distance, and whether it offers an "Easy Apply Online" option (meaning you can apply directly through CareerBuilder).

Job descriptions tend to include a company overview and info on salary, duties, requirements, and recommended skills for candidates.

Craigslist

What’s still very often portrayed as a sketchy website is actually an arguably solid resource for jobs in local areas all around the US. Essentially the same as the classifieds section of a newspaper, Craigslist offers everything from local one-off jobs to full-time positions at large companies.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Craigslist is one of the best job search sites if you're mainly looking for contract, short-term, or temporary/seasonal work.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Anybody may post a job ad on Craigslist, so be careful of scammers and jobs that sound suspicious, inappropriate, or straight-out illegal.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Start by finding your local version of Craigslist. Once you've done that, you can search for jobs by clicking the "Jobs" column title (or one of the industries listed below it). To apply for a job, click the "Reply" button; this lets you contact the poster through anonymous Craigslist email.

Job descriptions can vary significantly in thoroughness, with some posts including far more than others. Generally speaking, though, you’ll get a description of the job as well as information on pay, required experience and/or education, and the employer.

Snag

Formerly known as Snagajob, Snag is a sleek, intuitive job search site that caters to those looking for hourly and minimum-wage jobs, mainly in the customer service industry. The job search site, which was founded in 2000, currently has more than 80 million registered users and serves 80,000 employer locations.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Snag has a handy feature that lets you quickly calculate the commute time to a job (by car, public transportation, or foot). This tool is particularly helpful for those who are trying to work around a busy schedule (I'm looking at all you college students!). Snag also has an excellent blog with tips for landing hourly jobs.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Making your Snag account profile can take more time than other job search sites. For example, it’s strongly recommended that you include references on your profile, but if you lack job experience this can be tricky.

How to Use This Job Search Site

While you'll need to make a free account in order to apply for jobs with Snag, you can still browse available positions without one. With the search bar, you can look for open jobs by title or general keywords, such as "customer service" or "restaurants."

Try using the advanced search criteria if you'd prefer to search by job type (full-time, part-time, or seasonal), industry, and level of urgency. To apply, simply click on the "Apply" button for a job; this will typically take you offsite to the original job posting.

Job descriptions here normally include details on responsibilities, skills, qualifications, and pay.

ZipRecruiter

One newer, albeit very well-known, job search site is ZipRecruiter, which was founded in 2010 and has been featured by many major media outlets, including the New York Times, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and Times.

Ranked the #1 job search app on Android and iOS, ZipRecruiter attracts over 7 million job seekers and 10,000 company subscribers every month. It also currently advertises around 8 million jobs.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Jobs that offer a "Quick Apply" option let you see how you qualify (based on the keywords/skills the company put down) and even let you ask about salary before you apply. Also, the ZipRecruiter app is very easy to use and boasts glowing reviews.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Because ZipRecruiter is newer compared to more established competitors—Monster, SimplyHired, and Indeed—it doesn’t offer as much in the way of features and the sheer number of job postings.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Start by making a free account on ZipRecruiter. During this process, you'll make a profile, upload your resume (if desired), and add references (again, if desired—though it's always a good idea to fill out your job search site profiles as much as you can!).

Once you’ve made your account, you’ll receive suggested jobs based on what you filled out in your profile. You can also search for jobs in a specific area by job title or keyword. An advanced search tool lets you use criteria such as salary minimums, post date, employment type, and company.

Jobs with a "Quick Apply" button let you apply directly via ZipRecruiter with your uploaded resume, while some jobs require you to apply offsite. Job postings on this job search site usually have basic information on work duties, qualifications, base salary/benefits, etc.

LinkUp

LinkUp stands apart from other job search sites in its unique commitment to delivering users only legitimate job postings taken straight from employer websites. The site aims to be a high-quality global job search site, and has been praised by Forbes, Bloomberg, and LinkedIn.

Since 2007, LinkUp has shared a total of 150 million links to job postings.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: All jobs are human-sourced and are thus guaranteed to be legitimate, so no more worrying about fake or sketchy positions. These postings are also frequently updated.
  
  
• Biggest Con: The site doesn’t seem to offer as much as other top job search sites in terms of professional advice and resources. The advanced search function could be improved if it had salary information, too.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Creating a free account with LinkUp will give you access to free job alerts and your own job search history, as well as the ability to save jobs you want to apply to later.

You can search for jobs by keyword, job title, company, and/or location. To apply for jobs, click the "Apply" button; this will take you directly to the company’s official website. Most descriptions are pretty thorough (of course, this can vary with the company) and provide an overview of duties, qualifications/requirements, and the company.

The Muse

Geared toward "next gen" (that is, millennial) workers with big dreams and in-demand talents, The Muse aims to strengthen the relationship between employer and employee—even before an offer has been made.

The site’s mission is to provide job seekers with "an authentic look at company culture, workplace, and values" by sharing insider information on companies through a combo of photographs and  employee interviews.

The Muse was founded in 2011 and gets more than 3 million monthly visitors.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: The Muse is the only job search site out there to provide a behind-the-scenes look at companies via videos and employee feedback. It also offers expert career coaching and professional advice.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Job postings aren’t as varied as they are on other larger and more established job search sites.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You can search for jobs for free on The Muse by keyword, title, career, and/or location. The site has an advanced search function, which lets you look for positions by type and company size. Making an account will also allow you to save jobs, so it's recommended that you do this if you don't plan to apply to jobs all at once.

Job postings provide comprehensive info on the company and are usually complete with videos, interviews, and photographs. They also include fundamental details, such as work duties, required skills and experience, and pay.

Best Specialty Job Search Sites

This next batch of top job search sites are specialty websites that target specific industries, such as technology and nonprofits, or certain types of job seekers, such as college students.

Idealist

If you’re looking to work in the nonprofit sector, Idealist is the job search site for you. One of the most popular and well-known sites for nonprofit workers, Idealist currently has over 6,000 jobs, 500 internships, and 10,000 volunteer positions listed for more than 130,000 organizations.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: The niche nature of this site allows you to easily target specific jobs that interest you. Use Idealist's unique search function to look for jobs based on very specific criteria, such as education level, organization type, issue area (for example, climate change or children and youth), and whether it can be done remotely.
  
  
• Biggest Con: The actual number of jobs available in certain areas can be extremely limited, especially if you live in a less populous region or area.

How to Use This Job Search Site

Use the search bar to look for positions by criteria such as skills, keywords, or interests; you can also specify whether you’re looking for a job, internship, or volunteer role. As mentioned above, the filters on Idealist are really helpful, so be sure to take advantage of them.

Clicking "Apply" on a job posting will take you to the original job ad from that company. As such, you don’t actually need an account to find and apply for jobs. Still, having an account on Idealist does give you access to the "Save" feature, which allows you to keep track of potential jobs.

Most job postings on Idealist tell you the mission of the organization, duties for the specific role, qualifications, information on benefits and salary, and how to apply.

Dice

Dice is a unique job search site that specializes in the information and technology fields. The website caters to millions of job seekers and currently has more than 81,000 job postings. It also gets an average of 2 million unique monthly visitors.

Many big-name companies advertise positions here, including Chase, Charles Schwab, and Dell.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: Dice is one of the most robust tech job sites out there, with offerings ranging from basic job searches to a salary predictor tool and a "Career Paths" feature that helps you figure out what professional trajectory you could take.
  
  
• Biggest Con: So many big tech companies use this website to find new talent that you might end up accidentally overlooking similar jobs at smaller, lesser-known tech companies.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You can search for jobs on Dice by title, keyword, skills, or company name. The advanced search function allows you to further narrow your search by limiting jobs found for you based on things such as employment type, whether remote work is an option, and distance/location. You can also create job alerts and save jobs you find by creating an account.

Most jobs advertised on Dice include info on responsibilities, qualifications, tech skills, and salary. Applying for a job just takes a click of the "Apply Now" button.

College Recruiter

As you might’ve guessed from the name, this job search site specifically targets college students and recent college grads by providing postings for entry-level jobs, part-time jobs, seasonal jobs, and internships.

College Recruiter’s job board originally went live in 1996, so it’s had plenty of time to make a good name for itself. Today, it’s the most popular job site among college students and recent grads. Many Fortune 1,000 companies and federal government agencies post jobs here.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: This site works really hard to cater to its college job seekers: it offers a great career advice blog, a commute calculator to help you narrow down your search based on commute times, and even free resume critiques.
  
  
• Biggest Con: College Recruiter doesn’t have an advanced search option, which makes it a little tough to find the exact kinds of jobs you’re interested in.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You can search for jobs on this website by keyword, college major, and/or location. You can then narrow your search somewhat by choosing a certain job category, company, or employment type. Job seekers have the option of applying with either their social media account (Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn) or a College Recruiter account.

Job descriptions can include videos created by the company and normally have basic information about qualification and experience, work duties, required education, and pay.

HigherEdJobs

For people with a solid amount of job experience and an impressive educational background (think master’s degrees or higher), HigherEdJobs can lead you to your dream academic job, whether it's to be a professor or work in college administration.

Founded in 1996, this site gets 1.5 million unique visitors every month and is the leading job search site for higher education professionals. In 2018, over 5,000 institutions—including small liberal arts colleges and large research universities—advertised more than 250,000 jobs on HigherEdjobs.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: The search options here are extremely useful: you can look by type of school, category (e.g., administrative or faculty), job type, or location (which includes remote jobs). The advanced search function gives you even more criteria to choose from.
  
  
• Biggest Con: Some job postings aren’t actually offered by colleges and universities, so you’ll need to carefully vet some jobs (especially remote ones).

How to Use This Job Search Site

Once you’ve made your free HigherEdJobs account, you can upload your resume and look for jobs using the comprehensive search features described above; you can also save jobs you find to your Organizer and sign up for job alerts.

To apply for a job, simply click the link in the job posting; this will typically take you to the school's official job board. Job postings are easy to read and generally include details on tasks required by the job, educational and/or professional requirements, salary, and job category.

USAJOBS

If you want to work for the federal government and/or in public service, USAJOBS is the place to go, since it's the official job search site of the US government. Over 500 agencies and organizations posted 350,000+ positions on this site in 2016. Even more impressive, USAJOBS has had more than 10 million users since its creation.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: The site’s "Hiring Paths" feature provides you with useful advice on the types of jobs to look for based on your background. Also, the salaries listed are exact, so no more guesswork as to what you’ll earn!
  
  
• Biggest Con: Extra career resources are available but usually only as virtual events at certain times.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You’ll need to make a free account to apply for jobs on USAJOBS. Doing this also allows you to save jobs, upload as many as five resumes, and sign up for job alerts.

Once you’ve made an account and set up a profile, use the search bar to look for jobs by keyword, job title, department, agency, etc. (within or outside the US). Also, I suggest using the "Hiring Path" filters to weed out specialty jobs open only to niche groups of people.

Job descriptions are extremely detailed, with information on salary, duties, benefits, qualifications, requirements, whether travel is required, and so on. Postings also give you the category of the job and list similar jobs for you to look at.

Mediabistro

Mediabistro is a popular specialty job search site geared toward media professionals, including those working with writing, editing, and marketing. It's particularly great for freelancers who are looking for short-term projects and assignments.

The site currently lists more than 1,000 jobs in areas such as production, design, marketing, sales, and writing and editing.

Quick Review: Biggest Pro and Con

• Biggest Pro: MB Unlimited—the premium version of Mediabistro—offers tons of resources, from online courses and pitching help to special discounts on tools and events. It's not free, but it's worth considering. The site also does a free resume evaluation.
  
  
• Biggest Con: There aren't too many jobs to choose from here, especially compared to other job search sites, so you might feel limited in what you find if all you're using is this website.

How to Use This Job Search Site

You don't need an account with Mediabistro to browse or apply to jobs, though with one you can sign up for job alerts, save jobs, upload a resume, and access other helpful career resources.

To search for jobs, type into the search bar a keyword, job title, or company, and then input your location. The advanced search feature lets you hunt for jobs based on function, specialty, level, duration, pay range, and whether you can work from home.

Click "Apply" to apply for a job you find; this will either take you to the company website or move you to the bottom of the page where you can fill out an application and upload your resume and portfolio.

Mediabistro job postings are extremely detailed, with info on duties, requirements, pay, function, level, and job type. Some postings even include a video about the company.

4 Tips for Using Job Search Sites

Here are some general tips to keep in mind when looking for jobs on top job search sites.

#1: Vet Jobs Before You Apply

Although you might be tempted to apply to all relevant-sounding jobs, it’s worth it to take a few minutes to quickly vet the job posting and company, just to ensure it’s a legitimate position and business.

This is especially important to do on job search sites on which anybody can post a job ad, such as Craigslist.

One of the easiest and fastest ways you can vet a job is to do a quick Google search of "[Company Name] scam" or "[Company Name] legitimate." If a company has super-low ratings and/or tons of scam accusations, it’s probably best not to apply for any jobs there.

You can also check the Better Business Bureau to see that company’s grade.

#2: Completely Fill Out Your Online Profile

You don’t necessarily have to make an account on every job search site you use, but doing this—and completely filling out your online profile—can give you a large advantage and save you time, particularly if it’s a job site that lets you apply onsite.

While you don’t need to include every tiny detail from your resume in your job search site profile, the two should be fairly similar. Try to fill out as much of the profile section as you can (and as much as you are comfortable with).

Typically, the best information to include on a job search site profile is as follows:

• Your name
• Your contact information (usually your email and/or phone number)
• Your (general) area/location
• Your education
• Your employment history (no need to put details—just dates and a description should suffice)
• References (if available)
• Relevant links to things such as articles you’ve written, websites you run, portfolios, etc.

Some top job search sites permit businesses to reach out to users based on their profiles and resume(s) they've uploaded, so this is one potentially helpful feature you might want to consider when making an account.

#3: Tailor Your Cover Letter and Resume to Each Job

The best job search sites often offer "one-click apply" buttons that, although ostensibly helpful, can actually hurt your chances of securing a job if you fail to tailor your cover letter and resume/profile to that specific position.

Therefore, make sure to tweak your documents with every job you apply to.

I know, this sounds super tedious—and there’s no mistaking it is—but you won’t regret it when you start getting more interest from potential employers!

#4: Broaden or Narrow Your Search as Needed

Lastly, don’t forget to take advantage of the filters and/or advanced search functions on any job search sites you use.

For example, if you’re not finding the jobs you want in your area, you can broaden your search to include locations a little farther away or jobs with slightly lower salary ranges.

On the other hand, if you’re finding far too many jobs in your area (more likely to occur if you live in a large city, such as New York or Los Angeles), then you can narrow your search by using filters for job type, category, distance, salary, commute time, etc.

What’s Next?

Looking to get a job on campus? Then check out our list of the best on-campus jobs for college students and learn more about the Federal Work Study program.

If you're a STEM major, then you're likely thinking of starting a career in STEM. We list more than 100 STEM jobs in our in-depth guide. Check them out to get some ideas for what you can do!

Not sure what kind of job you're interested in? Consider job shadowing a professional.