Have you considered small, lesser-known job boards in your job search?
No, we're not talking about those behemoth job search engines that will uncover every job that even slightly matches the keyword you searched. We'll get more into those guys later, though!
We're talking about the more
secret job boards. These might be the
job sites that host way fewer jobs. However, each job seems tailored to your specific experience and interests.
While nothing that exists on the internet is really a secret, some job sites fly under the radar, so to speak. For professionals looking to stand out in their niche or apply to a job without potentially competing with thousands of other applicants, we compiled this list of some of our favorite lesser-known niche job boards.
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Why Would Job Seekers Use Small or Niche Job Sites?
Job search engines have been around since the dawn of the internet. Some of the biggest job boards have been around since the 90s, in the days of Geocities and Angelfire websites. Due to their longevity and experience, big job search engines are extremely sophisticated.
With one job post, an employer could potentially reach thousands or millions of candidates, show up on Google search, and attract the very job seekers searching their intended keywords.
While these job boards might not have powerful AI, resume databases, fancy mobile apps, or job alerts, they do have one thing: jobs. Specifically, these job boards have jobs that they want you to find—instead of thousands of potentially irrelevant applicants mass applying across Glassdoor, Indeed, Monster, and every giant job search engine on the internet.
Sometimes, more isn't better. Many employers head to niche job boards to cast a smaller, specialized net—especially in sectors like nonprofits or the arts.
We rounded up our favorites (because who knows better about little-known job sites than a career advice platform?) into one handy list right here.
Jopwell
The Job Board Dedicated to Representation
Representation matters.
Part of the True platform of products and talent management services,
Jopwell is a job board that is dedicated to the representation and advancement of Black, Latinx, and Native American professional careers. As such,
Jopwell partners with premier companies that have demonstrated a true commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
Aside from the job board, Jopwell also hosts resources on their blog,
The Well, to help job seekers and working professionals navigate their unique careers.
Black Career Women’s Network
The Job Search Website for Black Women Poised for Success
It’s a well-known fact that Black women have a completely different experience regarding the job search and overall career success.
Black Career Women’s Network is the leading career development platform dedicated to fostering the professional growth and continued success of Black women. Their
curated career support is built to specifically address the strategies and tools Black women need to focus on their career ambitions, tackle any challenge, and enact continued growth.
Wellfound (Formerly AngelList)
For the Technologically-inclined and the Technology Aspirational Professionals
Wellfound (aka AngelList) allows you to find thousands of startup jobs near you. Aside from being a great job board for anyone who wants to get into a technology or startup company, it’s also a great way to keep your finger on the pulse. Check out new and emerging technology companies and innovative startups—and work with them to build something exciting.
Wellfound has already matched over 4 million job seekers with exciting opportunities—and they boast over seven thousand fully remote teams, making it the largest job marketplace for remote talent.
Mogul Millennial
For the Current + Future Black Leaders and Entrepreneurs to Connect
We love partnering with
Mogul Millennial, a resource created to boss up Black Millennial leaders and entrepreneurs.
While
Mogul Millennial isn’t technically a job board, we wanted to include it on this list as an amazing resource for Black Millennials to connect, network, and reach success together. Mogul Millennial has a
funding tool to help Black founders and entrepreneurs find grants, accelerators, and more.
Otta
The Better Way to Find a Job in Tech
Otta is a job board after our own hearts. Why? As a job seeker, the first thing
Otta wants to know isn't your salary range or work history. It asks you to share the three most important things to you in a job role.
From there, it takes about three minutes for a job seeker to tell Otta what industry they want to work in, their minimum salary expectation, the size of a company they'd like to work for, and easy questions that help filter out jobs that won't work.
If you're looking for a job board that's unlike the others, try
Otta!
The Career Contessa Job Board
For Jobs Working With Career Women Like You
Every Wednesday, we send rad jobs straight to your inbox. The jobs are organized by full-time, part-time, and remote options so no matter what you're looking for, you'll have access to a wide variety.
Sign-up for our dedicated weekly jobs email or check out the full list of openings
right here.
The Mom Project
For Career Moms (We See You + We Appreciate Your Work)
The Mom Project is a digital talent marketplace that connects professional women with world-class companies.
The Mom Project is dedicated to building and maintaining a more inclusive and diverse workforce so that no woman feels the struggle of choosing between her career and her family.
To that end,
The Mom Project proudly works with employers who have shown a dedication to designing and supporting a better workplace—for
every body.
Notable mention also includes
Mother Untitled, a free job board with lots of part-time and remote roles for moms taking a "power pause" in their careers.
ilovecreatives
For Creative Career Opportunities, Hustling, + Freelancing
ilovecreatives is an incredible resource for professionals across various specialized industries, thus living up to its title: "Digital Classifieds for Creatives." You'll find all sorts of great stuff on the site, including job listings from companies looking for innovative people just like you.
It's especially useful for graphic designers, multimedia professionals, web-savvy writers, and digital marketers, but honestly? You never know what you might find. And don't forget to subscribe to their newsletter—then those job postings just drop into your inbox on the regular. Easy.
Notable mention also includes
Freelancing Females, a community and freelancer job board. Mostly creative freelancing projects!
For Frustrated Freelancers and Creatives
OK, it's a little more mainstream, but it merits a mention. Starving artists, check out
MediaBistro. This creative job board’s listings range from full-time to freelance, from writing, editing, and design to business development. Besides connecting freelancers with jobs, its career advice section tells you how to land them.
Especially if you’re trying to break into the big magazines, the “
How to Pitch” series is a serious lifesaver (they even have “How to Pitch Mediabistro”). You’ll have to pay the premium fee for some of the pitching guides, but if you’ve ever poured a full day into a piece that never got picked up, it’s priceless.
Built In
For Your Technology Professional in a Major Metropolitan Area
Built In is your go-to tech source for the latest and greatest technology and technology jobs in the largest technology hubs across the U.S.
Built In hosts jobs in some of the most exciting emerging technologies, like EdTech, IoT (Internet of Things), Artificial Intelligence, and Cloud Computing. Browse jobs in metropolitan areas like Austin, Seattle, and Colorado. Curious as to whether your city is a Built In Hub? Check out the
top tech cities featured on Built In.
Other Job Boards You Might Like
We have lots of content on job boards, job sites, and job search engines. Here is some of our favorite advice on the best job search sites out there.