Reasons Traditional Job Boards Are Ineffective

Executives: If you rely on job boards to land your next role, you may undermine your search. I know... it feels productive: tailoring résumés and hitting the "apply" button. But for most executive-level roles, this approach doesn’t move the needle. Here’s why: 1. You’re invisible in a sea of applicants. Executive roles attract hundreds, sometimes thousands, of candidates. Your experience may be impressive, but if it doesn’t match the algorithm, it won’t make the cut. 2. Your broad, cross-functional background may be penalized. Executives often have rich, varied experiences. Ironically, that complexity doesn’t always score well in automated systems designed for narrower roles. 3. Many jobs are already filled before they’re posted. Job descriptions are frequently written after a preferred candidate has been identified. The listing is often a formality to meet compliance requirements. 4. Applying online creates a false sense of momentum. It feels like progress, but leadership roles are secured through conversations, not clicks. 5. Job descriptions don’t reflect what hiring managers truly want. Many job listings are “wish lists” that don’t reveal the actual challenges of the role. You need to speak with someone inside the organization to learn the real story. 6. Lack of salary transparency wastes valuable time. Without a clear compensation range, you could spend weeks pursuing a role that doesn’t meet your expectations. So what should you do instead? Executives who land faster—and better—roles aren’t applying more. They’re positioning better. • Consulting as a bridge: Stepping into fractional or project-based work helps companies see your value before a permanent role is available. • Thought leadership: Publishing, speaking, or participating in industry conversations raises your visibility and authority. • Referral networks: Most executive roles are shared through trusted introductions long before a listing is written. I break all of this down in my latest Forbes Coaches Council article: 6 Ways Job Boards Are Slowing Your Executive Job Search (And What You Should Do Instead). 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gPdFJur2 If you’re serious about shifting from passive to strategic, now is the time to rethink your approach. The right executive role won’t come from applying, it will come from aligning, positioning, and being seen before the search begins. If you need help with your strategy, please reach out to connect with me. #QualfiedIsntEnough #CareerVelocity #jobs

CareerBuilder + Monster, once titans of the job board world, have filed for bankruptcy and are being dismantled, with the core being sold to JobGet. Remember the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Monster’s Super Bowl ads (yes, three commercials in 1999!) were staples of the Big Game? Those plays helped define a generation of job-search marketing. CareerBuilder and HotJobs soon followed with their own high-profile ads. But today, even a merged mega‑brand couldn't keep up with the likes of ZipRecruiter, Indeed, LinkedIn, and the gig‑first JobGet. What does this mean for the job‑listing space? Are we heading toward a consolidation era dominated by a few ultra‑large, tech‑savvy platforms, or is there room for niche, AI‑powered job startups to thrive? The collapse of CareerBuilder and Monster after their 2024 merger shows that legacy reach and ad spend alone aren't enough. For HR leaders: it’s not about billboard budgets anymore, it's about secure, verified listings, AI‑powered candidate matching, and seamless UX. The current state of job search has hit rock bottom with this news. Job boards are full of scams, fake jobs, AI-filtering gatekeepers, and a maze of muck. It requires job seekers to spend hours doing research, visiting the career pages of company websites, networking, and now every few months, there are large layoffs happening simultaneously, while the same companies list the same or similar roles they are hiring for. It's a mess. And it's ripe for disruption.

The fundamental challenge with contemporary job searching isn't the quality of available positions - it's the strategic approach most professionals use to access those opportunities. Online application systems have created a paradox: while they've democratized access to job postings, they've also intensified competition to unsustainable levels and introduced algorithmic filtering that eliminates qualified candidates. More effective approaches focus on relationship building rather than application volume: Direct engagement with hiring managers and department heads before positions are formally posted often yields better results than competing with hundreds of applicants after public posting. Employee referral programs consistently produce higher callback rates because they bypass initial screening filters and carry implicit endorsements. Company-focused rather than role-focused research enables professionals to understand organizational needs and position themselves as solutions rather than applicants. Strategic LinkedIn optimization helps passive candidates get discovered by recruiters actively searching for specific skill sets. The professionals experiencing the shortest job search cycles understand that the best opportunities are often filled through relationships rather than applications. What alternative job search strategies have you found most effective beyond traditional online applications? Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3zdtk #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #jobsearchstrategy #networking #careerstrategist

316 applications. Zero interviews. Great resume. Clear skills. Actual experience. a PERFECT fit. Still: silence. Sound familiar? Why is this happening? Because hiring is broken and job boards are a scam. Job boards sell data, not results. They flood companies with spam. They bury signal under noise. And they train job seekers to believe “apply more” is the strategy. It's not. Job boards USE YOU for data and sell your contact info to the highest bidders. I've seen this first hand. You are more than a piece of paper, you are a person. Having your resume discarded like its trash is simply inhumane. I say this as someone who's worked in the recruiting industry for 4+ years: The hiring market isn’t just broken — it’s actively rigged to waste your time. I’m done pretending job boards work. Something needs to change, now.