Job boards can be lucrative sources of income if properly setup and promoted. There are several strategies to monetize a job board, but here are the five most common ways job boards can make you money.
- Job postings: Many job boards charge employers a fee to post job openings on their platform. The fee can be a one-time charge or a subscription-based model where the employer pays a certain amount per month or year to access the job board's services.
For example, on Niceboard you can charge employers a fee to post job openings on your job board. You can set different pricing plans, and decide to charge a one-time fee or a recurring subscription fee to let employers post a certain amount of jobs. - Resume database access: Some job boards offer employers the option to search their database of resumes and contact potential candidates directly. This service typically comes with a fee, as the employer is using the job board's resources to find candidates.
For example, LinkedIn allows employers to search their database of resumes and contact potential candidates directly. This service is offered as a paid subscription and includes additional features such as the ability to see who has viewed the employer's job postings.
The key to success for both strategies is start attracting employers to your board. - Recruiter services: Some job boards offer additional services for recruiters, such as resume review, candidate sourcing, and interview scheduling. These services can be offered for a fee to recruiters who use the job board to find candidates.
For example, ZipRecruiter offers additional services for recruiters, such as resume review, candidate sourcing, and interview scheduling. These services are offered for a fee to recruiters who use the job board to find candidates. - Advertising: Job boards may also make money through advertising. Companies may pay to have their ads displayed on the job board's website, or the job board may sell sponsored job postings that are given priority placement over regular job postings.
For example, Niceboard lets you set a separate pricing plan for featured job postings, which are given priority placement over regular job postings. To display ads on your board, make use of our Adsense integration or use custom ads to display your own banners. - Affiliate marketing: Job boards may earn a commission from referring job seekers to other websites or services. For example, a job board may have a referral program where they receive a commission for every job seeker who signs up for a resume writing service through their platform.
For example, Indeed allows companies to purchase sponsored job postings, which are given priority placement over regular job postings. Companies may also pay to have their ads displayed on the job board's website.
We built Niceboard with a laser-focus on monetization; it’s engineered for profitability–with $1.5M paid out revenue to our customers. Curious to see how much you could earn with a niche job board? Check out this simple calculator!
Overall, job boards provide a valuable service to both job seekers and employers by connecting them and facilitating the job search process. By offering a variety of services and options for both job seekers and employers, job boards are able to generate revenue and continue to operate and improve their platform.
FAQ about job board monetization
What is the best monetization strategy for job boards?
This blogpost lists 5 possible ways to monetize a job board. Which one is the best, depends on your niche, platform, and budget but selling job postings is by far the most popular strategy. If your niche is currently in a employer-dominant market, it might be a good idea to monetize job seekers by charging access to job listings instead.
Is a job board a marketplace?
Yes, a job board is in fact a two-sided marketplace where job seekers and employers connect. This also means that you have two audiences to cater to: job seekers and employers.
How much does it cost to start a job board?
If you want to launch a job board site, the main costs are your software/hosting solution—which can be between $100 to $500/month, and marketing—which depends on the existing audience and connections you have.
No matter your budget, we recommend going with a specific job board software instead of starting from scratch.