The amount of resources available in the modern job search can be overwhelming. Even if you know exactly what you want, there may be dozens of questions running through your head.
How do I start?
Where do I look?
What options do I have?
The job market is dynamic, so it can feel like navigating a whole new world, especially if you are looking for a new job after holding one position or being unemployed for a long time. New resources and job-hunting methods emerge every day, and it is impossible to keep track of all of them.
In this article, we will alleviate some of the confusion by explaining why you should use niche job boards, and how they can help accelerate your job search.
What are niche job boards?
Niche job boards are portals that only list jobs with a specific focus. They can be industry-related, for example, only for Marketing or IT jobs. They can also collect vacancies from various industries with common characteristics, for example, in a specific area or sector.
Examples of niche job boards:
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Europe Language Jobs - lists jobs in Europe from various industries (Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Data Analysis, etc.), which require the knowledge of 2+ languages.
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Jobs That Make Sense - lists jobs with an impact, only in NGOs and charities.
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Just Join IT - lists jobs in the IT sector in Europe.
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Junior Jobs Only - lists only junior positions.
The difference between big job boards and niche job websites
Big job boards are usually our go-to when we start our job search. They are the most popular option and, by default, we consider them our safest bet.
However, they also have their limitations. The main difference between big job boards and niche job websites is that the former publish more general vacancies, while the latter have a narrower scope. This translates to a number of benefits of niche job boards, which we will discuss in detail now. 
Why you should use niche job boards
1. More relevant jobs
2. Less clutter
3. Higher accuracy
4. Increased security
5. Smaller competition
6. Higher response rate
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More relevant jobs
If you know exactly which industry and sector interests you, a niche job board is the best option for you. It will allow you to find only jobs that fulfil your criteria, without the necessity to look for them for hours on end.
If you use a niche job board, you will eliminate the factor of filtering for your industry. You will be able to focus on more pressing issues, such as salary, seniority level, or location.
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Less clutter
The main advantage of general job boards is also their biggest con: a high number of vacancies.
It is beneficial because it provides a wide selection and more options than a smaller, niche job board.
But it is also a disadvantage because most of these jobs will be irrelevant to you. Using a general job board, you will often have to scroll for hours in search of a title that will catch your attention.
So what if a general job board has 10,000 active job listings, if only 67 of them match your criteria? And on top of it, you had to spend 3 days intensively filtering to find them all?
On the other hand, a niche job board may only have 2000 vacancies at a time, but 1700 of them will be relevant for you. And identifying them is very straightforward.
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Higher accuracy
Even if you use keywords and filters on a general job board, you may still end up having to sort through hundreds of irrelevant postings before you find one that checks your boxes.
This can be especially annoying now, when companies race one another to invent new names for roles in order to make them sound more exciting.
It’s no longer a Customer Service Agent. It’s a Client Happiness Advocate, or Support Ninja, or Customer Joy Ambassador. Yep, those are all titles we have spotted being used on job boards in hopes of attracting attention.
So, imagine if you search for jobs with the “customer service” keyword on a general job board. You may miss out on dozens of interesting postings, just because they had formulated the role title in a funky, unconventional way.
Now, companies using niche job boards can, and probably will, still use funky, unconventional titles like Client Whisperer. But at least, if you go to a niche job board specialising in customer service jobs, you won’t miss them.
In this scenario, you can be sure that all jobs you see are in the customer service sector, and you won’t have to wonder for hours what a Help Desk Guru does. You also won’t miss your dream job just because you didn’t guess the right keyword.
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Increased security
The smaller scope of niche job boards often allows them a tighter security. The lower volume of vacancies makes it possible for every single one of them to pass through a real person who will verify them.
For example, here at Europe Language Jobs, we have a dedicated team whose job is to go over every posting before it makes it to our platform. They ensure that it is legit, states all the requirements, benefits, and other crucial details such as location before approving it. Any job that doesn’t follow our guidelines is either sent back for correction or discarded.
Our Sales Team also conducts a thorough interview with every company that wants to collaborate with us before we start a partnership. They meet with a company representative over a video call or in person if possible, do thorough research, and verify each company’s VAT number using the VIES system.
Such tight security measures help minimise the risk of job scams.
Of course, that is not to say that big job boards are risky. They have their own advanced security systems and algorithms in place, but the huge volume of jobs makes it impossible to apply careful human scrutiny to every job ad.
Additionally, big job boards sometimes offer companies the possibility to post one job as a trial run before they are required to create and verify their account. This might increase the possibility of a scammy listing slipping through.
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Smaller competition
Have you ever found a job on LinkedIn that was published 12 minutes ago, but already 100 people have clicked apply?
This is a truly paralysing sight that can effectively discourage even the most qualified candidate from applying.
It’s an inevitable downside of using resources that everyone else is using. Yes, companies are more likely to post on big job boards, but it’s a double-edged sword. It’s also where all the other job seekers hunting for the same position as you will look first.
You can get ahead of your competition by using niche job boards. Trust us when we say companies are aware of them and will definitely use them when they look for employees in specific niches.
Other job seekers; however, may not know that there are other sources they can use. There are also those who do know but just cannot be bothered to look in more than one place.
This is one of the most common job search mistakes. Never put all your eggs in one basket - the more resources you use for your job hunt, the higher your chances for success.
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Higher response rate
Since fewer people are using niche job boards, the jobs listed there will also get fewer applications. Therefore, your CV won’t be just one in a sea of digital files.
Recruiters using niche job boards have more freedom to treat applicants like actual people instead of numbers. A smaller volume of applications feels less overwhelming, and so they may be more likely to study yours in more detail than if it had come in through a big job board.
This can result in a higher response rate. It’s very upsetting to be ghosted by an employer. Sometimes, we might even prefer to be rejected, as long as it means we get a response and know that we should move on rather than hold out for an answer that won’t come.
There are several reasons why you should use niche job boards. Although the number of postings is smaller than on big, general job boards, they will be more relevant to what you’re looking for. Niche job boards can be more time-efficient, as they will save you the need to scroll through hundreds of jobs before you find one that speaks to you.
Niche job boards are often smaller than general ones, which allows them to manually check every company and listing in order to protect users from potential job scams.
Lastly, most job seekers still turn to general job boards, since they tend to be more popular. This results in lower competition on niche job boards which, in turn, causes a higher response rate and a more personal approach.
FAQs
Do niche job boards really work?
Yes, niche job boards really work. They are particularly helpful for people who know what kind of role they are looking for or have certain requirements. If you are laser-focused on a specific area or have a concrete goal in mind, you might find it easier to look for vacancies that fulfil your requirements on niche job boards.
Are niche job boards more effective?
That depends on your goals and preferences. If you are just doing research in search of the perfect job, general job boards are a great way to start. They are also a great place to do market research and see what kinds of jobs are in demand and where.
However, if there is a clear path you’d like to take, a niche job board might be more effective in helping you find a job that ticks all your boxes.
How do niche job boards compare to general job boards?
Both general and niche job boards have their pros and cons. A general job board offers a higher number of vacancies, but also higher competition. You will find a smaller number of listings on a niche job board, but they will be more relevant to your needs.
Looking for a job on a niche job board might be more time-efficient, but general job boards are a great starting point and a helpful resource for initial market research before you narrow down your scope.
