Over the years, the Internet has produced a dizzying array of job search tools. Many quickly fade away while others manage
to stand the test of time. One of the tools that is growing in popularity is the job aggregator.
A job aggregator is a website that compiles job openings from multiple sources and aggregates those job openings in a
single location. For example, using a job aggregator website, a job hunter could enter a job title and a preferred geographic
area. The job aggregator website would then search the Internet (job boards, recruiter sites, newspaper listings, various
companies, etc.) for jobs with matching titles and locations. It would then display the results of that search.
Salary Information
A nice feature of many of the job aggregator sites is the display of average salaries. When you search for a position
and click on one of the displayed position links, you are directed to the job aggregator's website. You can usually find
average salary information for the position you searched for on the job aggregator's landing page.
For the convenience of our users, we've partnered with some of the largest job aggregators so you can search for jobs
from within this website. You can access our job aggregator pages using the following links or via one of the Job Aggregators
sub-menus. See the bottom of this page for a list of additional job aggregator sites.
Search for Job Openings — Read Below, Then Start Here
Listed at the bottom of this page are links to additional general purpose and specialty job aggregator websites, plus
tips on how to use them.
More About Job Aggregators
Since job aggregation websites are often misunderstood, it is worth taking a little time to understand how they work,
and some of the advantages and disadvantages of using such tools for your job search. For example, depending upon the job
title and geographic area you enter, a large and somewhat unmanageable number of results could show up. To overcome this,
job aggregator websites typically allow users to refine their search based on a variety of criteria.
Job aggregation sites sound like a good idea and they can be. However; they are not without some challenges. Here are
some of the pros and cons.
Pros
- The ability to search multiple job listings from a single website
- A large number of relevant job openings can be displayed
- Searches can be refined to make the search results more pertinent to your needs
- You can save time when compared to visiting multiple job boards
Cons
- It takes a little experimentation to narrow your search results to a manageable number
- A large number of expired job openings may be included in the search results
- A single job may be posted in multiple locations on the Internet thereby producing a lot of duplicates in the aggregated
results
- There is a lot of variability in the job market, hence the quality of job openings in your result set can be questionable
- Some sites are free and some charge a fee … some require you to register as a member and you may be subject to ads
when using the site
Tips for Optimizing Results
- Do some research. If a site charges a fee, be sure there is a clear advantage over a site that is free.
- A job aggregator is one more tool you can use in your search, but don’t view it as your primary tool. Keep a balance
and remember that networking typically produces the best results.
- Start broad and continually refine your search until you get the desired volume and quality of results.
- Look for quality, not quantity. The number of job openings found for any particular search is not a measure of how
good one job aggregator site may be versus another. There are lots of variables, including how geographic areas are
defined, how focused their job search algorithms may be (broad vs. narrow), etc.
- Timing is important. Most aggregators continually update their job openings and the "fresher" the job opening, the
more likely you will have an opportunity to be considered. Check for new openings often.
- Be aware that you are likely to get many duplicates. Avoid sending in multiple resumes for the same job opening
... it won’t look good in the eyes of the recruiter. Try to filter out duplicates.
- Many of the jobs in the result set will contain links back to the original job board. If you haven’t already done
so, you may need to register on these job boards to access the job opening information. See the eBook for information
about posting resumes, etc. on job boards.
- Some links that take you to a job board will no longer be active. Outdated links and filled jobs will be common.
Ignore them or remove them from your search and move on.
- Be cautious about the potential for scams such as work-at-home jobs that sound too good to be true.
- Strategic alliances among aggregators, job boards and social networking sites are increasing. Be sure your Internet
presence is compatible across these blurring lines.
- Aggregators vary substantially. For example, some aggregate across a very broad range of sites, while others aggregate
job openings from employers only. See what works best for you.
- Some aggregators offer the option of having current job openings sent directly to your personal email inbox, enabling
RSS feeds, etc. Explore their tools and see which ones might work for you.
There are a growing number of job aggregators. For convenience, we’ve listed some of the larger sites here. A search
of “job aggregator” on the Internet will likely bring up several more.
General Purpose Aggregators:
Focused/Specialty Aggregators:
- LinkUp.com: An aggregator site focused on feeds
from employer websites
- IdeaList.org: A smaller aggregator that includes
internships, volunteer opportunities, etc.
For a quick look and easy access, check out our job aggregator pages via
the following links: Careerjet,
Indeed.