It wasn’t long ago that the 1st thing you would do when you were searching for a job was log into Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Craigslist, or few other kinds of job search websites and look for jobs that were right for you. For years, this was the most effective, most usual way that people would find jobs – utilizing job search websites that were made for posting careers.

But times are changing. Job search websites are no longer the mere way to try to find work. As time’s gone on, there are now other alternatives that are mostly better than job search sites, and should be the first places you go to search for a new role.

What is Replacing Job Search Websites?

Ask any hiring manager where they discovered their great workers, and it is unlikely they will say that they found them on these job search sites. Rather, they are likely to say the following:

1. LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become the premier area for finding work, and most recruiters utilize it as their first option for accepting applications. Most jobs are listed on LinkedIn, and several active recruiters are on there as well.

2. Company Website

Most businesses need to find individuals that genuinely need them as an employer. That means that they occasionally advertise jobs merely on their website, so that they can find people that were already interested in their company.

3. Networking

It is claimed that 80 percent of jobs are never listed online. That number might be a bit high, but there is no denying that most individuals get jobs through means other than applying – from suggestions, meeting people and networking at events, and so much more. The great way to get work is always going to be about your connections with other people.

These are the methods that more and more companies are utilizing almost exclusively to find workers. Why? Because jobs on job search websites mostly attract hundreds to thousands of unqualified candidates, and give no additional details about the applicant. The instances above either avoid that issue, or provide more information (such as applying to jobs on LinkedIn, where your profile gives more info than a resume alone).

Should You Avoid the Job Search Sites?

That said, as long as agencies still use job search sites, there is still reason to search them. If a job is advertised there that you need, then the best way to get it is to apply, regardless of where you found it. But the point of this is to understand that if you are restricting yourself to job search sites, then you are limiting yourself to maybe 5 percent of all jobs. There are other places that people are advertising work, and it is in your best interests to utilize them.