Is it just me, or does it seem like job postings are turning up in the most unlikely places? This is good news for job seekers. Sure, you probably stay on top of the major sites where tech jobs are likely to be posted, sites like Dice.com, Hired.com, Angel.co. You’re probably also looking at the mainstream boards like LinkedIn and Glassdoor. But have you noticed that a number of other types of businesses are now posting jobs? These include niche newsletters and content sites you can mine for hidden opportunities.
Several planets have aligned to make this trend possible. First, the universe of content creators exploded this year, and those creators have attracted niche but huge audiences. (Huge and niche are not necessarily mutually exclusive!) Within each niche audience is a segment of readers poised for a job move. Which presents a revenue opportunity for creators: Sell companies a job listing service.
On the other side of the equation, companies are struggling to find talent in a very hot job market, especially in tech. They see an opportunity to reach candidates in a new way, increasing their chances of a perfect hire. In addition, they can more easily target when advertising to a niche audience. These sites also offer a more cost-effective way to advertise.
Finally, the tech stack came into alignment at just the right time: Products like WordPress plugins or Pallet make it super-easy for content creators to add a job board to their site or Substack newsletter.
As a job seeker, it makes sense to turn over all the rocks, rather than relying on the big job boards. With niche sites, you’ll see listings more tailored to you and you may be in a smaller pool of applicants. So take some time to do an inventory of where you might find like-minded employers looking for people with your skills or attributes.
Membership Communities
Communities built around a specific theme mean companies can target there. Examples include Elpha and Tech Ladies. Both are communities for women in tech. Elpha is free to join; TechLadies’ job board requires a paid membership. The companies advertising in these communities clearly prioritize hiring women. What online communities do you belong to, and have you checked to see if they have a job board?
Newsletters
Again, when you have shown interest in the content, you presumably are aligned with the companies advertising. A good example is Lenny’s Newsletter via Substack, which focuses on product and growth. Jobs posted on his job board are similarly focused. Be on alert as you go through your inbox, and always scroll to the end of newsletters, which is where job postings tend to be.
Skill-based Sites
Whatever your area of expertise, chances are there’s a job board just for you. Which makes these skill-based boards obvious places for you to visit. Examples include Stackoverflow’s job board, which is strictly for developers, and Windows Azure Jobs, which is—you guessed it— for those with expertise in Azure.
Age-Friendly Milieus
For those over 50, job search is particularly challenging, so why not better your chances by doing targeting companies with a particular interest in hiring intergenerational teams. Check out Workforce 50, Retirement Jobs, and AARP’s Job Board (you can filter on companies that have signed the organization’s pledge to hire diverse age groups).
Finally, a couple of other examples illustrate that you never know where you might find opportunities. Cirkel just added a board where members can post their availability for full-, part-time, and contract work. Reboot Accel is geared towards work returners and besides offering upskilling classes, its weekly free newsletter includes job postings from employers open to special career-path circumstances.
What rocks may be sitting in your inbox or your digital world that can be turned over? One of the niches where you hang out may be where your next opportunity will find you.
Photo by Глеб Коровко from Pexels