Job Boards & Recruiters
Job Boards & Recruiters
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Smart Strategies for Using Job Boards and Recruiters—Without Letting Them Run the Show.
Navigating a job search can feel overwhelming, especially when you're balancing other career or life responsibilities. Whether you're just starting out, making a mid-career pivot, or looking for a leadership opportunity, understanding how to use job boards and recruiters effectively can help you work smarter—not harder.
Job Boards: Perceived Value vs. Actual Results
Job Boards: Perceived Value vs. Actual Results
It’s easy to spend hours scrolling and applying to jobs online. After all, job boards feel active, productive, and immediate. But here’s the truth: most employers hire through referrals—not online applications
Here’s what the data says:
Here’s what the data says:
The highest percentage of hires come from employee referrals, internal applicants, and professional networks.
The lowest percentage of hires typically comes from job board submissions, even though this is where job seekers spend the most time.
That doesn't mean job boards aren’t valuable—they just can’t do all the work for you. Think of job boards as one part of a well-balanced strategy, not the core of your search.
💡 Tip: For every job you apply to online, aim to have at least 1 human conversation about an opportunity you’re pursuing. Build trust with insiders—referrals are still the most effective way in.
Allocate Your Time Wisely:
Allocate Your Time Wisely:
Proactive Search (High Value): Networking, informational interviews with people in-role, reaching out to hiring managers, talking with recruiters, attending events.
Reactive Search (Lower ROI): Applying to open job listings on job boards without a warm connection.
➡️ Learn more: Job Search Strategy & Tools
Using Job Boards Strategically
Using Job Boards Strategically
Job boards can still be powerful tools—when used with intention.
Best Practices:
Best Practices:
Set up alerts. Use filters to receive curated listings by location, function, industry, experience level, and salary range.
Target niche sites. In addition to LinkedIn and Indeed, explore boards tailored to your goals (e.g., eFinancialCareers, AngelList, Built In).
Use them for research. Analyze in-demand skills and emerging titles to refine your resume, pitch, and positioning.
Customize your application. Avoid "spray and pray." Tailor your resume and cover letter for each role.
💡 Tip: Look for roles posted by actual hiring managers on LinkedIn—these often have better visibility and response rates.
By Career Stage:
By Career Stage:
Early Career: Focus on employer sites and structured programs (e.g., analyst/associate roles, leadership development programs).
Mid-Career: Use job boards to discover roles that stretch or pivot your skill set. Then network with people in those roles to learn more.
Executive-Level: Leverage job boards to gather market intelligence; however, most executive placements come via recruiters or relationships.
Exclusive Job Boards for Kelley Alumni
Exclusive Job Boards for Kelley Alumni
Kelley alumni have access to three exclusive job boards, each designed to support different career stages—from recent graduates to experienced professionals and senior leaders. Follow the instructions below to gain access.
To access KelleyLink or the Kelley Alumni Network job board, you’ll be prompted to log in through the Kelley Alumni Network to verify your alumni status.
For additional job search resources beyond these platforms:
➡️ Explore the Job Market Research page
📥 Download the Job Board Cheat Sheet.
For recent graduates and early-career professionals.
Handshake is a widely used platform across college campuses, offering early-career opportunities from a range of employers.
How to log in as a Kelley alum:
Step 1: Go to the Kelley Handshake login page.
Step 2: Do not click the blue “Student Login” button (this is only for current students).
Step 3: Instead, sign in using your personal (non-@iu.edu) email address.
You’ll be asked to confirm your alumni status by providing graduation details.
For mid-career and experienced professionals.
KelleyLink is an aggregated job board powered by 12twenty, featuring opportunities from employers actively seeking talent from top business schools. From time to time, it may also include roles employers have asked our team to manually add to the system to share with Kelley alumni.
🔐 Access: Log in through the Kelley Alumni Network to verify alumni status and receive KelleyLink login instructions.
For Kelley alumni at all stages.
This is a private, community-driven job board, where Kelley alumni post opportunities specifically for other Kelley alumni. These jobs are not aggregated from external sources—they come straight from your network.
📢 Hiring? Post an opportunity to the Kelley Network and help another alum make their next great move.
The Role of Recruiters in Your Job Search
The Role of Recruiters in Your Job Search
Recruiters can open doors you won’t find on job boards. Many have access to roles that are not publicly listed and maintain direct relationships with hiring managers.
But it’s important to understand how they work: recruiters are hired by employers to fill specific roles—not to find jobs for candidates.
Types of Recruiters:
Types of Recruiters:
Contingency Recruiters – Paid only when a candidate is placed; commonly work on mid-level roles.
Retained Search Firms – Paid in advance to fill senior or high-stakes roles; often focus on executive searches.
In-House Recruiters – Work inside a company, managing internal hiring needs.
Agency/Third-Party Recruiters – Represent multiple employers or specialize in industries, functions, or career stages.
📥 Want to see who’s who? Use our Recruiter Cheat Sheet for top firms by function and industry.
When and How to Engage a Recruiter — And What to Expect
When and How to Engage a Recruiter — And What to Expect
Many job seekers hope recruiters will fast-track their search—especially if their most recent experience was through campus recruiting. But the open market doesn’t work that way. Recruiters are not job placement services and can’t replace the need for strategic networking and clarity about your goals.
Set the Right Expectations:
Set the Right Expectations:
Recruiters support hiring companies, not candidates.
They may not have a role for you—and aren’t obligated to follow up.
They are one component of a broader search strategy, not a complete solution.
You're Ready to Engage When:
You're Ready to Engage When:
You’re clear on your goals, target roles, and industries.
You can articulate the value you bring.
You’re actively looking or open to opportunities in a specific area.
How to Start a Productive Relationship:
How to Start a Productive Relationship:
Reach out via LinkedIn or email with a short introduction and resume.
Be specific: role type, industry focus, seniority level, and timeline.
Treat it like a professional partnership, not a rescue mission.
💡 Pro Tip: If your LinkedIn profile is well-crafted, recruiters are more likely to find you. Be sure your headline, summary, and experience clearly reflect the roles you’re targeting. See our LinkedIn Strategy Guide for help.
Most Important of All:
Most Important of All:
Don’t build your strategy around recruiter outreach. Most hires still come from networking and referrals. Build relationships with people inside target companies. Conversations create opportunities—recruiters may just be one of them.
Questions to Ask Recruiters and Job Search Services
Questions to Ask Recruiters and Job Search Services
If someone says they can “get you hired,” pause and vet them carefully. You are your best advocate.
Ask:
Who are your clients? What industries do you specialize in?
Are you paid by the hiring company or the candidate?
What is your placement track record at my level or in my function?
How do you represent candidates, and what’s your process?
How frequently will we communicate?
Do you require exclusivity?
🚩 Red flags: upfront fees, vague promises, or pressure to sign quickly. A reputable recruiter focuses on fit—not fast sales.
Next Steps
Next Steps
Explore: Use one of the Kelley job boards mentioned above to see exclusive alumni listings.
Engage: Join Kelley alumni groups on LinkedIn and connect with peers in your target fields.
Plan: Schedule a 1:1 with a Kelley Career Coach to build your strategy.
Your next opportunity might come through a job board or a recruiter—but it’s most likely to come from a conversation with someone doing the work you aspire to do. Keep networking at the center of your search.
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