For the foreseeable future, anyone who wants to earn a living needs a job. And to find a job, you need an employer. Job boards connect the two, so their importance is fairly evident.

So many naysayers claim that job boards are becoming a thing of the past. But the truth is, it really depends on who you ask. The recruiting company, ere.net, says the question isn’t whether job boards are relevant, but whether what a job board offers is relevant to its users. The need is certainly there, and the best job boards know how to fill it.

A Convenient Platform is Key

Technology advances follow and predict the needs of consumers, which is why job boards exist in the first place. At one time, a website where job seekers and employers could connect made life so much simpler than operating through newspaper classified ads. But now, a website is the bare minimum.

Convenience is critical to whether a job board grows or barely sees any traffic at all. The big players offer mobile access to job seekers and employers, which lets them apply for jobs and post ads anywhere. But a mobile app really steps thing up. If your job board doesn’t offer mobile, you’re primed to lose customers.

Job Seekers Connect with More Employers

Both broad- and narrow-scope job boards can be successful. You don’t have to choose one or the other to stay relevant. From a job seeker’s point of view, it’s all about options. The more jobs available the better. The Worcester Telegram and Gazette suggests that niche job boards might not have as much appeal to general job seekers as broad-scope sites, so the biggest names in the industry don’t limit themselves.

However, from the prospective employee’s point of view, a niche board might prove more fruitful for the effort, especially when he or she’s looking for work in a specific field. Thousands of jobs aren’t of much use if only a handful are a good fit. Options are important, but it’s also about the right options. With a niche board, job seekers can connect with more of the right employers.

Employers Have More Information Going In

It’s difficult to say which side of the employment coin benefits more from job boards. The appeal for people looking for work is clear, but employers have their own reasons for turning there to find prospective employees.

The better job boards offer lots of resources for employers. It’s sort of a one-stop shopping experience, and posting jobs is only part of it. With a database packed full of resumes that have been uploaded by job seekers, employers can dig right in to find those who are the best fit. They can even offer work to people who haven’t applied, based on the skills and qualifications found in resumes. The Telegram also explains that job boards with active communities give employers a better idea of who a potential hire is connected with, which helps with front-end screening.

Relevance is relative. You can have an active, profitable job board, whether it’s all things to all people or the perfect thing for a niche industry.

Offering a convenient platform helps users find you, and keeps them coming back. If you haven’t stepped over into mobile, you really should. Beyond that, it’s a matter of knowing your customers, or the customers you want to attract. Offer what matters most to them, whether it’s high volume or narrow-scope options, and you will remain relevant.