Best Free Resume Sites to Post Online

To post or not to post? Here is everything you need to know about where and when to post your resume online for free.

Job hunting can be a daunting task. You can now find hundreds of job postings online with the click of a button. And once you find a job you're interested in, you can apply directly online.

Employers advertise their open jobs, so should you also advertise that you are looking for a job? Many job boards and career sites give you the option to do just this by publishing your resume publicly. But, not everyone should do that or at least not on all of the sites. Here is our guide to publishing your resume online when looking for a job.

Post Your Resume Online: Why and When

Free resume sites are a great resource for job seekers who want to make their applications stand out from the competition. By creating an account and uploading your resume onto one of these sites, employers will be able to easily find and contact you.

Employers are actively looking at resumes that are published online. These employers are also actively contacting people for their open jobs. This means that not everyone can or should publish their resume.

People that can be totally open about their search should publish their resumes. Doing this means that any employer that is registered on the site will have access to your resume. Employers have to pay for access to resumes, so this does help to make sure that only legit employers are accessing your information.

But, it doesn't mean that every employer that contacts you will be right for your career or that they even really look at your resume. Employers that are constantly hiring will send out inquiries to ALL people new to the resume site to get them in their database. So, don't get frustrated if you see a bunch of spam come through after you make your resume public.

There are also some people who should never post their resumes. In the current talent market, you can presume that all employers are paying for access to the resume portion of a job board. This is definitely true when the company has a dedicated HR person or team to focus on filling open jobs. So, if your company is currently hiring for any roles and you don't want anyone to know that you are looking, then you should not publish your resume to any site.

Top Free Resume Sites to Post Online

If publishing your resume is right for your search, it is important to note that not all sites are the same. Here are the picks from our career coaches and recruiters for the top free resume sites to post online:

Indeed

Indeed is one of the biggest job boards right now. The free-to-post a job (for most) and pay-per-click model make Indeed a good place for employers of all sizes. This means that as a candidate you will find a wide variety of jobs on Indeed.

As with most job boards, candidates need to create a profile to apply for jobs through Indeed. You need to complete this profile thoroughly so that the details are sent to employers properly when you apply for jobs through Indeed. Indeed also has a free resume creator to help people apply for jobs faster. This resume creator doesn't help you decide what to put in the resume, it only guides you through the data collection. Read more about Indeed Resume here.

You can opt to publish your resume to employers (Indeed or otherwise) after creating your profile on Indeed.

LinkedIn

If you're looking for a more professional platform to post your resume, LinkedIn is a great option. LinkedIn is primarily used by businesses and employers to connect with potential employees, but it can also be used by job seekers to find employment opportunities.

Recruiters use LinkedIn every day to find candidates for their jobs, but having a profile on LinkedIn doesn't mean that you are actively applying to jobs. So, this is why almost everyone finds value in using LinkedIn (beyond all of the other great features including content, connections, and networking).

Beyond the profile, you can also publish your resume in the LinkedIn jobs section. To do this, you must have a LinkedIn profile first. Keep in mind that your profile can also be used as your resume when applying to jobs on LinkedIn when using the "Easy Apply."

This means that any time you hit "Easy Apply" the LinkedIn system will send a reformatted version of your profile to the potential employer - instead of your resume. So, a limited or outdated profile on LinkedIn will only keep you from landing an interview.

A better option is to apply to those jobs directly on the employer's job board rather than to use Easy Apply if possible. This will make sure that you show up the way that you want to for the job.

If you can't apply directly to the company and must go through LinkedIn, then make sure that you attach the right version of your resume to your LinkedIn jobs profile. To do this:

1. Go to the Jobs section in the LinkedIn navigation bar (has a little briefcase icon)

2. Select "Resume Builder" on the left side of the new window

3. Select the file you want in the pop-up

4. Click "Upload Resume"

Glassdoor

Glassdoor is another popular job search engine. Like Indeed, it's easy to use and it's free to create an account and post your resume. One of the advantages of using Glassdoor is that in addition to being able to search and apply for jobs, you can also research companies before applying.

This is because Glassdoor has company reviews from current and former employees as well as salary information—all of which can be helpful when deciding whether or not to apply for a position at a particular company.

But, you also can't read too much into these reviews on Glassdoor either as they may not always tell the full story about working at an organization. So, make sure to do your own research before taking any job. Read more about Glassdoor reviews here.

ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter is another popular job search website where you can create and post your resume for free. One of the benefits of using ZipRecruiter is that they post and distribute job postings to over 100 websites for employers.

ZipRecruiter requires employers to pay for a number of job postings each month. This means that the employers on ZipRecruiter are likely larger and frequently hiring. So, keep this in mind before you publish your resume to make sure that you are positioning yourself for the right types of employers that you want to connect with in your search. Read more about the Pros and Cons of ZipRecruiter here.

Monster

Monster is another well-known job board and resume site. Job seekers can create a free account and upload up to five resumes on the site. They can also receive job alerts and customize their Monster profiles to make themselves visible to employers searching for candidates with their skillset.

Monster isn't as popular as it used to be for candidates or employers. Many candidates left as they were tired of all the advertising and the diminishing chances to connect with employers. But, there are still some employers that post jobs on here. So, make sure to search Monster to see if there are any jobs on there for you before deciding to publish your resume on this job board.

CareerBuilder

CareerBuilder is one of the oldest online job sites—it's been around since 1995! While it may not be as popular as it once was, it can still be a great resource for job seekers.

Much like Monster, make sure to search the site before you publish your resume on it. You only want to put your resume in places where it can actually get seen by the employers that you want to see it. So, take the time to explore the site first to see if CareerBuilder is right for your job search.

USA Jobs

USA Jobs is the official job site for the US federal government. So if you're interested in working for the government, this is the site for you! Posting your resume on USA Jobs is free and easy—simply create an account and upload your resume. Once your resume is uploaded, take some time to customize your profile so that it matches the qualifications required for the positions you're interested in applying for.

USA Jobs is a great resource for finding and applying for federal government jobs. The site has only posted positions, giving you the assurance that all of the postings are legitimate and up to date. Plus, employers on USA Jobs typically have a more thorough application process than other job boards, so make sure your resume is polished before submitting it! Read more about the differences in private sector and government hiring here.

There are plenty of great options when it comes to finding a free place to post your resume online. So take some time to create an account on one (or more) of these sites and get started on your job search today!

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