There are many places to post a job listing these days, but one of the most-commonly searched sites overall is Craigslist. But can this website that’s used for everything from selling furniture to offering apartment sublets be a successful method for hiring? Depending on the job, it just may be! Learn how to harness the reach of Craigslist to get your position filled quickly.
And remember: The right ATS can make tasks like this a piece of cake. Our free guide walks through what features to look for in an ATS.
Steps to Posting a Job to Craigslist
Before you post a job on the site, you need to set up a Craigslist account. Setting up an account gives you a way to pay for U.S. job ads and lets you revise or update posts. Accounts are free and can be created with your email address and a password.
Once your account is approved, you’re eligible for a paid account. This also must be approved by Craigslist, which can take up to a week. The good thing, however, is that it provides a way to store your payment information to make buying listings easier.
Once you have an account, follow these simple steps to list your job:
- Choose the location of the job you want to share.
- On the location page, click the “post to classifieds” link.
- Choose “Job offered” from the available selections.
- Pick a category that matches the job description.
- Fill out the fields for the position, including the job title, location, and job description, along with any relevant requirements, benefits, or details that will make the job interesting to applicants. You can also use our job description tips or consider one of our many templates to make your listing more attractive.
- If you use recruiting software to track applicants, you’ll use the software’s directions for filling in the contact email. Otherwise, you can use your real email address. If you are worried about spam, you can choose to use the Craigslist mail relay system, which will route messages through a third-party system to protect your real contact details.
- Now it’s time to review your job posting. If everything looks good, you can pay for the job posting and click the final submit button to publish.
Wait up to an hour for your job post to show up in the listings. Be sure to frequently check the email address that you used in the listing for any job applicant communications. You can also work with your applicant tracking system (ATS) to reply to and follow up with relevant applications.
Additional Job Posting Tips
Getting the best applicants is the goal of any job posting. To make your Craigslist listing stand out, consider these tips:
- List the minimum requirements you expect of applicants.
- Include an additional simple ask in the description, such as answering a specific question in their email. This helps demonstrate that they can follow directions.
- Craigslist may generate a lot of low-quality applicants, but this is typical. Don’t feel you need to reply to every job applicant in a personal communication. Use your ATS to help you get through the emails and respond appropriately.
- For those candidates you choose to move forward with, use skills-tests or group interviews to narrow the candidate pool further.
If you find that you are getting too many low-quality applicants, it may be that your job is not well-suited for Craigslist. You should then consider another platform, like Facebook or LinkedIn, or job boards.
Lastly. A New Way of Recruiting – LinkedIn Party
Another great way to let others know you’re hiring is by hosting a LinkedIn Party. The concept is simple: Invite employees to a gathering of some sort. It can be as simple or elaborate as your timing, resources, and budget allow. But at a minimum, consider offering drinks and snacks.
During the gathering, each attendee signs onto LinkedIn and contacts friends, acquaintances, and former coworkers that may be relevant candidates for your open positions.
This party helps spur a concentrated effort of sourcing — and it provides a fun environment for employees to spend time together. Pro tip: Consider offering a prize to the employee that reaches out to the most people during the party.
FAQs
Do you have additional concerns about posting on Craigslist? Be sure to check out these commonly asked questions:
What is the Difference Between Paid and Free Craigslist Job Posts?
Currently, most all cities and states within the U.S. charge a fee to post a job listing. It’s not generally possible to post a free job listing unless you are posting a job to select locations outside of the United States. If you want to advertise a job on the site, expect to pay.
Can You Post Jobs for Free on Craigslist?
There is no way to post a job within the continental U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska, for free on Craigslist. Some places outside of the country still offer free listings. To see if your desired location is one that offers free options, you’ll need to set up an account and start creating a job listing. You’ll be prompted with a cost before placing your ad.
How Does the Craigslist Job Posting Fee Work?
The cost for a job posting ranges, depending on the area you are targeting. This fee ranges from $10 to $75. This is a flat fee that covers your listing, regardless of how it performs. You do not pay extra for high-performing ads, for example.
Does Craigslist Charge for Job Postings Include Tax?
The listing fees cover everything, and additional tax isn’t assessed for most locations. If there is a tax added, it will be by location. Also, you’ll know about the tax before paying for your listing.
What Does the Cost to Post on Craigslist Include?
The $10 to $75 fee covers the cost to post to the site, but nothing additional. You’ll have to manage replies to the job and keep track of the data and metrics you track from it.
What Cities Does Craigslist Charge for Job Postings?
All U.S. cities have a fee, but it ranges by location. Expect to pay near the low end of the range for less competitive cities, and more for those cities where there is high demand such as San Francisco, Calif. The cost is currently $10 to $75 per listing.
How Many Craigslist Posts Can You Make?
Craigslist usually encourages posters to make no more than one listing per city every 48 hours, but there may be additional restrictions. If they see spammy-looking posts or too many similar posts in the same city at the same time, they could block or suspend posts. Make sure your posts are uniquely worded, and follow the rules to keep your posts available to job-seekers.
How Long Does a Craigslist Job Posting Last?
Your paid listing can appear for 30 days, compared to the 45-day listing period for free ads. The Craigslist terms of service don’t allow free job listings, however, so plan on your listing appearing for the 30-day limit.
How Do I Post a Job Opening on Craigslist in Other Countries?
Posting to other countries is as easy as posting domestically. Just go to the site for the country you wish to post to at www.craigslist.org/about/sites. This most likely will be free, but be sure your job is something that can be done in the country you are advertising in or is appropriate for someone who can do the work remotely.
How Do I Post a Job on Craigslist for Executive-level Roles?
Take a look at the jobs that are frequently posted on the site. You’ll probably notice that they are not generally geared toward executive-level professionals. That doesn’t mean you can’t post here, but your applicant pool could be limited. There are better options, such as posting a job on LinkedIn.
How Do You Post a Job on Craigslist if Yours Was “Ghosted”?
If you go through the process of posting a job, but you don’t see it live, it could be that your post was “ghosted.” This term means that Craigslist has flagged it for further review, and it could take some time for it to clear. In the meantime, check your post to be sure that it’s clear and honest.
Want to learn more about how to accurately track and manage your recruiting techniques? Comeet can help. Sign up for a free demo of our ATS today!
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