Expand recruiting with your state job bank

Have job openings but can’t find the candidates to fill them? Want to grow your business but need the workers to make it possible?

The current hiring climate has left many businesses and organizations scrambling for new ideas on how to find job candidates. If this describes your experience, check out a free, accessible recruiting strategy: state job banks.

All employers can post jobs free to their own state job bank; registration, validation, and posting times vary by state. Benefits of posting on your state job bank typically include access to the largest pool of workers registered with any system in your state, and automatic screening of resumes.

Get started

The first step is to find your state job bank. Most state job banks offer services to both employers and individuals seeking employment. Once you enter the “Employers” side of the job bank, you can follow the instructions to create an account.  

Once you have an account, state job bank systems will invite you to enter a job location, instructions on how candidates can apply, candidate qualifications, and specific information about your job opening.  It’s typical to require a job title, list of job duties (some systems provide suggested tasks based on job title), and a close date for the posting.

Many systems will also allow you to post internships, apprenticeship opportunities, and even volunteer gigs.

State job banks also offer employers the option to select a match feature, and have their posting reviewed against the resumes in the system from job seekers who have registered on the workforce side. Systems will review your qualification requirements and job description to identify potential candidates and then provide you with a list of resumes that match your job order.

State job banks also allow employers to actively search resumes by logging in to your employer account. Typically, you can search by different criteria, and reach out directly to a job seeker candidate’s account to inform them about your position.

Added benefit of broader exposure

In addition to appearing on your state’s job bank, your postings will show up on the National Labor Exchange (NLX), which collects and distributes job openings from more than 9,000 company websites and from all state job banks. NLx is a public-private partnership between DirectEmployers Association and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA).

• For guidance or questions on using your state’s job bank, contact your local American Job Center.
• For help defining a position accurately and completely, check out how to write a job description; the Job Description Writer allows you to compose your own job description, step-by-step.

Find more ideas from CareerOneStop on where to find candidates.