ZipRecruiter is a SaaS company dedicated to simplifying the job searching and hiring process to help companies quickly fill empty job slots with qualified candidates.

ZipRecruiter takes the hassle out of filling open positions since businesses only have to create a single job posting to broadcast it to over 100 different job search sites. This ZipRecruiter review will cover everything you need to know about this popular service. 

Overview

ZipRecruiter is an online job marketplace for employers and job seekers. The platform is powered by an AI smart matching algorithm that seeks to pair up employers with quality candidates.

The overall goal of the platform is to cut down the amount of time it takes for a hiring manager to find and recruit new employees.

The platform is dual-purpose in that it’s also used as a job search tool for those seeking a new job. But this review will focus on the staffing functionality available for business owners and founders. 

ZipRecruiter can help you tap into a larger network of qualified candidates without having to do additional work.

Pros & cons

Like all other recruiting and job search platforms, ZipRecruiter has its own pros and cons you’ll want to be aware of:

Pros

• The platform has built-in applicant ratings 
• Automatically post jobs across over 100 different job sites with one click
• Easy applicant organization and filtering
• Search through the massive resume database to find qualified leads
• The platform is very easy to navigate and has a great user experience
• The customer support team is helpful with requests

Cons

• Low-quality leads can get through the platform or applicants with unfinished applications
• Doesn’t post to larger job boards like Monster, CareerBuilder, or Indeed
• If you have multiple job postings, all of the applications will come into the same dashboard, so you’ll need to sort by the job listing
• The costs for advertising and additional job platforms can be prohibitive to some small businesses

ZipRecruiter features

ZipRecruiter has a wide range of features dedicated to helping you find the best candidates and streamline the hiring process, from application tracking, job posting optimization, resume searching, and more.

Instant posting to over 100 job boards

Once you post a job on ZipRecruiter it’ll automatically be posted on over 100 different job boards. This includes job boards like:

• Job.com
• Glassdoor
• Medjobbers.com
• Resume.com
• eBay Classifieds
• CareerBliss
• Jobr
• And many more

Some of these will be more niche job boards, so they won’t get a ton of traffic on their own. But, added up all of these platforms can lead to a ton of eyeballs on your job postings. The more people who see your posting, the greater the chances of finding the perfect hire.

The tool doesn’t post to large job boards like CareerBuilder, Indeed, or Monster. There’s also an additional fee to post your job on LinkedIn. 

Another useful job feature is the ability to automatically post your job to your business social media profiles. 

Application tracking

Once you start to receive applications you’ll be able to receive notifications about people who’ve applied. You can opt-in to receive email notifications for new applicants. Keep in mind that you may want to disable email notifications if you’re expecting to receive hundreds of applications for your listing. 

There’s also a detailed application tracking dashboard to monitor the results of your job posting. 

This will help you accomplish tasks like:

• Rating and sorting your candidates
• Tracking the time from application to hire
• Sending automated emails for scheduling follow-ups and interviews

The built-in tracking functionality is very in-depth, so you won’t need to invest in an additional applicant tracking software. Beyond the features above you can also:

• Create custom labels based on job skills to sort applicants
• Add notes to each applicant based on interviews
• View applicants you’ve reviewed, rejected, interviewed, extended offers to, and hired

The dashboard is very user-friendly and can help you sort through hundreds of applications from different job boards all over the web. 

Automated emails

ZipRecruiter is equipped with auto-replies you can use when an applicant reaches a certain stage of the hiring process. Or, you can choose to customize your responses for a more personal touch.

Responding to all your applicants can be a great way to grow your reputation as a company. Even if you reject the applicant it can be helpful to respond and preserve a future relationship.

Job posting optimization

Once you’ve successfully filled out your job posting, ZipRecruiter provides you with additional options to get more traffic to your job opportunities and optimize your listings to get higher quality applicants. 

Here are some of the options in detail:

1. Optimizing your job posting

Once you’ve completed your job posting you’ll have the opportunity to optimize your posting.

This includes options like:

• Posting your job to LinkedIn jobs for an additional fee.
• Use the TrafficBoost service to keep your job at the top of the job boards and be included in daily email alerts. 

The cost for TrafficBoost depends on the area where you’ll be promoting the job listing. For example, more competitive areas such as New York or San Francisco will have a higher fee, than a less impacted area like Omaha. 

2. Adding screening questions

Most job sites only allow you to select screening questions from a pre-made list. However, ZipRecruiter lets you create screening questions that are custom and relevant to the job. This is on top of standard required fields like resume and cover letter.

If you’re hiring for a candidate that has a very specific skillset, then you can make certain questions required. This helps to filter out applicants who don’t have the skills you’re looking for and will save you time in the long-run. 

Job posting data

ZipRecruiter provides you with a wealth of posting performance data. This allows you to see how your job postings are performing and the quality of leads you’re getting.

This data can help you decide whether or not it’s worth it to opt for additional promotion. For example, if you find a job posting is underperforming you could change the job description to target more relevant keywords, add additional job benefits like healthcare, or even pay to post the job on LinkedIn to reach even more applicants.

The data you’ll receive is ongoing as well, so if you do choose to promote you can see if it leads to an improvement in the total views vs the number of new applicants. 

Resume search tool

Also included is a resume database that has over 12 million resumes. This allows you to conduct unlimited resume searches and uncover potential job candidates who might not be actively applying for jobs.

Here are some ways you can filter a resume search:

• Previous job title. Sort by a specific previous job title or position held. 
• Previous company. Sort by a specific company if you’re trying to recruit from a specific company, or set of companies. 
• New resumes. Sort your results based on resumes that have been uploaded or updated recently, so you’re only searching through active candidates. 
• Location. Sort candidates by location to find job seekers who already live close to your office, or within commuting distance. 

Candidates with their resumes uploaded are more passive job searchers. But, they could be open to applying to your position if you reach out to them about the job.

Searching for candidates is entirely free, but you’ll need to pay to access candidate contact information.  

Mobile app

The ZipRecruiter mobile app is available for Android and iOS and can be used by both job seekers and employers. The mobile app makes it easier for people to apply for jobs, which means more applications for your job openings. 

As an employer, you can use the mobile app to view, rate, and even get in touch with those who just applied. It also provides the platform the candidate applied from, so you can see whether more people are applying from the web, social media, or via mobile devices. 

ZipRecruiter pricing 

ZipRecruiter is completely free for job seekers. 

The plans for business owners start as low as $249 per month and the price will be customized based on the following:

• The number of job listings you’re posting
• Your industry, location, and number of employees
• The number of resumes you want to browse
• The number of users that need to have access to the account

Each plan starts with a 4-day free trial, so you can test out the service, without entering your credit card information.

There are three different plans you can choose from:

Standard

• Distribution of posting to 100+ job sites

Premium

• Distribution of posting to 100+ job sites
• Premium placement in job alert emails
• Access to 25+ million resume database

Enterprise

• Job ads that reach 30 million people per month
• Pay per performance pricing or custom plan
• Dedicated team to manage job posting spending 
• Use of AI to reach top-tier candidates

ZipRecruiter customer service

ZipRecruiter provides support via a dedicated customer care team through email, live chat, and phone. However, the support team isn’t available 24/7, you’ll typically only be able to communicate with support during standard business hours. The staff is knowledgeable, but the wait times for a response can be kind of high. 

However, there’s also a detailed knowledgebase available that’s filled with helpful articles that can walk you through most issues.

Our verdict

ZipRecruiter is an excellent platform for sourcing quality job candidates, sending out job postings, tracking the hiring process, and streamlining your hiring needs. 

It’s very easy to use, even when you have hundreds of people applying for a role at once. Those who want to reach even more applicants can take advantage of the premium add-on features. 

All of the plans offered by ZipRecruiter are fully customized to your unique business needs, so you can fill the hiring gap in as little time as possible.