If you’re recruiting on a limited budget, then Craigslist has local classified listings for a low cost. The website hasn’t changed much over the decades, but it no longer has the personals that once catered to all kinds of lonely hearts and ...adventurous couples. Today’s job listings aren’t as entertaining to peruse in your free time, but they're a reasonable place to connect with potential hires. Craigslist doesn’t work for every industry, but they’re usually cheap enough to be worth a try.
The listings on Craigslist are specific to your local region. They’ve expanded over the years, now with 700 locations in 70 different countries. When you go to a specific city’s page, like Shreveport.Craigslist.com, you can find a list of nearby cities on the right. Some cities are more active than others, so it's worth checking your local listings. Check out the overall job listings, and you’ll see which industries are actively recruiting on Craigslist.
Craigslist is pretty cheap, but it’s not free. Prices vary depending on your location. As of 2023, prices range from $10 to $75 for a single job post. The upside is that high-cost cities tend to get a lot of posts and attention. Even if your local listings aren’t that popular, the lack of competition may be a reason to try, as long as it’s not too expensive for your recruiting budget. Craigslist accepts American Express, MasterCard, and Visa.
To get started, you’ll click “create a posting” near the top left corner. The next page asks “what type of posting is this” and you’ll select “job offered.” On the list of categories, you’ll notice that checking two boxes doubles your posting cost, so choose the one that fits best.
As with any job listing, you need to describe the position, compensation, and requirements. If you copy and paste an old description, then make sure everything is still up to date. A more general paragraph about your company could help. You’ll want to put a little extra effort into the title of your job listing.
In a separate browser tab, check out the other titles in your local job listings. Many will describe the position (and often pay) in just a few words. For job posts, Craigslist requires you to enter something for the following fields:
Craigslist will send a confirmation email to the address you provide. You have the option of adding more specific location information, your company name, and a phone number. Checking boxes like “telecommuting ok” and “relocation assistance available” will make the job easier to find for people with those special requirements. After you hit “continue”, you’ll have the option to approve the zip code location or drop a pin at your location.
Please don’t post your whole listing as a single block of text. Craigslist lets you use certain types of html coding in certain categories of posts. Use this cheat sheet for details and examples. Subheadings, bold text, bulleted lists, and even an occasional line of colored text can make your post look a lot more eye-catching than the competition. You can even include your logo and other embedded images in the body of your post, assuming they’re hosted somewhere else like your company website. Once you’ve learned a few html tricks, make sure you’re not overdoing it.
An email is required for posting on Craigslist, but how do you want potential applicants to contact your company? If you have an application (or contact form) on your own website, then use a hyperlink to send people there. If you want to avoid unwanted spam, Craigslist will relay emails anonymously. Craigslist gives you a few options with phone numbers, if you want to provide a contact name or extension number. If it matters, like with a landline number, tell people whether it’s okay to text or call.
Job listings have a featured image at the top, and you can upload more than one! The images are uploaded after you confirm your map location. The first image you upload will be featured at the top of your ad. A street view of your business may be helpful. You don't have to go overboard, but a couple of images can show the office interior or workspace. Do you have any pictures of workers who don't look miserable? If you’re going to request an in-person interview, then you could include a screenshot of your business location on Google Maps.
Unlike some job boards (Indeed, for example) you can’t pay to keep your one post at the top of the local listings. Since the most recent job posts appear at the top of the page, you can jump back to the top by paying to post your same ad again. Depending on how many companies are recruiting in your industry and location, you may see a decrease in Craigslist leads after your post drops down to the next page.
Would you like to learn more about the recruiting opportunities on Craigslist? Check out our whitepaper on Craigslist trends, comparing the different industries and states in their posting of jobs on Craigslist.
