Cost to Advertise with the JobCentre Plus - It Isn't Free!

<div class="grey-callout"><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>
<p><li>Advertising jobs on Jobcentre Plus is technically free but comes with hidden costs, such as managing unsuitable applicants.</li>
<li>The Jobcentre mostly attracts blue-collar workers and benefit seekers, leading to irrelevant applications and wasted time.</li>
<li>Only 18% of job seekers use Jobcentre, limiting your reach compared to paid platforms.</li>
<li>Relying solely on the Jobcentre can lead to poor hiring decisions with long-term consequences.</li>
<li>Diversifying recruitment efforts across multiple job boards is recommended for better results.</li></ul></p></div>

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Advertising with the Job Centre Plus Isn't 'Free'

One of the most common questions asked is: "Is it free to advertise a job on Jobcentre Plus?". Yes, it's 'free' to advertise on the job centre, which can be an appealing option for small companies, those with high staff turnover or those with limited recruitment budgets.

However, relying solely on the Jobcentre can come with hidden costs, and not all employers realise that free job advertising doesn't always mean being effective.

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<span class="purple-callout">That is why many companies use our service to fill their jobs for £199. We write your job advert, advertise your job it on the major job sites, and hand-filter the CVs for you. Find out how we can help fill your jobs.</span>

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In comparison here are some of the hidden costs of using the job centre to advertise a job:

• Benefit seekers, not job seekers: Job seekers must provide evidence they have spent 35 hours looking for work to receive benefits. This has damaging consequences, as some 'job seekers' apply for jobs solely intending to claim benefits. It wastes a lot of an employer's time chasing applicants, arranging interviews they don't have the courtesy to attend, or 'filling' jobs, but they don't start or know they perform poorly and just return to claiming benefits with the Job Centre.
• Lots of unsuitable applicants: Compared to other Applicant Attraction Channels we've used, you get a lot of unsuitable applicants from the Job Centre (probably due to the Dunning Kruger effect). Consequently employers waste more time and effort to sift through irrelevant candidates.
• Mainly blue-collar jobs: The Job Centre is not relevant for many white-collar and industry-specific jobs, purely because they don't typically attract that type of job seeker.
• Not used by many job seekers: Only job seekers claiming benefits use the Job Centre. But only 18% of job seekers use the Job Centre, so you're missing out on 82% of unemployed job seekers (source, Financial Times).
• Limited pool of applicants: If you're limiting yourself to one platform, you risk missing out on the best candidates who may be searching elsewhere. Instead, you should be using our service to advertise jobs on all the major job sites for just £199.
• Never rely on a single source for recruitment: As my recruitment book reiterates, some employers make a big mistake by not diversifying their approach to cast a wide net and attract the best talent available.
• Long-term impact of poor recruitment: Poor hiring decisions have far-reaching consequences for business, and hiring the wrong person can be worse than failing to recruit at all! Beyond the obvious issues of an impact on team morale and productivity, constantly having to replace poor performers is expensive when you consider recruitment, onboarding, training, etc.

Fundamentally, free recruitment is not good, and good recruitment is not free.

Remember, recruitment is an investment. While it may free job advertising with just the Job Centre may seem a good idea, the long-term impact of a poor hire can be far more expensive.

Balance your efforts by posting a job across different job sites, and use our service to achieve that whilst saving yourself time and money.

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FAQs About the Cost of Advertising with the JobCentre

Is it free to advertise on Jobcentre Plus?

Yes, advertising a job vacancy on Jobcentre Plus is free. Employers can post job ads without any cost, making it an appealing option for small businesses or companies with limited recruitment budgets. However, while there is no upfront financial cost, there are hidden costs in terms of time and effort needed to manage the applications.

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What hidden costs should I consider when using Jobcentre Plus?

Although posting jobs on Jobcentre Plus is free, you may face hidden costs in the form of time spent reviewing a high volume of applications, many of which may not be suitable for the role. The broad audience can sometimes lead to receiving a lot of irrelevant applications, which requires time and effort to filter through.

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How does Jobcentre Plus compare to paid job boards?

Jobcentre Plus offers a small reach at no cost, but paid job boards like TotalJobs or Reed often provide more targeted audiences, which can lead to higher-quality applicants. Paid platforms usually offer better filtering tools, making it easier to find candidates that meet your specific requirements.

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Can I get quality candidates from Jobcentre Plus for free?

You might be able to recruit blue-collar workers. However, for specialised roles, you might need to supplement Jobcentre Plus with more targeted paid job boards to ensure you reach the right candidates.

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Why should I not rely solely on Jobcentre Plus for recruitment?

Relying solely on Jobcentre Plus may limit your access to high-quality or specialised candidates. Jobseekers today use a variety of platforms to search for opportunities, so diversifying your recruitment strategy by using multiple job boards will increase your chances of finding the right fit for your role.

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Additional Resources

• Recruiting Book; The Secrets of Great Recruitment: How to Recruit Great Employees.
• Downloadable PDF Guide; The Reality of JobCentre Advertising: More Hassle than it's Worth?
• Article; JobCentrePlus for Employers: A Strategic Guide.
• Article; An Overview of JobCentre Advertising For employers.
• Article; Advantages & Disadvantages of Using JobCentre Plus For Recruiting Staff.