If you are applying for jobs on Monster.com in 2025, you might as well send your resume via carrier pigeon.
The job portal market is broken. It’s flooded with "Ghost Jobs," scams, and recruiters who don't know the difference between Java and JavaScript.
You don't have time to upload your resume to 50 different black holes. You need to know where the actual jobs are.
I’ve tested them all. I’ve applied to thousands of roles. Here is the definitive list of what works and what is a waste of bandwidth.
The Real Numbers
Let’s look at the "Spam to Offer" ratio. This is how many spam emails you get for every legitimate interview request.
| Portal | Spam Level | Quality of Roles | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | High | Necessary Evil | |
| Indeed | Extreme | Low | Avoid |
| Dice | High | Medium | Only for Legacy Tech |
| Hired/Otta | Low | High | The Gold Standard |
| Wellfound | Low | High | Best for Startups |
1. LinkedIn: The Social Network from Hell
You hate it. I hate it. But we all have to use it.
The Scenario
You log in to find a job. Instead, you see a feed of "Hustle Culture" posts. "I woke up at 3 AM and took a cold plunge!" You scroll past it to find a job posting. It has 4,000 applicants. You apply anyway. Then a recruiter DMs you: "Hi! I have a great opportunity for a Junior Help Desk role!" You are a Senior Architect.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
- 2021: You applied to jobs on the "Jobs" tab.
- 2025: The "Jobs" tab is useless. You use the search bar to find "Hiring Managers" and DM them directly. "Hey, saw you're hiring. Here is my portfolio."
2. Indeed: The Walmart of Jobs
Indeed is where jobs go to die. It’s useful for one thing only: finding out which companies are hiring, so you can go to their website and apply there.
The Scenario
You upload your resume. Within 24 hours, you get 15 emails from insurance companies wanting you to sell life insurance. You try to delete your account. You can't find the button. You accept your fate.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
- 2021: It was the biggest job board.
- 2025: It’s a data harvesting operation. Use it as a search engine, not an application portal.
3. Dice: The Dinosaur
Dice used to be the place for tech jobs. Now it’s mostly third-party recruiters trying to fill 6-month contracts for legacy banking systems.
The Scenario
You post your resume. Your phone rings immediately. It’s a recruiter. "I have a great role! It pays $25/hour. Requires 10 years of Kubernetes experience. On-site in North Dakota." You hang up.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
- 2021: Good for specialized tech roles.
- 2025: Good if you know COBOL or want to work for a government contractor.
4. Hired / Otta: The Only Good Ones
These platforms actually respect you. They curate the jobs. They show salary ranges. They block third-party recruiters.
The Scenario
You create a profile. You set your minimum salary to $150k. You don't see any jobs that pay less than that. You apply. The company actually views your application. You get an interview. It feels... civilized.
The Old Way vs. The New Way
- 2021: Hired was invite-only and elite.
- 2025: Hired and Otta are the standard for modern tech companies. If a company isn't on here, they probably have a bad engineering culture.
5 Steps to Filtering the Garbage
Stop "spraying and praying." Be a sniper.
- The "3-Site" Rule: Pick 3 sites. I recommend LinkedIn (for networking), Otta (for quality), and one niche board (like WeWorkRemotely). Ignore the rest.
- The "Date Posted" Filter: If a job is older than 7 days, it’s dead. Filter by "Past 24 Hours." Be the first applicant or don't bother.
- The "Easy Apply" Trap: Never use "Easy Apply" unless you don't care about the job. It puts you in a bucket with 5,000 other lazy people. Go to the company site.
- The "Recruiter Check": Before you apply, search for the company on LinkedIn. Look at their "People." Do they have internal recruiters? Or do they outsource everything? If they outsource, it’s a red flag.
- The "Salary" Filter: If a job doesn't list a salary, assume it pays 20% below market rate. In 2025, pay transparency is the law in many states. If they hide it, they are hiding something.
See our guide on Job Hunting Websites
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LinkedIn Premium worth the $40/month?
No. The "insights" are fake. "You are a top 10% applicant!" based on what? Keywords? It’s a placebo. The only reason to pay is if you want to send InMails to people you aren't connected with. But you can usually guess their email address ([email protected]) and email them for free.
How do I stop the recruiter spam?
You can't stop it, but you can filter it. Create a separate email address just for job hunting. Do not give your primary phone number to job boards. Get a Google Voice number. When you get a job, delete the number.
What is a "Ghost Job"?
It’s a job listing that isn't real. Companies post them to look like they are growing, or to collect resumes for "future needs." If you see a job posted for 3+ months, it’s a ghost. Report it and move on.
Should I use "Reverse Recruiting" services?
Services that apply to jobs for you? Generally, no. They use bots to spam your resume. This gets your email blacklisted by ATS systems. You are better off applying to 5 jobs carefully than 500 jobs automatically.