Alternative Revenue Ideas for Job Boards
Diversify income with affiliate partnerships, services, and more.
Beyond job posting fees and advertising, successful job boards often develop additional revenue streams. Diversification reduces risk and increases total revenue potential.
Affiliate partnerships
Affiliate marketing earns commissions by recommending relevant products and services to your audience.
How affiliates work
- Partner with relevant companies
- Share unique tracking links
- Earn commission on referrals
- Typical commissions: 10-50%
Best affiliate categories for job boards
For job seekers:
- Resume writing services
- Career coaching
- Online courses and certifications
- Professional development tools
- LinkedIn Premium
For employers:
- HR software
- Applicant tracking systems
- Background check services
- Payroll providers
- Recruiting tools
Affiliate best practices
- Only recommend products you'd use
- Disclose affiliate relationships
- Integrate naturally into content
- Track which partnerships perform
Resume database access
If you collect candidate profiles, this data has value.
Building a resume database
- Encourage job seekers to create profiles
- Allow resume uploads
- Collect key information (skills, experience, location)
Selling database access
Pricing models:
| Access type | Typical pricing |
|---|---|
| Single resume view | $5-$25 |
| Monthly subscription | $200-$1,000 |
| Unlimited annual | $2,000-$10,000 |
Privacy considerations
- Get explicit consent for data use
- Allow candidates to opt out
- Comply with privacy regulations
- Be transparent about how data is used
Premium job seeker features
While most boards keep job seeking free, some monetize premium features.
What job seekers might pay for
- Early access: See jobs before public posting
- Enhanced alerts: More frequent notifications
- Application tracking: Status updates
- Resume review: Professional feedback
- Salary insights: Detailed compensation data