Posting a vacancy on VDAB website is a popular choice for many employers in Belgium. The platform offers various advantages, such as a wide reach and free job postings. Yet for many companies it turns out that posting vacancies on VDAB alone is not always enough to attract the right candidates. In this article we discuss the advantages of VDAB, but above all we explain why alternatives are often necessary to optimise your job posting process.
Advantages of the VDAB website
Large range of vacancies posted on VDAB
VDAB is the official platform of the Flemish government and attracts thousands of job seekers. This provides a wide range of candidates, from starters to experienced professionals.
Free job posting
One of the biggest advantages is that you can post vacancies free of charge. For companies looking to optimise their recruitment budget, this is an attractive option.
Recruitment support
VDAB offers more than just a place to publish job vacancies. The platform also supports companies with tools and advice to find the right candidates, which is especially useful for small businesses.
Despite these advantages, VDAB is not always enough to bring your vacancy to the attention of the right target group.
The limitations of posting vacancies only on VDAB
Crowded market
VDAB attracts many employers, which means your vacancy can quickly disappear among hundreds of other offers. This makes it difficult to stand out, especially if you are trying to reach a specific target group.
General target group
VDAB targets a broad audience, which can be an advantage, but it is not always effective when looking for niche candidates. In certain sectors, such as technology or healthcare, a more targeted approach may be needed to reach the right professionals. Adding to this is the fact that the target group sitting on VDAB is a small percentage of the entire working population.
Limited visibility without paying
While you can post vacancies for free, there are few ways to increase the visibility of your vacancy without paying. This means you rely on organic search results, which is often insufficient to find the right candidates quickly.
Fortunately, there are alternative platforms that can take your jobs to the next level, both free and paid.
Free alternatives to posting on VDAB vacancies
Indeed
Indeed is one of the largest job posting platforms in the world. It offers free job postings, but you can also pay to give your job more visibility. For companies that post a lot of vacancies and want to reach a wide audience, Indeed is a strong choice.
Google for Jobs
Google for Jobs is not a traditional job posting platform, but a search engine that collects jobs from various sources and displays them directly in Google's search results. By structuring vacancies properly and publishing them on your own website, you can make sure they appear in Google for Jobs - completely free of charge!
Jobat
Jobat is a local platform targeting Belgian employers and employees. It offers free job postings and attracts a wide range of job seekers. Although some positions are paid, it is a good option for free visibility on the Belgian job market.
Jellow
Jellow focuses on freelance and project workers. This platform offers a free option to find freelancers, which can be useful for temporary or project-based positions. For companies looking for flexible workers, Jellow is an interesting platform.
Paid alternatives to posting vacancies on VDAB
LinkedIn Jobs
LinkedIn is the professional networking platform and offers targeted advertising through LinkedIn Jobs. This allows you to post jobs and target them based on specific criteria, such as skills, location and experience. Although it is a paid platform, LinkedIn Jobs offers access to a wide network of professionals worldwide.
Facebook and Instagram Ads
Facebook offers a powerful tool to promote job vacancies through targeted ads. With the ability to target specific demographics, interests and locations, companies can highlight their vacancies to the right audience. Although this platform is mainly known for consumer advertising, it also offers powerful opportunities for recruitment.
However, these options do not offer a full-fledged solution for attracting and recruiting new candidates. It's fine to send your vacancy out into the world through these channels but what if no candidates turn up? Or what if candidates apply but are not the right target group?
That is why our platform exists, to make sure you do get the right candidates ánd that processing them is so much easier than via excel or email.
MediaGuru Recruitment Platform
MediaGuru goes beyond the standard solution. Using smart algorithms, you get 4-6x more CVs and candidates are automatically scored based on their suitability. This allows you to find the best candidates faster, without having to manually go through piles of CVs.
Benefits of MediaGuru:
- Automatic candidate selection and scoring: Save time and focus only on the most suitable candidates.
- Consistent inflow of good candidates: Our platform ensures that your vacancies are always seen by the right people.
- Centralisation of data: MediaGuru gives you the tools to automate, optimise and structure your recruitment thanks to a clear and user-friendly platform.
Check out our solution for SMEs and interim and recruiters.
Free Platforms versus Paid Campaigns: Which Is More Effective?
Free job posting platforms such as VDAB, Indeed, and Google for Jobs are excellent resources to cut costs. However, they are limited in their reach and speed. In contrast, paid campaigns such as LinkedIn Jobs or MediaGuru offer targeted ads and better visibility.
Benefits of Paid Campaigns:
- Targeted ads: Paid campaigns allow you to bring your vacancy directly to the attention of the right target group, which ensures more quality applications.
- Faster results: Paid platforms often offer a faster turnaround time, meaning you can attract the right candidates faster.
- More control and flexibility: With paid campaigns, you can optimise the presentation and targeting of your job posting, leading to better results.
While free platforms are a valuable resource, paid alternatives such as MediaGuru can often deliver better results thanks to more control, targeted visibility and faster response.
Conclusion
Posting a vacancy on VDAB is a good start, but to recruit really well, it is smart to also explore alternatives. Free platforms such as Indeed and Google for Jobs offer extra visibility at no cost. Other paid options like LinkedIn Jobs and MediaGuru help you quickly find the right candidates through targeted ads and smart recruitment tools.
