Indeed vs Monster – Which Is Better For Job Seekers?

Are you looking for a job? You could be looking to make a transition or test the waters. Or you may be looking to leave your current place of work for better opportunities.

Whatever your reason for leaving or seeking a change, your search starts with finding a reliable job board.

Job boards rank highly among the websites that generate the most traffic on the net, so, unsurprisingly, several are out there.

And with an abundance of these platforms comes the dilemma of which one to use which is not an easy choice.

But amid the plenty, a few stand out. Indeed and Monster are two of the most popular job boards for job seekers. These two services have been around for decades, connecting employers to job seekers worldwide.

So, which is better for you as a job seeker?

In this article, I compare these two job boards so that you can decide which one to use when finding your next career opportunity.

Indeed vs Monster: Introduction

What is Indeed?

Indeed is an online platform that connects employers and candidates. Job seekers can create a profile, enabling employers to find and upload their resume (CV) to apply for jobs.

Employers can post the job vacancies they are looking for and browse through the resumes of applicants that meet certain criteria.

Indeed has a solid global presence and has been connecting job seekers and employers since 2004. It has more than 250 million unique visitors monthly and is available in 28 languages in 60 countries.

Indeed has everything you need – whether you are looking for an entry-level job or an executive position.

You can find almost any job from different industries and levels. Furthermore, Indeed also has a good search function that allows you to filter your searches according to location, salary level, hours required, and the kind of company you prefer.

What is Monster?

Monster was one of the first commercial websites on the Internet and quite a success story.

The company’s history is legendary. It began in 1994 as a service that provided searchable job ads taken from newspapers, all of which resided on one server in a phone closet.

Today, there is undoubtedly more than one server, and you can use this website to find jobs in various industries. Monster boasts more than 200 million registered candidate profiles and is available in more than 40 countries.

And like Indeed, you can search for jobs based on location, job titles, industries, experience level, and more.

Aside from letting job seekers browse jobs and employees post job ads, Monster also offers employees recruiting, branding, and staffing solutions.

Indeed vs Monster: Sign Up

Indeed

You can search for jobs on Indeed without creating an account, but you’d need one to apply for the job. As far as signing up goes, the process is smooth.

With Indeed, you can sign up with your Google, Facebook, or Apple accounts. Signing up also gives you access to the Indeed Resume Builder.

To create an account:

1. Navigate to Indeed.com
2. On the homepage, click Sign In, and you’ll be redirected to another page where you can enter your details or sign in with your email, Google, Facebook, and Apple credentials.
3. After choosing a method of signing in, you’ll be asked to verify your email address.
4. Follow the instructions, and you’ll be able to sign in to your account and access your resume builder and other features.

Monster

Like Indeed, Monster doesn’t complicate the sign-up process. First-time users can create an account with their email and password. Or, you can connect with your Google, Facebook, or Apple details.

To create an account:

1. Go to Monster.com.
2. On the top right side of the page, select Sign up. Input your email and password, or sign in with your Google, Apple, or Facebook account.
3. Follow the on-screen prompt to complete the process and create your account.

Indeed vs Monster: Resume Upload

Indeed

According to Indeed, there are over 200 million resumes in its database – that’s a lot of resumes. And job seekers can use Indeed’s Resume Builder to create one.

As a job seeker, you can be confident that if you upload a resume on this platform, someone hiring will likely see it.

Indeed also reveals that its job board delivers 65% of hires and 72% of interviews for job sites. The onus is on you to create a resume that stands out.

But that shouldn’t be a problem since you can use Indeed’s resume builder to polish a resume you upload. This builder allows you to create a recruiter-friendly resume that will increase your chances of getting an interview when you appear in an employer’s search.

Monster

In 2001, Monster surpassed 10 million resumes in its database, and the company anticipated reaching 20 or 30 million resumes. Monster didn’t specify how many resumes it now has, but the platform continued to grow, expanding to more than 40 countries. As you’d expect, that means a high amount of traffic.

You can upload your resume to the Monster database, and when employers are searching, they’ll be able to see if your profile matches their requirements.

Monster doesn’t have a resume builder, but they offer a 60-day, 100% money-back guarantee on resume writing. And if it doesn’t meet your expectations, they’ll rewrite it for free.

With this, it depends on your preference and budget. Do you prefer a trained human to write your resume on Monster, or would you rather keep your money and use Indeed’s FREE resume builder?

Also Read: Best LinkedIn Summary Template Examples

Indeed vs Monster: Job Description Templates

Indeed

This is a feature for employees, but it benefits job seekers because it saves employers time. Writing a job description is time-consuming and requires specific skills.

Bigger businesses can surely hire the right professional to handle this task. However, smaller companies might not have that luxury.

So, this feature relieves them of that burden by allowing them to create job descriptions based on the available templates quickly.

As a result, more employers are not discouraged by the time factor, increasing your chances of finding a job.

Indeed Central is a feature that streamlines hiring with on-brand job descriptions. Hiring teams can create on-brand job descriptions and distribute them within seconds.

Monster

Monster offers many industries a detailed job description template to speed up the writing process.

A company can select the template based on the industry, department, role, and title they need to fill.

With Monster, all the employer has to do is add the relevant information where it is required and make a few tweaks to ensure it accurately reflects the job on offer.

Also Read: Best LinkedIn Learning – Lynda Courses

Indeed vs Monster: Search and Filters

Indeed

Before starting your job search on Indeed, you must enter the keyword, job title, or type of job. You can also input a city, area, or zip code to refine your results further.

After the results come back, you can filter them by

• Location
• Experience level
• Job type
• Company
• Residency requirement
• Salary estimate
• Date posted

Monster

The approach is the same on Monster. You must enter a keyword or job title to start the search. You can also refine your search based on distance, industry, job type, etc.

Furthermore, the salary calculator helps identify the suitable salary range based on location and experience level in the United States.

Indeed vs Monster: ATS Integration

Indeed

ATS (Application Tracking System) is a massive asset for recruiters. As a result, they automate all the mundane and repetitive tasks, such as adding resumes, tracking job closures, managing candidate submissions, and scheduling interviews.

Whether a job allows for this integration could be the difference between a hiring team choosing to settle for a product or not.

Fortunately, Indeed allows for the integration of many leading ATS platforms. Indeed’s solutions are designed to work harmoniously with HR’s ATS and resources to streamline hiring.

This should make you happy as a job seeker because more employers are inclined to use this platform.

Monster

Monster also allows for ATS integration, which automates the posting of job openings from employers’ ATS to Monster.com with a job tracking code.

Their internal ATS and job requisition number refer to this job tracking code, which allows completed candidate applications to import automatically.

In addition, Monster Easy Apply automatically uploads candidate applications to employers’ ATS.

Each job requisition integrates candidate data, resumes, cover letters, and prescreening questions. Job acquisition numbers automatically apply to imported candidate applications.

Indeed vs Monster: Job Alerts

Indeed

Creating an alert for the jobs that interest you can increase your chances of landing an interview. That way, you’ll be notified when a new job is posted on the platform that matches your requirements.

Here’s how to create a job alert on Indeed:

1. On Indeed, search for the job you want to receive notifications for.
2. On the right-hand side or at the bottom of the results page, look for the box “Be the first to see new jobs”.
3. You can see the sign-up box by clicking the X in the upper right corner of the job description panel.
4. Click Activate after entering your email address.

Your first Job Alert should arrive within 24 hours. If you have an Indeed account, you can update your Email settings to change the search terms and how often you receive Job Alerts.

Monster

Monster also lets job seekers create alerts for positions that match their requirements.

Here’s how to create a job alert on Monster:

1. On the left side of your Monster Profile, click Settings.
2. To enable Monster to send you relevant job opportunities, go to Monster Email Communications and turn it on (Green is on).
3. You can select the location(s) you are looking for under the Alerts & Preferences tab.

Complete this section by adding your information.

• Preferred Job Titles
• Preferred Job Type (i.e., full-time or part-time)
• Preferred Job Locations
• Compensation Target

Monster will combine this with your Apply History information and provide relevant job recommendations to match you to new opportunities.

Indeed vs Monster: Skill Assessment

Indeed

Employees use skill assessments to gauge the ability of job seekers. In these tests, individuals are evaluated on their capacity to perform various essential aspects of their jobs.

These tests benefit job seekers because they can stand out from competitors who may be equally qualified but lack the necessary certifications for employment in a particular field.

Indeed has a wide range of employment assessments to let employers screen candidates for their aptitude, reasoning competencies, and unique skills to fit their hiring needs.

The evaluation of candidates is based on their ready-made work assessments, using data-driven decision-making to ensure that employers make the best hiring decisions.

Also Read: Best Thank You Email Examples After Zoom Interview

Monster

Monster also offers a skill assessment solution to test candidates’ specific skills for a particular position, including cognitive and technical skills. Monster scores candidates according to how well they match an employer’s requirements.

However, this solution is exclusive to federal agencies and government organizations seeking to fill open positions.

Indeed vs Monster: Sponsored Listings

Indeed

Employers and hiring managers can make job ads stand out by sponsoring jobs on Indeed. These are jobs that employers promote and they remain high in search results.

They receive up to 5X more clicks because they are the first results people see in the search results and show up at the top and bottom of the results.

As new non-sponsored job listings appear, jobs that are not sponsored fall further down the list.

As a job seeker, you want a job board that offers employers this cost-effective option.

In addition, sponsored jobs have a performance-based system. Employers set a monthly budget and pay if and when candidates view the job.

Also Read: How To Respond To An Interview Request?

Monster

Equally, on Monster, promoted jobs are priced based on Pay for Performance (PFP), so employers only pay when candidates click on their sponsored job.

It allows employers and hiring teams a lot of flexibility since their spending will affect the number of candidates who view their job. So if it’s an important position, they can allocate a larger budget.

It is a win for you as a job seeker.

Indeed vs Monster: Customer Support

Indeed

To have a great experience, the job search website you choose should offer you the standby support you need to fix any issues.

Moreover, you want the support to be reliable and knowledgeable so that you can troubleshoot any issues efficiently from the comfort of your home.

Job seekers cannot reach the company through phone, email, or live chat for support purposes. However, Indeed has a Help Center where you can find FAQs, tutorials, and technical support online. However, you can only contact them through their support form.

Also Read: Part Time vs Full-time

Monster

On Monster, you can call customer service from Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5:30 pm EST. You can also email them via the form provided on their platform.

The platform also offers several guides and articles to help you get started in your job search process and a help center to answer all your questions about the website.

Indeed vs Monster: Resources

Indeed

You will find several knowledge-based articles in its Career Center. These articles provide job seekers with helpful information throughout the job search process. You can also sign up for career tips via email.

Monster

The platform also offers a variety of resources to job seekers to help them land their dream job fast. These resources include career advice, tips, and advice on creating a successful resume, detailed hiring guides, and career services.

Indeed vs Monster: User Interface and Ease of Use

Indeed

Indeed has a simple but functional user interface allowing job seekers to search for jobs and apply to them conveniently. After landing on the page, you see a white background, easy-to-read text, and two search bars at the top.

You can easily navigate your profile page, check your messages, create a job alert, and apply for jobs.

Monster

Monster’s user interface is also clean and simple with easy-to-find controls. You can create an account, resume, and access job searching tools on the homepage.

It has a purple and white background that is easy on the eyes and feeds you relevant information as you go down the page.

On the homepage, you can easily navigate to Salary Tools, Upload Resume, Find Jobs, Career Advice, and Job Search Tips pages.

And as you scroll down the page, you can see popular searches by users, featured jobs by category, and other useful links.

Indeed vs Monster: Mobile Application

Indeed

Indeed has a mobile application that helps on-the-go job seekers keep up with their job search and apply to jobs faster. The app is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

It lets you search for jobs depending on location, company, and position. You can also find new employment opportunities by using Indeed’s recommendation engine.

Monster

Monster also has its mobile application for both Android and iOS platforms. The app lets you access your account, resume, and find jobs anywhere.

When you search for jobs, the app gives you a list of relevant results based on your job search criteria.

You can view saved searches and applications. You can filter the results based on location, job title, and company. You can save and apply to jobs that match your qualifications.

Indeed vs Monster: Pricing

Indeed

Indeed is free for job seekers. You don’t need to pay to find jobs on Indeed.

Job postings on Indeed start at $0. Sponsored job postings cost between $0.10 and $5 per click. Each time a job seeker clicks on an employer’s post, the cost-per-click is incurred even if they do not apply.

Indeed also has a premium plan for employers called Indeed Resume. This paid service has two subscription tiers: The Standard subscription, which costs $120/month or $1,150/year, and the Professional subscription which is $300/month or $2,880/year.

With this service, employers can set up resume alerts, contact potential candidates from their talent database, and organize their job postings using resume tools for efficiency and communication.

Monster

Job seekers can also use Monster for free to find their dream jobs. However, employers must subscribe to any of three plans: Starter Plan at $279/month; Standard Plan at $399/month; or Premium Plan at $649/month.

After a four-day free trial, employers who choose the Starter Plan can post one job and view 50 resumes for 30 days. People on the Standard Plan can post three jobs and view 150 resumes for 30 days. The Premium Plan allows the employer to post five jobs and view 250 resumes in 30 days.

This may not be sustainable for small business owners, especially if they are yet to find suitable candidates in that timeframe.

As a result, many small enterprises would be discouraged from posting their ads on Monster. The effect on job seekers is a reduced number of job opportunities.

Indeed vs Monster: Other Features

Indeed

Indeed is primarily a job search website connecting people with career opportunities.

However, the platform provides many other valuable features, such as Career Advice and Safety Tips.

Monster

Monster is also a job search website where you can search for jobs in America and beyond.

The platform provides several useful features to help job seekers with their job search, such as a salary calculator.

Other services Monster offers employers include:

• Employer branding
• Recruiting services
• Staffing
• Software and data solutions

Also Read: Best Gig Apps That Pay The Same Day

Indeed vs Monster: Pros & Cons

Indeed

Pros

• It is a free service
• Job seekers can create alerts that help them stay on top of the latest job listings in their industry.
• It offers skill assessments to help candidates stand out in the hiring process.

Cons

• There are not a lot of senior-level jobs posted on the platform
• The cost of sponsored posts can add up, which may discourage employers

Monster

Pros

• It is free for job seekers
• Job seekers can receive job alerts
• It is easy to reach customer service
• A lot of resources to help job seekers

Cons

• It can be too pricey for some businesses
• After signing up, applicants complain about recruiter spam

Similarities & Differences

	Indeed	Monster
Mobile Application	✔	✔
ATS Integration	✔	✔
Job Description Templates	✔	✔
Resume Uploads	✔	✔
Free for Job Seekers	✔	✔
Free for Job Seekers	✔	✔
Customer Support	X	✔
Skill Assessment	✔	✔ Only for federal agencies
Job Alert	✔	✔
Sponsored Listings	✔	✔
Filter Search	✔	✔

Verdict: Indeed vs Monster – Which is Better for Job Seekers?

These two job boards cancel each other in many aspects. For instance, both have mobile applications. They also offer ATS integrations, job description templates, easy sign-up, resume upload, and everything to make the job search process seamless for job seekers.

However, Indeed won this battle for me for three reasons. First is its price. Indeed’s pricing model makes it affordable for employers to post their jobs on the platform. This means more job opportunities for applicants since posting an ad is affordable.

Second, Indeed is a more popular job board than Monster as it is available in over 60 countries.

And finally, Indeed is also a job search aggregator, which means job seekers can see jobs from numerous websites in one place.