Greg Isenberg’s Guide to Community Job Boards: Quality, Curation, and Revenue

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Is building a successful community job board harder than it looks? Greg Isenberg, a leading voice on internet communities, says it all boils down to three things: quality, curation, and sustainable revenue streams. If you’re looking to launch or optimize your community job board, you’re in the right place. This article breaks down community job boards the way Greg Isenberg does—practical insights, actionable tactics, and a focus on real-world results.

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Greg Isenberg’s Guide to Community Job Boards: Quality, Curation, and Revenue

Let’s explore how you can build a job board that delivers value, delights your members, and generates income—for founders, community builders, and investors in the Capitaly.vc circle alike.

Who is Greg Isenberg?

I always start at the source, and Greg Isenberg is one worth knowing. He’s a serial entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, best known for his innovative takes on digital communities. He’s helmed companies like Late Checkout, a product studio focused on community-driven products, and he’s vocal about building meaningful digital spaces. Greg’s expertise? Crafting high-quality, high-engagement community products—including robust, profitable job boards.

Why Community Job Boards Matter

Here’s what many miss: a community job board isn’t just a list of open roles. It’s a trust-powered marketplace where every listing carries weight. In a sea of generic job sites, curated job boards focus on relevance and trust.

Members find jobs that match their expertise and values.
Recruiters tap into tailored, engaged talent pools.
Mediocre listings don’t get past the gate.

It’s a win-win-win if you do it right.

Fundamental Principles of Greg Isenberg’s Approach

Greg preaches three pillars: quality, curation, and sustainability.

Quality: No spam. Every job leads to opportunity, not disappointment.
Curation: Filter every listing—manually or with trusted automation.
Sustainability: Monetize ethically. Invest in long-term value.

These aren’t guidelines—they’re the whole playbook.

How To Start a Community Job Board

If I were launching tomorrow, this is what I’d do:

Pick a platform. (Webflow, WordPress, or niche SaaS like Niceboard.)
Define your audience. Be specific, like “remote FinTech talent.”
Create posting guidelines. What makes a role worthy?
Seed the board with a few high-quality listings.
Launch to your community—beta style.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Quality trumps quantity every time.

Curating for Quality: Your Secret Weapon

Curation is your moat. Greg Isenberg says, “Every community job board is only as strong as its weakest listing.”

Manually review each posting.
Reject anything that isn’t a clear value-add.
Over-communicate with employers about your quality bar.

It takes effort. But, as we discussed in How to Win Niche Markets with Curation, it’s precisely this extra step that makes your job board sticky.

Establishing Trust with Both Sides

Job seekers need to trust that what you post is worth their time. Employers need to trust that they’re reaching the right people.

Transparency: Share exactly how listings are selected.
Reviews: Let your community rate or react to job posts.
Reputation: Build in badges or profiles for repeat posters.

Trust isn’t a feature. It’s the foundation.

Monetizing Your Community Job Board

Let’s talk revenue streams. Greg Isenberg is clear: sustainable income matters, but never at the expense of trust.

Pay-to-post: Charge employers a flat fee for listings. (Or better, a premium for top placements.)
Subscriptions: Monthly plans for access to additional features (like candidate databases or custom alerts).
Sponsorships: Allow companies to sponsor newsletters or featured sections.
Affiliate partnerships: Pair certain jobs with tools, bootcamps, or learning resources.

Experiment, track what works, and always keep the bar high. For more ideas, see our post about Community Monetization Pathways.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Here’s what I see too often:

Bloating. Flooding the board with low-quality, irrelevant jobs.
Poor communication: Not following up with job posters or seekers.
Over-promising on reach or results you can’t deliver.

Greg recommends a laser focus: quality always beats quantity. Cut ruthlessly.

Moderation, Automation, and Human Touch

It’s tempting to automate everything. Greg Isenberg’s take: automate where it complements—not replaces—human curation.

Use AI to flag spam or duplicates, but let humans make the final call.
Schedule regular audits to prune stale or underperforming listings.

Balance machines with your team’s instincts.

Building a Repeat Employer Base

Repeat business is lifeblood. Approach it like this:

Follow up with employers after each listing. Ask: was it valuable?
Offer volume discounts or loyalty programs.
Profile success stories—both employer and candidate—in your community updates.

Sticky relationships beat one-time transactions every time.

Keeping Candidates Engaged Between Jobs

Don’t let your most talented members drift away. Borrow Greg’s approach:

Regular newsletters with handpicked highlight jobs.
Exclusive events (like virtual job fairs or expert Q&A sessions).
Ongoing resources (resume reviews, portfolio workshops).

Being more than “just a job board” deepens your moat.

Metrics That Matter Most

Greg is data-obsessed, but not with vanity metrics. Focus instead on:

Job fill rate: Are postings resulting in actual hires?
Repeat poster percentage: Are employers coming back?
Time to fill: How quickly do quality jobs get matched?

These numbers tell you if you’re nailing the experience.

Using Content to Drive Board Engagement

People come for the jobs, but stay for the content. Here’s what works:

Weekly “top jobs” roundups (posted in your blog or newsletter).
Success stories. Celebrate member wins—publicly!
Tips on application strategy, negotiation techniques, or career pivots.

See how content strategies amplify community retention in Growth Through Great Content.

Fighting Spam and Low-Quality Listings

Greg Isenberg hates spam—and so do I.

Require companies to verify their email and domain before posting.
Limit free postings or introduce a refundable deposit system.
Display community guidelines at every posting step.

Spam deters top talent. Zero tolerance is the play.

Cross-Promotion: Expand Your Reach

Don’t operate in isolation. Collaborate!

Partner with other trusted communities for cross-board listings.
Syndicate your best jobs to targeted newsletters or Slack/Discord groups.
Co-host events with adjacent communities (think: design + engineering + product).

Cross-promotion is the fastest way to scale distribution—and relevance.

Integrating Niche Tools and Platforms

Greg advocates for “best-in-class, not all-in-one.” Integrate with tools your members use:

Slack/Discord job channels for real-time access.
Zapier integrations for job alerts or CRM handoffs.
API endpoints for large-scale partners to submit or receive job data.

Meet your members where they already are.

Protecting Community Reputation

Nothing sinks a board faster than word about a bad hire or scam. I recommend:

Immediate removal of reported scams.
Clear dispute resolution process for both sides.
Public disclosure of how issues are handled.

Reputation is fragile. Guard it like gold.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Job Listings

Greg Isenberg pushes for inclusivity, and you should too.

Require salary ranges and DEI statements in listings.
Prioritize jobs from underrepresented founders/companies.
Curate highlight sections for non-traditional roles or remote opportunities.

Inclusive boards attract a broader slice of top talent.

Legal Considerations and Compliance

Regulations matter. In my experience, you want to:

Display terms of service—plainly and accessibly.
Obey privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA) for data you collect.
Have explicit “no discrimination” clauses in your posting process.

Legal slips can undo years of trust.

Using User Feedback to Evolve Your Board

Build in continuous feedback loops:

Post-listing surveys: Ask employers what worked and what didn’t.
Anonymous job seeker feedback.
Quarterly “state of the board” roundtables with your most active members.

All improvement starts with listening.

What’s Next? Staying Ahead in 2024 and Beyond

Community job boards aren’t static. Here’s where Greg Isenberg says things are headed:

More advanced AI-powered matching (but never without human oversight).
Deeper integration with professional communities and learning platforms.
Greater emphasis on curation as a moat against generic mega job sites.
Rising expectations for personalization and rapid feedback loops.

Stay flexible. Iterate fast. And never compromise on quality or trust.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is Greg Isenberg? Greg Isenberg is a prominent entrepreneur, investor, and expert on community-driven online products, including highly curated job boards.
What makes a community job board better than traditional job sites? Curation and quality. Community job boards focus on relevance, trust, and tailored jobs for specific member interests.
How does Capitaly.vc relate to community job boards? Capitaly.vc champions breakthrough community-driven innovations and helps founders monetize them—including job boards.
What are top ways to monetize a job board? Charge for listings, offer subscriptions, sell sponsorships, and explore affiliate partnerships.
How do I prevent spam listings? Require verification, moderate all posts, and clearly communicate posting rules.
How do I keep the board high-quality as it grows? Blend automated tools with dedicated human curation and set a high bar for all listings.
What compliance do I need to consider? Follow privacy laws, anti-discrimination statutes, and publish clear terms of service.
How do I build repeat business from employers? Provide a great experience, follow up post-listing, offer volume discounts, and share hiring success stories.
What is a good metric of success? Focus on job fill rate, repeat poster percentage, and real, measurable community feedback.
Where can I find more resources? See the Capitaly.vc Blog for deep dives into community, curation, and monetization strategies.

Conclusion

If you want to build a game-changing community job board, follow Greg Isenberg’s lead: lean into quality, practice rigorous curation, and commit to ethical, sustainable revenue streams. Whether you’re starting from scratch or leveling up an established board, these principles will serve you—and your community—well. For more cutting-edge advice on community innovation and job boards, subscribe to Capitaly.vc Substack (https://capitaly.substack.com/) to raise capital at the speed of AI.