Make Craigslist Great Again for Jobseekers
Something that is not on your resume is how you got each of your jobs.
On my resume, many of my jobs came from Craigslist.
Craigslist, founded in 1995, still looks the same to keep things simple and functional.
But things today are not so simple.
There may have been a time when you used Craigslist, too.
However, when you visit the site now, you can’t believe how hard it is to find anything you trust.
So, since there’s a 90’s fashion revival going on, I’d like to propose why not make Craigslist great again, too?
From San Francisco to Paris, I used to use Craigslist to find both freelance and full-time employment in marketing, teaching, and writing.
While some cities’ listings are better than others, overall Craigslist has declined due to an influx of illegal activities, scammers, and competitors like Facebook Marketplace.
But I’d be very happy to see Craigslist come back in style just like scrunchies!
Craigslist is still free to use and continues to earn revenue from postings. It’s estimated to post 80 million new ads a month. But the quantity and quality of the job postings, in my experience, has declined.
In 2022, after being laid off and then job seeking for eight months, I started looking again on Craigslist and every other job site for local employment in Los Angeles.
I hadn’t used the site to look for work since 2019 when a freelance job from Craigslist San Francisco failed to pay me.
But, thanks to Craigslist Los Angeles, I finally landed my first real job in my new city.
I was cast as an extra on a German reality show. I went to a house in Culver City, sat in an audience of extras, and clapped when they gave me the signal. I got paid with a snack size bag of chips and IMDb credits (still waiting).
This was the best opportunity to come my way during this time.
So, Craigslist is not dead. It’s just not like how it used to be.
It is eye-opening to learn Craigslist’s current value is estimated to be $2–3 billion and still provides services in 570 cities in 70 countries, with the United States continuing to be the strongest market.
I have a lot of gratitude for Craigslist providing me employment opportunities and haven’t given up all hope.
Just like fashion trends, I’d welcome seeing a renewed interest in the simplicity of a local classified job site like Craigslist, not dependent on applicant tracking systems, social media, or paid subscription models.
