9 Free Resume Databases for Employers: Search for Quality Candidates

We all want something for free but, as the adage goes, often you get what you pay for. So, what is a recruiter with lofty goals and a meager hiring budget to do? Look for free resume databases for employers, of course!

These often massive repositories give savvy sourcers the chance to expand their search beyond just those who’ve responded to their job posting, and they can also be great resources for building out a talent pipeline for future hiring.

When it comes to evaluating the integrity of a free resume database, the first thing to look for is a “created on” date that will let you know when the resume was posted. This indicates whether the jobseeker was looking for work in 2017 or in 2007. Second, the free resume database should be high-volume, with thousands, if not millions, of resumes available for viewing at any given time. And, finally, finding a database that ensures relevancy matching will ensure that even rookie recruiters can find the best candidates – fast!

While many websites advertise that they offer free resume search, do be mindful that most then try to hook you into paying for the service by withholding important information or making it impossible to contact candidates. We’ve come up with a list of 9 free resume databases for employers that will lighten your workload—and your wallet.

MightyRecruiter
With 20+ million resumes in its massive database, MightyRecruiter should be your first stop when you are hiring on a budget. Just sign up for a free trial, and you can search, filter, and contact jobseekers immediately. The huge repository of resumes allows users 10 free views (including full contact information) of any candidate in the system, and you can also leverage the solution’s machine learning matching algorithm to get a list of the candidates most qualified for your role. To take advantage of the latter, simply enter titles or keywords related to your open position in the candidate directory tool – and sit back while the technology does the rest.

LiveCareer Resume Database
LiveCareer has 700000+ free resume examples available in its Resume Search Directory. These are actual resumes, created by LiveCareer subscribers using LiveCareer’s Resume Builder. LiveCareer has resume examples from every state and nearly every city in the U.S, so you can find resume examples from a location near you. All resumes are rated for quality based on a 100-point scale. Search for resumes by industry or job title to find resume relevant to your career and your goals.

FlexJobs
Bending over backward trying to fill your open role? FlexJobs is a resource for companies seeking a flexible workforce. Therefore, if you are a hiring manager or recruiter seeking a candidate for a work-from-home role, part-time hours, or other non-traditional work situation, using FlexJobs free resume database is a great option. There is a registration and approval process involved, which helps FlexJobs weed out companies that don’t meet their guidelines, but the application is simple. Once approved, sourcing resumes via your employer account is free, and jobseeker information is not redacted, though each jobseeker decides how much they want to share on the site. Some only share email addresses, while others choose to share a phone number and address. The database is well-populated with opportunities in more than 50 job categories, making it a great choice for any recruiter who works for a start-up, small to mid-sized business, or a large company that hires flexible, remote, freelance, and part-time workers.

JobSpider
Despite the somewhat sinister name, there is nothing creepy about JobSpider.com’s free resume database. Founder Chris McGarry designed the site after he became frustrated while looking to fill a network administrator position. He dreamed up the intuitive and nicely organized free job board he wished he’d had – one that makes the hiring process easier to manage. One note: JobSpider.com does not make candidate contact information available on its site, but it does allow you to email candidates for free through a web form.

Behance
Looking for a creative type in industries like architecture, web design, art direction, branding, fashion, photography, UI/UX, and more? Behance was designed just for this purpose. It’s a free resume database-cum-social network with a twist: the online platform is designed not just to show PDFs of resumes but to truly showcase creative work to give its talented community members the exposure that they deserve. So, for example, if you are looking for an architect, the site won’t just list the past architecture firms candidates have worked for; it allows you to scroll through a gallery of architects’ designs and finished projects on a global scale. When you find one that interests you, you can contact the creator through the site. Part of Adobe, the website promises to, “facilitate meaningful collaboration and cross-pollination between creative individuals and organizations, even when no profit is involved.”

Eresumex
If you are looking to browse a free resume database that is filled with the resumes of jobseekers in a variety of industries and across a wide range of job titles, Eresumex fits the bill. In fact, Eresumex was designed specifically for that purpose. The platform provides employers with exclusive access to a global resume portal at no cost, which means you can browse candidates from around the world – and their accompanying contact information – without paying a dime, or a euro, or a yuan.

PostJobFree.com
PostJobFree pulls no punches with its name; it’s a free resume database that is dedicated to connecting jobseekers with recruiters all over the world. The site allows you to view resumes in full – and email candidates for free – however, candidate contact information is redacted unless you sign up for the premium service. You can, however, contact candidates of interest using the free version. Just click “contact candidate” at the bottom of the page and fill out the email form, and you are in business

Startupers
Startupers is a free resume database that makes it easy to browse candidate profiles thanks to a basic filter. Candidates decide how much information they share – some provide a downloadable resume or links to their portfolios and LinkedIn profiles, while others prefer to be discreetly contacted through the website. Either way, Startupers is completely free for recruiters and hiring managers to browse and is a great resource for startups and established businesses of all sizes who want to see more than a black-and-white resume during the recruiting process.

Jobvertise
Create a free account and use Jobvertise’s large free resume database to fill your next open role. All of the resumes are entered directly on the Jobvertise website by active jobseekers, and the site has a color coded process that differentiates resumes posted in the last 30 days from those posted farther in the past. It also claims that 20,000 new resumes are added each month. Employers using the free service are allowed to view up to 10 resumes a day for free, and there is no obligation to pay for the premium membership, which you do need to access the more recently posted resumes.

Craigslist
Go old school and find a candidate using the original online community bulletin board: Craigslist! Just go to the city your job is located in and on the bottom right-hand side of the homepage you’ll see “Resumes.” Click there and search away! Since jobseekers post their own resumes, the information available in each post varies – some have full resumes posted while others just list bullet points of information. The great news? All have an email address that delivers your message right to the candidate. And since all of the posts are time stamped, you’ll know exactly how long the resume has been up on the website.