Best software · Careers
10 Best Job Boards for Entry-Level Jobs of 2026
This list is for recent graduates, students and other beginners looking for a first job or internship. It covers student-focused boards (Handshake, WayUp, Internships.com), the large general sites (Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter) and three niche boards for hourly work (Snagajob), nonprofits (Idealist) and startups (Wellfound). We compared documented features and published prices for 10 boards. Scores weigh features at 40%, ease of use at 30% and value at 30%, judged from the job seeker's side.
By the Mojolin research desk · Updated November 12, 2026 · 10 tools compared · Prices checked on vendor pages, latest November 12, 2026
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
Mojolin is self-funded How we score
Handshake is our top pick for beginners: it is free, it is tied to your school's career center, and it says it connects 1 million employers with 1,600+ educational institutions. Indeed ranks second for anyone who needs volume, including hourly and local jobs, with 12 jobs added every second. LinkedIn is third because a free profile lets recruiters and alumni find you. WayUp and Internships.com are strong second boards for students, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter help with research and speed, and Snagajob, Idealist and Wellfound cover hourly, nonprofit and startup work.
Top picks
Comparison table
| # | Tool | Pricing | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Handshake | college students and new graduates | Free for students and job seekers | 9.3 |
| 2 |  Indeed | beginners applying to local, hourly and entry-level roles | Free for job seekers | 9.2 |
| 3 |  LinkedIn | graduates building a professional network | Free account; Premium Career from $39.99 per month or $239.88 per year | 8.8 |
| 4 |  WayUp | students who want to apply from a phone | Free for students and recent graduates | 8.7 |
| 5 |  Glassdoor | first-time job seekers researching employers and pay | Free for job seekers | 8.6 |
| 6 |  ZipRecruiter | beginners who want to apply quickly from a phone | Free for job seekers | 8.5 |
| 7 |  Internships.com | students who want help tailoring applications | Free plan; Career $10.95 per month; Chegg Complete $19.95 per month | 8.4 |
| 8 |  Idealist | graduates who want nonprofit or mission-driven work | See vendor pricing (USD check pending) | 8.3 |
| 9 |  Snagajob | teens and students looking for hourly work | Free for job seekers | 8.2 |
| 10 |  Wellfound | graduates who want to join a startup | See vendor pricing (USD check pending) | 8.1 |
Scoring weights
Every tool gets three editorial scores out of 10, from vendor documentation, product pages and the published price. The overall score is the weighted average below, the same method on every list. Full method
The full ranking
Rank 1 · Best overall
Handshake
A career network for students and early-career job seekers that links employers, job seekers and college career centers.
joinhandshake.com9.3
out of 10
Best for: college students and new graduates
Handshake started in 2014 as a way for college students to reach employers from their first day on campus, and it now serves job seekers who are starting or restarting a career. The company describes a three-sided marketplace of 30 million job seekers, 1,600+ educational institutions and 1 million employers. After you sign up, it recommends jobs and internships based on your skills and goals, and employers can message you first.
The school link is the main reason it ranks first for beginners. Your career center's events, job collections and fairs show up in the same app, and reviewers mention filters such as visa status that help international students skip roles they cannot take. Handshake has also added AI Skills Studio courses and paid Handshake AI project work, which sit apart from the job search. The trade-off is volume: Indeed carries more listings, and if your school is not active on Handshake you lose part of its value.
Standout feature
Handshake is the best choice for students because it connects 1 million employers with 1,600+ educational institutions in one free app.
Use cases
College seniors
Find full-time roles from employers recruiting at their school
Outcome: Applications sent through the same app as campus career fairs
International students
Filter out jobs with visa restrictions
Outcome: A shorter list of roles they can actually take
Key features
- Job and internship recommendations matched to your skills, interests and goals
- Access to your own school's career center, events and job collections
- Virtual and in-person career fairs, networking sessions and resume workshops
- Employers can message you directly about open roles
- AI Skills Studio project-based courses, free to get started
Pros
- Handshake says it connects 1 million employers and 1,600+ educational institutions
- Free for job seekers, with no paid tier needed to apply
- Built for first internships and first full-time roles
Cons
- Fewer total listings than Indeed, as some app reviewers point out
- How useful it is depends partly on how active your school's career center is
- Some users report recruiter messages outside their field or location
Rank 2 · Runner-up
Indeed
A free general job site and app with resume hosting, application tracking, company reviews and salary data.
indeed.com9.2
out of 10
Best for: beginners applying to local, hourly and entry-level roles
Indeed is the widest net a beginner can cast. Its job search pulls in roles posted directly on Indeed plus listings from other job sites, and its app says 12 new jobs are added every second. Filters for part-time, remote, side and government work make it useful for a first job that is not tied to a degree, such as retail, food service or office support.
A free account stores your resume, or builds one with Indeed's resume builder, and reuses it for each application. Indeed then tracks where each application stands and tells you when an employer has read it. For a first job offer, the research tools matter: more than 1.1 billion salary data points and more than 700 million company ratings and reviews help you check whether a starting wage is fair. The downside is noise, since entry-level listings attract many applicants and similar posts repeat.
Standout feature
Indeed is the best choice for beginners who want the most listings because its free app adds 12 jobs every second.
Use cases
High school graduates
Find part-time and hourly jobs near home
Outcome: Several applications sent with one saved resume
New graduates
Check starting salaries before an offer call
Outcome: A pay figure to bring to the negotiation
Key features
- Search covers jobs posted on Indeed and on other job sites
- Upload a resume or build one with Indeed's resume builder
- Apply with a saved resume instead of retyping details
- Notices when an employer has read and responded to your application
- Filters for part-time, remote, side and government jobs
Pros
- Indeed's app page says 12 jobs are added every second
- More than 1.1 billion salaries searchable by title, company and location
- Free, with no paid tier for job seekers
Cons
- Large volume means many look-alike listings to sort through
- Popular entry-level roles draw a lot of applicants
- No student-specific features such as campus events
Rank 3 · Also great
LinkedIn
Job search inside the professional network, with Open To Work, recruiter messaging and an optional Premium Career plan.
linkedin.com8.8
out of 10
Best for: graduates building a professional network
LinkedIn is where many recent graduates meet their first recruiter, because the job search sits next to the profile and network they start building in college. The free account lets you search US jobs and internships, apply, and switch on Open To Work, which tells recruiters privately or the whole community publicly that you are looking.
Premium Career adds tools aimed at active job seekers: jobs where you would be a top applicant, top choice flags on applications, 5 InMail credits a month to reach people outside your network, 365 days of profile viewer history and more than 25,000 LinkedIn Learning courses. It starts at $39.99 per month or $239.88 per year, which LinkedIn says is a 50% saving with annual billing. Most beginners do not need it; a complete profile and steady messaging with alumni and classmates do more for a first search than a paid tier.
Standout feature
LinkedIn is the best choice for networking graduates because the free account combines job search with Open To Work and recruiter messaging.
Use cases
New graduates
Turn on Open To Work and message alumni at target companies
Outcome: Referrals and recruiter conversations alongside applications
Career starters in business roles
Search entry-level jobs by title and location
Outcome: A saved search with daily alerts
Key features
- Job search with US jobs and internships
- Open To Work to tell recruiters privately or publicly that you are looking
- Messaging with people you know and recruiters
- Premium Career: 5 InMail credits each month and top choice job flags
- Premium Career: more than 25,000 LinkedIn Learning courses
Pros
- Profile, network and job search sit in one account
- Free account is enough to search and apply
- Premium Career annual billing is about 50% cheaper than monthly
Cons
- Premium Career costs $39.99 per month, a lot for a student budget
- A thin profile with little work history gets less recruiter attention
- Feed and networking features can distract from applying
Rank 4
WayUp
A job and internship board for US students and recent grads, powered by Yello, that builds your profile from an uploaded resume.
wayup.com8.7
out of 10
Best for: students who want to apply from a phone
WayUp, powered by Yello, is built only for US students and recent grads. Sign-up is short: you upload a PDF resume, WayUp builds a profile from it, and it starts showing jobs, internships and employer events matched to your experience, which WayUp says takes about 30 seconds for most students. Recruiters from 3,800+ US employers can then find you directly.
The homepage shows live activity, such as roles and applications posted that week, and featured employers range from Northwestern Mutual and NYU Langone Health to RTX and American Express. A phone app lets you apply between classes and answer recruiter messages without a laptop. WayUp is free for students. It has fewer listings than a general board, so treat it as a second board next to Handshake or Indeed rather than your only source.
Standout feature
WayUp is the best choice for a fast start because it turns an uploaded resume into a profile visible to 3,800+ US employers.
Use cases
Sophomores
Upload a resume and browse summer internships
Outcome: A matched list of internships within minutes
Recent grads
Reply to recruiter messages from a phone
Outcome: Faster responses to interview invitations
Key features
- Upload a resume and WayUp builds your profile automatically
- Jobs, internships and employer events matched to your experience
- Recruiters from 3,800+ US employers can find you directly
- iPhone and Android app to apply and reply to recruiters
- Live counts of roles posted and applications submitted each week
Pros
- WayUp says most students see matched jobs in about 30 seconds
- Free for students, with no paid plan
- Employer list includes large firms such as CVS, Boeing and Target
Cons
- Focused on US students and recent grads only
- Fewer listings than general boards like Indeed
- Matching depends on the resume you upload
Rank 5
Glassdoor
A free job and company research site with anonymous employee reviews, salary data and job matches.
glassdoor.com8.6
out of 10
Best for: first-time job seekers researching employers and pay
Glassdoor is most useful to a beginner as a research tool that also has jobs. You tell it what you want from a first role, including career goals, the kind of manager you want and the culture you prefer, and it pairs that with anonymous employee insights to suggest matches. You can also search millions of active listings yourself and filter by title, company, location and workstyle.
The salary data is the main draw for new graduates. Glassdoor shows what people in the same position earn, from entry-level to C-suite, so you can judge whether a first offer is low. Employee reviews on culture, leadership and work-life balance help you avoid bad fits. App reviewers do complain about stale listings and some applications sending you to a web browser, so apply on the employer's own site when that happens.
Standout feature
Glassdoor is the best choice for checking a first offer because its free salary data runs from entry-level to C-suite.
Use cases
New graduates with an offer
Compare the offer with salaries for the same role
Outcome: A clear number for negotiation
Beginners choosing between employers
Read anonymous reviews on culture and managers
Outcome: A shorter list of employers to apply to
Key features
- Job matches based on your goals, ideal manager and preferred culture
- Search millions of active listings by title, company, location and workstyle
- Salary data from entry-level to C-suite
- Anonymous employee insights on culture, pay, leadership and work-life balance
- Glassdoor communities for anonymous talk about employers and industries
Pros
- Salary data covers entry-level roles, useful for a first offer
- Employee reviews help you check an employer before applying
- Free for job seekers
Cons
- App reviewers report stale listings in search results
- Some applications redirect to the web instead of finishing in the app
- Salary ranges can be broad for a specific city
Rank 6
ZipRecruiter
A free job search app that searches many job boards at once and sends daily matched jobs.
ziprecruiter.com8.5
out of 10
Best for: beginners who want to apply quickly from a phone
ZipRecruiter suits beginners who want to send applications quickly. Its app says it searches 100+ job boards at once, so you can enter a location and keywords or a job title and see roles from many sources in one feed. It then emails your best-matched jobs each day and lets you save jobs and searches for later.
The feature first-time job seekers tend to value most is the notice when an employer has viewed your resume, which tells you where to follow up. The speed has a cost. App reviewers report matches outside their area or experience level, and fast applying makes it easy to send the same generic resume everywhere. Use it to find openings, then tailor the resume for the ones you care about.
Standout feature
ZipRecruiter is the best choice for fast searching because its free app covers 100+ job boards and alerts you when a resume is viewed.
Use cases
Job seekers between school and a first career
Collect openings from many boards in one app
Outcome: One daily email of matched jobs
Beginners following up
Watch resume-viewed alerts
Outcome: Follow-ups sent to employers who showed interest
Key features
- Searches 100+ job boards at once
- Best-matched jobs sent to your inbox daily
- Saved jobs and saved searches
- Notice when your resume has been viewed
- Search by location and keywords or by job title
Pros
- Resume-viewed alerts show which employers looked at you
- One app covers listings from many boards
- Free for job seekers
Cons
- App reviewers report jobs outside their location or experience level
- Quick applying can send an untailored resume
- Fewer research tools than Glassdoor or Indeed
Rank 7
Internships.com
An internship and entry-level job board run by Chegg, with a free tier and paid plans that tailor and submit applications.
internships.com8.4
out of 10
Best for: students who want help tailoring applications
Internships.com is now a Chegg product that pairs an internship board with tools that do part of the application work. The homepage says it covers 46,660+ available listings, many with pay shown, from employers such as Riot Games, Amgen and American Express, plus a section for full-time entry-level jobs for new grads.
The free plan lets you browse every internship, autofill applications with a Chrome extension, track them, look up alumni and hiring contacts per company, and see which skills you are missing. The Career plan at $10.95 per month ranks every internship by fit with your resume, tailors your resume and cover letter per role, drafts alumni outreach and, on supported sites, has Chegg's team submit applications for you. Chegg Complete at $19.95 per month adds Chegg Study, Writing and Math. Billing is monthly with no annual commitment.
Standout feature
Internships.com is the cheapest paid option on this list, with its Career plan at $10.95 per month and a free tier for browsing.
Use cases
Juniors chasing summer internships
Apply to many internships with tailored materials
Outcome: More applications without rewriting each one
Students on a budget
Use the free tracker and contact lookup
Outcome: Organized applications at no cost
Key features
- Free plan to browse every internship, with a Chrome extension autofill and application tracker
- Alumni and hiring contact lookup per company on the free plan
- Career plan ranks internships by fit with your resume
- Career plan tailors your resume and cover letter for each role
- Apply for me: Chegg's team submits applications on supported sites (Career plan)
Pros
- Free plan includes an application tracker and autofill
- Monthly billing, no annual commitment, cancel in two clicks
- Listings show pay where employers publish it
Cons
- Tailoring and auto-apply need the $10.95 per month Career plan
- Mostly internships, with fewer full-time roles
- Chegg Complete at $19.95 per month mainly adds study tools
Rank 8
Idealist
A nonprofit job, internship and volunteer site for the social-impact sector, run by a 501(c)(3) organization.
idealist.org8.3
out of 10
Best for: graduates who want nonprofit or mission-driven work
Idealist is the main US board for social-impact work, and it is itself a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in New York. Since it started in 1995 it says more than 1.2 million jobs and 200,000 internships have been posted, and after merging with VolunteerMatch in 2025 it connects 15 million people a year with more than 200,000 organizations in 180 countries.
For a recent graduate, the mix is the appeal: job filters by experience level and issue area, a separate internship search, and volunteer listings that can fill an empty resume while you search. The Nonprofit Salary Explorer gives crowdsourced pay data, which helps when nonprofit offers run below corporate ones. The limits are scope and tools: it only covers the nonprofit sector and has fewer recruiter features than the large boards. We could not confirm job seeker pricing from a fetchable page, so pricing is marked pending.
Standout feature
Idealist is the best choice for mission-driven beginners because it covers jobs, internships and volunteering from 200,000+ organizations.
Use cases
Graduates in public policy or social work
Filter nonprofit jobs by experience level and issue area
Outcome: A list of entry-level mission-driven roles
Beginners with little experience
Find volunteer roles near home
Outcome: Experience to add to a first resume
Key features
- Job search filters by location, experience level and issue area
- Separate searches for jobs, internships, volunteer opportunities and events
- Nonprofit Salary Explorer with crowdsourced compensation data
- Career advice resources for social-impact careers
- Content in English, Spanish and Portuguese
Pros
- Idealist says more than 1.2 million jobs and 200,000 internships have been posted
- Volunteer listings help beginners build experience
- Run by a nonprofit, with listings from 200,000+ organizations
Cons
- Limited to the nonprofit and social-impact sector
- Nonprofit pay is often lower than corporate roles
- Fewer employer outreach tools than Handshake or LinkedIn
Rank 9
Snagajob
A free job app focused only on hourly jobs in restaurants, retail, hospitality and other shift work.
snagajob.com8.2
out of 10
Best for: teens and students looking for hourly work
Snagajob is the board for a first paycheck rather than a first career. It lists only hourly jobs, across restaurants, retail, hospitality, customer service, admin and seasonal work, and says it is built for students, teens and anyone who needs flexible hours. That focus means you will not wade through salaried roles that ask for a degree and years of experience.
You can search by location or keyword, use a map to see who is hiring nearby, filter by distance, availability and job type, and get daily matches by email. One-click applying shows status updates afterwards, and optional personality quizzes feed the matching. The Google Play listing shows 5M+ downloads and an August 2026 update with faster sign-in. Recent graduates aiming for salaried roles should look elsewhere; for a part-time job during school, it is a direct route.
Standout feature
Snagajob is the best choice for a first hourly job because it lists only hourly roles and filters by availability.
Use cases
High school students
Find a weekend job within a few miles
Outcome: Applications sent to nearby employers in one session
College students
Filter shifts by availability around classes
Outcome: Part-time roles that fit a school schedule
Key features
- Hourly jobs only, in restaurant, retail, hospitality, customer service and admin work
- Map search to see who is hiring nearby
- Daily job matches sent to your inbox
- Filters for distance, availability and job type
- One-click applying with application status updates
Pros
- Hourly-only listings cut out roles that need a degree
- Availability filter fits school schedules
- Free, with 5M+ downloads on Google Play
Cons
- Not useful for salaried graduate roles
- Fewer research tools than Indeed or Glassdoor
- Personality quizzes add steps to matching
Rank 10
Wellfound
A startup job platform where listings show salary and equity and candidates apply to founders directly.
wellfound.com8.1
out of 10
Best for: graduates who want to join a startup
Wellfound is a hiring marketplace where startups post jobs for free, and it suits graduates who would rather join a small team than a large employer. It says candidates can apply directly to founders and hiring managers at 27,000+ startups, and its jobs page lists over 130k remote and local roles. Listings typically show a salary range and an equity range, which makes comparing offers easier for a first-time job seeker.
Your profile can show projects and work, not only past titles, which helps when your resume is short, and Wellfound's AI sourcing surfaces profiles to recruiters. The catch for beginners is fit. Many startup roles ask for experience in engineering, product or growth, and early-stage companies carry more risk. We could not confirm job seeker pricing from a page fetched here, so pricing is marked pending.
Standout feature
Wellfound is the best choice for startup-minded graduates because listings show salary and equity at 27,000+ startups.
Use cases
Computer science graduates
Compare startup offers by salary and equity
Outcome: A shortlist ranked by total pay
Graduates with side projects
Show projects on a profile instead of job titles
Outcome: Founders can judge skills, not only experience
Key features
- Apply directly to founders and hiring managers at 27,000+ startups
- Listings show salary and equity ranges
- Over 130k remote and local startup jobs
- Profile that shows projects and work beyond the resume
- AI sourcing surfaces your profile to recruiters
Pros
- Salary and equity shown on listings before you apply
- Direct contact with founders, not third-party recruiters
- Includes remote roles
Cons
- Many listings ask for experience, so fewer true entry-level roles
- Startup roles carry more job security risk
- Weighted toward tech, product and engineering
Frequently asked questions
+What are the best job boards for beginners?
Handshake is the best job board for beginners, followed by Indeed and LinkedIn. Handshake is free and links students with 1 million employers through 1,600+ schools, while Indeed adds the widest pool of hourly and entry-level listings.
+What is the best job search site for recent graduates?
Handshake is the best job search site for recent graduates because it is built for first internships and first full-time roles and works with your school's career center. LinkedIn is the best second site, since a free profile and Open To Work let recruiters and alumni find you.
+Are entry-level job boards free?
Yes, all 10 boards on this list are free to search and apply. Optional paid plans include Internships.com Career at $10.95 per month and LinkedIn Premium Career at $39.99 per month, as of November 2026.
+Where can I find a job with no experience?
Snagajob and Indeed are the best places to find a job with no experience. Snagajob lists only hourly jobs in restaurants, retail and hospitality, and Indeed has filters for part-time and side jobs.
+What is the best site for internships?
Handshake is the best site for internships, with Internships.com and WayUp as strong second choices. Internships.com lets you browse every internship free and offers resume tailoring on its $10.95 per month Career plan.
+Is LinkedIn Premium worth it for new graduates?
Usually no, because the free account already lets you search, apply and turn on Open To Work. Premium Career costs $39.99 per month or $239.88 per year and adds 5 InMail credits a month and top applicant insights.
+Which job board is best for nonprofit jobs for graduates?
Idealist is the best job board for nonprofit jobs. It says more than 1.2 million jobs and 200,000 internships have been posted and it lists more than 200,000 organizations.
About this list
Updated November 12, 2026 by the Mojolin research desk. Mojolin is self-funded
Questions or corrections: editorial@mojolin.com
More best software lists