The Evolution of Job Boards in Aotearoa New Zealand

From Handwritten Flyers to AI Matching 

I might be showing my age, but you don’t need to have worked in HR for long to appreciate how dramatically recruitment advertising has evolved. 

I still remember my first babysitting job.   I found it on a handwritten flyer pinned to the wall at the local takeaway shop. I had to call to discuss the position, then bike over for an interview. A few years later, I was scouring the classified section of The Press for a part time job while studying. 

We’ve come a long way since then. The internet brought us Trade Me Jobs, SEEK, and later, professional networking platforms like LinkedIn each step changing how employers and job seekers connect. 

Fast forward to 2025, and the rise of AI-driven matching algorithms, data-enriched profiles, and purpose-based job boards that steer candidates toward roles that target/focus on specific communities is reshaping recruitment all over again. 

From Exposure to Relevance 

Recruitment advertising has undergone a revolution. Where employers once competed on exposure today the advantage lies in relevance. 

The traditional “post and wait” approach has given way to targeted, data driven matching and active engagement. Employers are no longer just filling vacancies they’re directing how their organisations show up in the talent market. 

Modern recruitment marketing is about precision targeting and storytelling, using every advert to reinforce brand, purpose, and culture. 

Choosing the right mix of platforms can: 

• Strengthen your employer brand.
• Improve time to fill and quality of hire metrics.
• Support cost efficiency in tight labour markets.
• Reflect your organisation’s values and commitments - increasingly key factors for candidates. 

A Diversifying Job Board Market 

The New Zealand job board market is diversifying rapidly. Traditional giants like Seek, LinkedIn Jobs, and Trade Me Jobs remain dominant, but a new generation of niche, ethical, and community focused platforms is emerging. 

These specialist players are redefining how employers and candidates connect aligning opportunities not just with skills, but with values, purpose, and life stage. 

Spotlight on New Zealand’s Purpose-Driven and Niche Job Boards 

Do Good Jobs 
Do Good Jobs is Aotearoa’s leading specialist job board for purpose-driven roles. Since 2012, it has connected thousands of organisations that put people and planet at the heart of what they do and talented job seekers who do the same. 
 
Their jobs board features listings from charities and not-for-profits to social enterprises, public sector agencies and for-profit values-led organisations with missions or roles that focus on making a positive impact. And it reaches a targeted community of job seekers at all career levels looking for values-aligned roles where they can make a difference, making it easier for HR professionals to reach candidates who share their mission and values, ensuring stronger alignment, retention and impact. 
 
Always mindful of what it can do in a sector that often needs to be budget-conscious, Do Good Jobs also offers free listings for volunteer roles, helping charities and other community groups amplify their impact through crucial volunteer teams. 

Jobs for Mums 
Jobs for Mums is New Zealand’s leading platform for flexible, family-friendly employment and On Demand recruitment. It connects organisations of all sizes, from SMEs to large corporates, with an untapped reservoir of highly skilled and motivated talent: parents and caregivers seeking meaningful, flexible work. 

Through its national job board and On Demand service, Jobs for Mums enables employers to access qualified candidates quickly for temporary, permanent, part-time and project-based roles, reducing hiring friction and strengthening workforce capability. 

By promoting inclusive and family-friendly employment practices, Jobs for Mums supports organisations to attract and retain high calibre talent, advance DEI outcomes and widen labour market participation. Their work helps employers build more resilient, future ready teams while enabling caregivers to access fulfilling, sustainable employment. 

Student Job Search (SJS)
SJS is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading employment service for tertiary students. Since 1982, they have been a vital part of the student employment ecosystem, minimising student hardship, equipping young people with lifelong employment skills, and fostering fulfilling partnerships that ultimately grow Aotearoa and the world.​ 

As a charitable organisation, SJS’s strength lies in connecting employers with an industrious and motivated student workforce, contributing to Aotearoa’s long term prosperity. Each year, thousands of students use SJS to find flexible, meaningful work that fits around study, while employers gain access to a skilled and diverse pool of workers.​ 

By focusing exclusively on student employment, SJS make it easier for employers to find motivated candidates who bring fresh skills, energy, and perspectives to their organisations. They create opportunities that support students, strengthen businesses, and grow New Zealand’s future workforce. This all comes together to contribute to a more prosperous and thriving New Zealand economy. 

Mahi.co.nz 
Mahi.co.nz is a proudly Māori-owned and operated job board focused on roles grounded in te ao Māori — from te reo and tikanga to kaupapa Māori values and cultural capability. 

With more than 25 years of experience, Mahi.co.nz is one of Aotearoa’s leading Māori-focused employment platforms. We list opportunities from across the motu from entry-level to executive roles across all sectors and serve as a trusted bridge connecting all jobseekers with Māori-related skills and competencies to employers committed to culturally aligned practices. 

Seniors@Work 
Seniors@Work is a job platform designed specifically for New Zealanders aged 50 and over, particularly those continuing to contribute beyond traditional retirement age. 

Operated by Maxwell Business Solutions Ltd, Seniors@Work connects employers with a talented pool of mature, skilled, and experienced candidates. 
Its mission is to promote age diversity in the workplace and recognise the value that experience, stability, and mentorship bring to teams. 

Employers listing roles commit to offering remuneration consistent with equivalent positions, ensuring equity and respect for senior workers. 
Many listings emphasise flexibility and part-time opportunities, catering to those who wish to stay engaged in the workforce while maintaining lifestyle balance. 

HRNZ Job Board 
The HRNZ Job Board is targeted at Human Resources and People and Culture job matching.  Our board also supports early career pathways by offering internship and graduate role listings at no cost. This small but deliberate policy shift reflects a broader trend job platforms recognising their social responsibility to grow the talent pipeline, remove financial barriers, and connect new entrants to meaningful opportunities in the HR profession.  For HRNZ, this approach directly aligns with our strategic pillar of Growing the Talent Pipeline, ensuring that students and emerging HR professionals have access to career starting roles while employers can engage future talent without the gatekeeping of posting fees. 

 Alongside niche and purpose driven platforms a new category of AI enabled recruitment  platforms is emerging in Aotearoa. One of the most significant local entrants is Empathix. 

Empathix represents the newest wave of innovation in Aotearoa’s recruitment  technology landscape where advanced AI meets human centred design. Founded in New Zealand, Empathix uses AI driven skills matching, bias mitigating CV screening, and fast candidate ranking to help employers identify top talent quickly and fairly. Rather than replacing existing ATS or HRIS systems, Empathix integrates with them, enabling organisations to modernise hiring workflows without major disruption. The platform gives an entire view of top candidates in one place, reducing the time spent on reading CVs or manually sourcing to minutes, not days enabling recruiters and HR leaders to focus on people, rather than administration. They’re working with leading Companies both in NZ and internationally which is exciting to see. For HR professionals, Empathix signals a shift from transactional job advertising toward intelligent, data led, ethically designed matching. 

Conclusion 

New Zealand’s employment landscape continues to evolve from mass reach advertising to values based matching. The future of recruitment will be defined not by who can reach the most people, but by who can reach the right people, in the right way. For HR professionals, understanding this shift is crucial. Whether you’re attracting emerging talent, engaging working parents, connecting with Māori communities, or supporting experienced workers to re enter the workforce the platforms you choose tell a story about your organisation’s values and priorities. 

The next chapter of job advertising isn’t just digital it is people centred, data informed, and increasingly AI enabled. Whether through niche platforms that reflect community values or intelligent tools like Empathix that enhance fairness and precision, the goal remains the same: connecting the right people to the right opportunities in the right way.