If you’re job searching, the number of resources you can use can be overwhelming. In the old days, it was easy. You searched a job board or applied directly on a company website with your resume and a cover letter explaining your qualifications. If all went well, you heard within a week or so about an interview, had the interview and maybe a second round, and hopefully got a job offer.

Those days are gone. There are more tools than we can count that offer to write resumes and cover letters, apply for jobs for you, beat the ATS (applicant tracking system), track your applications, prepare for interviews, get the inside edge, and get the job.

It can be hard to know which of these job sites, apps, and tools really can help you get hired faster and make your job search more effective — and which don’t. There are so many resources out there, and some are better than others.

Some will help, some won’t make any difference, and others can even hurt your chances of getting an interview. Some are free; others charge a lot for what they promise you. And, despite what they might tell you, none of them can guarantee you'll get hired. That's between you and the employer.

To make it easier to figure out which ones to use, we have rounded up some of our favorite free tools you can use to explore career options, change careers, get training, ace the interview, expedite your job hunt, and simplify the job search process.

Online Career Quizzes

When you're not sure about the types of jobs you should be applying for, or what you want to do in your next job, these free online career quizzes are quick and easy to do. They will help you generate ideas about career options.

Career Tests for Career Changers

Are you considering a career change? It might not be as hard to pivot as you think. You can use these free tests to quickly and easily generate ideas to help you get started thinking about what you could do differently in your next career.

Classes and Training Programs

Whether you want to move up the career ladder or even get off it, these online courses will help you get the skills you need to enhance your resume or make a change and help you get hired.

Tools To Streamline Your Job Search

Use these free tools to streamline your job search, including getting started checklists, resume and cover letter writing and editing tools, the best ways to find relevant job postings, and apps to manage and track your job search.

Interview Practice Tools

Use these free interview preparation tools to practice answering questions and prepare to ace the interview so you can make the best impression.

Resources for Federal Workers

These resources for federal workers include information on applying for unemployment, job-searching tips for returning to the private sector, and resources that will help you find job listings, training programs, and career coaching assistance.

New & Noteworthy

Free Tuition at Harvard: Starting with the upcoming academic year (25/26), Harvard undergraduate tuition will be free for students of families with annual incomes of $200,000 or less. All expenses for families making $100,000 or less will be covered, including tuition, housing, meals, and travel.

March Madness: If you’re wondering how college basketball’s March Madness can impact the office, 40% of surveyed fans have called in sick to watch a game, will spend over 2 hours a day checking scores, and lost productivity could cost the economy about $20 billion.

When It Pays To Stay: Switching jobs used to be one of the best ways to boost your pay, but it’s not always the case in this competitive job market. Entrepreneur reports that according to a wage growth survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, job switchers received a 4.8% increase. Employees who stayed in their jobs got only a little less of an increase — 4.6%.

Our Favorite Tips and Tools

Be Careful What You Post on Social Media: If you’re employed at will, as many employees are, your employer doesn’t need a reason to fire you. This means that, in many cases, what you post online can come back to haunt you. CNN reports on what speech is protected and not protected on social media and when you can get fired for what you post.

CareerOneStop Training Finder: When you need to build skills and credentials to advance your career, CareerOneStop’s Training Finder will help you with every step, from learning about options to getting the skills you need to grow or change careers.

How To Write a Letter of Interest: A letter of interest, also known as a prospecting letter, is a way to connect with companies that may have job openings that aren't advertised. If you have a contact at a company or can find someone to reach out to, it's an excellent way to get on an employer's radar. Here's how to write a letter of interest, with examples.

Special Deals for Our Readers

JobLogr: JobLogr is an AI-powered, mobile-friendly, platform you can use to find jobs faster and easier. You can organize and enhance every aspect of your job search, including searching for jobs based on your resume and application history, application tracking, resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn optimization, and interview preparation. Sign up for a free trial, and if you're interested in subscribing, there's a special discounted monthly subscription rate for Job Hopper subscribers (use promo code Hop20).

Remote Rocketship: Remote Rocketship scans the internet for remote job listings, and you’ll find over 70,000 remote roles, many of which aren’t listed on LinkedIn or job boards. You can search postings by job title, location, type of job, salary, company size, visa sponsorship, and more, and get daily emails when new remote jobs matching your criteria are posted. To access all the job listings, use promo code JOBHOPPER for a 20% discount.

Our Sponsors

Jobsearchdb: When you're looking for a job in a specific industry or career field, using job sites that focus on the types of jobs you're interested in can be a time-saver. The Job Search Database includes links to hundreds of niche career sites organized by category.

Remotive: When you’re looking for a 100% remote job, Remotive can expedite your search, and the basic version (2000+ jobs) is free. Learn more about how Remotive can accelerate your job search, and sign up for the Remotive Accelerator to access over 30,000 listings and the Slack community for a one-time fee.

Note: We may receive a small commission if you sign up using these links.