Design Observer Job Board

Review:

Design Observer is a dedicated design site and online publication that was launched in 2003. The site, which attracts a niche audience of creatives across design disciplines, also features a job board but lacks any hiring tools beyond its job posting services. It is also costlier than some local competitors, including Creative City Job Board and FreshGigs.ca.

The site only offers one job posting plan, with optional extras to increase job ad exposure and visibility. While the largest proportion of site visits originate from the U.S., Design Observer does get traffic from across the globe, making it a good option for attracting international talent to design jobs in Canada.

Pros:

• Job posts are active for 90 days.
• The platform attracts an international audience of creative professionals.
• Listings are distributed across other design websites, on social media, and to more than 30,000 email subscribers.
• Employers can enhance their job posts with paid add-on features.
• The job posting process is fast and easy.
• Job posts can be edited at any time.
• Customer support is available via phone and email.

Cons:

• There is no free plan or free trial.
• The platform lacks other hiring tools, such as a resume database and applicant tracking features.
• Pricing is only listed in U.S. dollars.
• There are no local customer support channels for Canada-based users.
• The website is not available in French.

Reputation:

We were unable to find any online reviews of Design Observer's job board.

Design Observer vs. Creative City Job Board:

While Design Observer is a dedicated design publication that attracts an international audience, is specific to the Canadian market, and has a broader focus on local cultural development. Job postings on Creative City's job board are far more affordable than on Design Observer but don't reach a similarly defined audience of designers.

Design Observer vs. FreshGigs.ca:

Unlike Design Observer, FreshGigs.ca is not just aimed at the design community but also targets the advertising and tech sectors. While Design Observer may be better for attracting international talent, it is the costlier option. Neither platform features a resume database or additional hiring tools, such as applicant tracking.

Design Observer vs. Behance:

While Design Observer is a popular industry publication, Behance is a site for designers to showcase their work. Behance offers employers access to a creative candidate database, which is something Design Observer lacks. Behance is also more affordable, as the site currently offers free job postings.