Key takeaways
- Job board spending is plummeting: Agencies are drastically cutting traditional job board budgets, signaling a major shift in talent acquisition strategies.
- Growth agencies invest in alternatives: Top-performing firms are reallocating funds to strategic tech, AI, and robust referral programs.
- Efficiency and quality drive new strategies: The focus is on smarter, more effective sourcing methods that deliver better candidates and stronger ROI.
For years, job boards were the go-to solution for staffing agencies – you post, you pay, you hope for the best. But the latest 2025 State of Staffing Benchmarking Report tells a different story. Agencies are shifting away from traditional job board spending and putting their money elsewhere.
The decline of traditional job board spend
Here’s what the data shows: the average monthly spend on job boards has gone from $16,388 to just $7,192. That’s not a budget trim – that’s agencies saying “this isn’t working anymore.”
But here’s the really interesting part. Agencies that experienced no revenue growth last year spent a staggering $178,440 annually on job boards. Companies that actually grew in 2024? They spent less than $48,000 annually.
Think about that for a second. The agencies throwing the most money at job boards were the ones going nowhere. Meanwhile, the growing agencies were spending roughly a quarter of that amount. The connection is pretty clear: more job board spending doesn’t equal more success. In fact, it might be holding you back.
Ready to see the complete data behind these insights? Access the full 2025 State of Staffing Benchmarking Report to get the detailed breakdown of what’s working for top-performing agencies.
Investing in strategic technology and AI
Investments are shifting to technology and artificial intelligence. The report identifies automation, technology, and AI as the biggest opportunities for driving growth in 2025, with 22% of respondents citing it as their top focus.
The fastest-growing agencies aren’t just talking about tech — they’re buying it. 62% plan new software purchases in the next 12 months. Here’s what they’re prioritizing:
- Recruiting and marketing automation: 46% of agencies are considering new software in this category, streamlining candidate engagement and outreach.
- Chatbots and AI assistants: 35% are looking to adopt these tools to enhance candidate communication and improve efficiency.
- AI for core processes: Agencies are increasingly using AI for conversational AI (55%), resume parsing and database cleanup (45%), and generative AI (44%) to optimize their talent pipelines. A significant 74% of agencies not currently using AI plan to adopt it in 2025, focusing on candidate communication and client matching.
The writing’s on the wall. While some agencies are still dumping money into job boards that aren’t delivering results, the smart ones are building their tech stack for the future.
The power of referrals
Here’s something that might surprise you: the most successful agencies aren’t just investing in flashy new tech. They’re also going back to basics with referrals — but they’re doing it smarter.
Fast-growth agencies get this. 71% of fast-growth agencies rate referrals as “extremely important” to their business. Why? Because 47% of fast-growth agencies report that referrals have the highest placement rate compared to any other source.
But they’re not just asking people to “send us candidates.” They’re using automated referral management platforms to scale what works. Staffing Referrals is the most common platform, used by 85% of companies with an automated referral system, especially those that saw revenue growth.
It makes sense when you think about it. A referral comes pre-vetted. Someone you trust is vouching for this person. That’s worth more than a thousand random resumes from a job board.
The 2025 State of Staffing Benchmarking Report makes one thing crystal clear: the old playbook isn’t working anymore. Throwing money at expensive job boards while hoping for different results? That’s a losing strategy.
The agencies that are winning are the ones making smart choices about where to spend their money. They’re investing in technology that actually makes their people more productive. They’re building AI systems that help them work faster and smarter. And they’re creating referral programs that turn their network into their biggest competitive advantage.
Want to see exactly how your agency stacks up against the ones that are growing? Download the full 2025 State of Staffing Benchmarking Report today. You’ll get the complete picture of what’s working, what’s not, and where you should be putting your money to drive real growth.
