Also, without a personal contact within some companies, your unique skills might not be recognized on paper.
Depending on the company and field you are interested in, job boards are impersonal, and when used alone they can be a less-effective method of getting a new job. Part of the reason is that human resources departments tend to post a “one size fits all” description. According to a job statistic in Elma Mrkonjic’s blog on goremotely.net, you have “a 40% better chance of getting hired” over other applicants if you have a referral. Also, without a personal contact within some companies, your unique skills might not be recognized on paper.