Why Your Indeed Job Post Isn’t Getting Applicants (and 5 Simple Fixes)
You spent time crafting the perfect job description, hit "Post," and waited for the flood of qualified resumes. But days have passed, and the notification bell remains silent. If you are staring at a dashboard with zero applicants, you aren't alone. In a crowded labor market, even a great opportunity can get lost in the noise of thousands of new listings posted every hour.
The good news? It is rarely a problem with your company. Usually, it is a technical or structural issue with the post itself. By making a few strategic adjustments, you can fix your visibility and start connecting with the talent you need.
1. Your Job Title is Too "Creative"
While "Marketing Rockstar" or "Coding Ninja" might sound fun, they are recruitment killers. Job seekers search for standard terms. If your title doesn't match what people are typing into the search bar, your post will never appear in their results.
The Fix: Use industry-standard titles like "Marketing Manager" or "Software Engineer." Save the "Rockstar" talk for the "Company Culture" section of the description.
2. You Left Out the Salary Range
In today’s market, transparency is the highest currency. Data shows that job posts with visible pay ranges receive significantly more engagement. Many top-tier candidates won't even click on a listing that says "Salary Negotiable" or "Competitive Pay" because they don't want to waste time on a role that might not meet their financial needs.
The Fix: Provide a clear, honest salary range. Even a broad range is better than none at all. This builds immediate trust and encourages high-quality applicants to apply.
3. The "Wall of Text" Syndrome
Most job seekers browse on their mobile devices during quick breaks or commutes. If they open your job post and see a massive, 10-paragraph essay of dense text, they will likely close it immediately.
The Fix: Use bullet points and clear headings. Break your post into four digestible sections:
About Us (Short hook)
The Role (Primary duties)
Qualifications (Must-haves)
Benefits (What’s in it for them)
4. Your Requirements are Unrealistic
Are you looking for an "Entry-Level" employee with 10 years of experience and three master's degrees? This is a common pitfall that scares away qualified talent. Candidates often use "Ctrl+F" to find the requirements; if they see a list of 20 mandatory certifications, they will move on to a more realistic employer.
The Fix: Separate your "Must-Haves" from your "Nice-to-Haves." Be honest about what is actually required for Day 1 versus what can be learned on the job.
5. You Are "Ghosting" the Algorithm
Indeed’s search engine favors active, responsive employers. If you have older, "paused" jobs or a backlog of unread messages in your dashboard, the platform may perceive your account as inactive, which can lower the ranking of your new posts.
The Fix: Clean up your dashboard. Close out old positions and respond to any pending messages. If your post has been live for more than two weeks with no bites, consider "refreshing" the content—update the title or refine the responsibilities to signal to the algorithm that the role is still active and urgent.
Is It Time to Sponsor?
If you have applied all five fixes and are still seeing low volume, you may be in a highly competitive market or hiring for a very niche role. In these cases, a Sponsored Job can provide the "boost" needed to keep your post at the top of the search results where it won't be buried by newer listings.
Summary of Quick Fixes
| Issue | Quick Fix |
| Low Search Ranking | Use a standard, non-creative job title. |
| Low Click-Through Rate | Add a transparent salary range. |
| High Bounce Rate | Use bullet points and short paragraphs. |
| Few Qualified Leads | Shorten the "Must-Have" requirements list. |
| Stagnant Traffic | Refresh the post content or consider a small daily budget. |
Hiring is a journey, and sometimes the smallest tweaks lead to the biggest breakthroughs. By focusing on clarity, transparency, and mobile-friendly formatting, you can turn your "ghost town" job post into a magnet for top-tier talent.
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