Skip to content

Why don't I see my job posting on job boards?

Stacey Shaw & Amanda Reyer March 13, 2023 at 3:23 PM
Why Don’t I See My Job Ad on Indeed? 

This has to be the question that our agency team hears the most often, and we understand! When an organization is spending advertising dollars to promote a position, and a Hiring Manager searches for the listing and can’t find it, it leads to frustration and confusion. What exactly is going on behind the scenes? 

There are a few reasons a job ad might not be showing up right away, but the most likely cases are: 

The algorithm

The top reason companies can’t find their job ad is because job boards show results specific to each individual. That means the algorithm is based on a user’s search history, qualifications, previous jobs, jobs they have previously interacted with, location, and more. The job may simply not be relevant to the person searching, and therefore won’t show up; however, it will show up for a person who has been searching for and interacting with related jobs.  

For Example: Imagine a Restaurant Manager looking for their restaurant’s Host/Hostess position on Indeed. Indeed will see that their qualifications, experience, job history, etc., makes that individual more qualified than what the Host/Hostess position requires, and therefore it will not suggest that job in their results. 

Allotted budget

Job boards like Indeed and Zip Recruiter don’t keep job ads live 24/7. When the budget for a sponsored position is determined, the platform will determine how much allocation can be spent on average each day. Once the budget has been reached for the day, the ad goes dark until the next day.  

For Example: if a $500 monthly budget is set for a position, then each day the position will spend about $17. So, if the cost per apply start for a position is $4 then the position will be live for 4 or 5 apply starts before it’s taken down for the day, starting again the next day. 

Why NOT to search for your job ads 

When searched, if the position is found but not clicked on, the job boards will note that there was no interaction and assume the searcher is not interested in the position. This action refines their algorithm further making similar listings less likely to show up in the future.  

How to tell if sponsored job postings are appearing 

The best way to tell if job ads are appearing is if they are getting clicks and apply starts. If they are clicking but not applying, we recommend reevaluating job descriptions, salary, benefits, and other aspects of the job ad.  

Wicresoft offers Job Listing audits to help pinpoint what might be holding qualified candidates back from applying.  

Want to know more? Contact us today or learn more about Media Optimization!