No Response From Indeed Applications--Why?

 

If you're at your wits end after sending out hundreds of job applications--and not hearing back, rest assured, it's not you. It's the state of the job market.

People think that if they have the right qualifications, then they stand a change. That's not necessarily true. With job posting sites, what most people don't know is that it costs employers to post a job and it costs them every time someone clicks on that ad--not just applies. And everyone is free to apply!

Imagine that you run a small store and you are hiring for a full time role. You want someone experienced with selling fabric and who can work 8am until 4pm every day of the week. You might think that people who only want to work weekends, or who do not have any retail experience with fabric might not apply. You'd be wrong. People will apply for anything. Peopel who live across the country might apply and ask you to relocate them in a few months. Sometimes people might apply and say they can only work a few hours in the evening. All of these people cost money.

Scrolling through job listings on Indeed can feel easy, but actually landing a job there? Not so much. One big reason is how the platform is set up on the employer side. Companies are often charged for every click on their job posting, not just for actual applications. That means their budget can get eaten up quickly by people who are just browsing or clicking out of curiosity. Once that budget runs out, the listing might disappear or get pushed down, even if the role is still open.

Another issue is the volume of applicants. Employers don’t just see the most qualified candidates—they see everyone who applies. That includes people who may not meet the basic requirements, which can overwhelm hiring managers. When hundreds of applications come in, it’s easy for strong candidates to get lost in the shuffle.

For job seekers, this creates a frustrating cycle. You might be perfectly qualified, but your application is one of many, and there’s no guarantee it even gets a close look. Add in automated filters and quick-apply options, and the process can start to feel more like a numbers game than a meaningful connection between candidate and employer.

This is why many companies are turning to recruitment agencies and using LinkedIn where there is a better flow of communication.