How Does Indeed Work for Employers?

by Danielle Riha in , March 17th, 2022
How Does Indeed Work for Employers

If you're looking for a great way to find employees, you should definitely consider posting jobs on Indeed. Indeed is one of the most popular job search engines out there, and it's used by millions of people each day.

So, what exactly is Indeed? How much does it cost for employers to post on Indeed? And how can you use it to find employees? Keep reading for a quick overview of everything you need to know about posting jobs on Indeed.

⮕ Related reading: The problem with relying on Indeed alone

What is Indeed?

Indeed is a job search engine that allows employers to post jobs, and candidates to apply for them. It's one of the most popular job search engines out there, and it's used by millions of people each day.

How does Indeed work?

Employers can post jobs on Indeed for free, or they can pay to sponsor them. Candidates can apply for jobs by submitting their resume and cover letter through Indeed's system. 

How much does it cost to post a job on Indeed?

It is free for employers to post jobs on Indeed, but free postings lose visibility as new jobs are added. Meanwhile, sponsored jobs remain prominently displayed in relevant search results for as long as they are sponsored. Most sponsored jobs are priced on a “pay for performance” model, which means you’ll only pay when interested job-seekers click on a sponsored job.

In 2022, Indeed added a “cost per application” pricing model that enables job posters to only pay for quality applications. In this pricing model, you do not pay for clicks or views of your job; only for applications submitted. 

What you're actually charged for an application submitted depends on the market conditions for the job, including how many job seekers are available in a given geographic area and the number of similar jobs already available in that area.

If selecting a “cost per application” model for your jobs, be sure to utilize Indeed’s “deal-breaker” questions, which prevents you from being charged for unqualified applicants. With this pricing option, you can also request a replacement for an application if you reject it in the system within 72 hours of receiving it. 

How to use Indeed for finding employees

There are a few different ways that you can use Indeed to find employees:

1. Use the Indeed job search engine to find candidates who match your criteria. You can filter your search by location, job type, and other criteria.

2. Post a job on Indeed and let candidates apply directly through the site.

3. Use Indeed's resume search tool to find candidates with the skills and experience you're looking for.

How to access Indeed for Employers

Employers can access Indeed by creating a profile on the site. Once they have created a profile, they can post jobs, review resumes, and compare candidates.

How to remove jobs from Indeed for Employers

Employers can remove their jobs from Indeed by deleting them from their account. Jobs that are removed from Indeed will no longer be listed on the site.

What type of jobs are best suited for finding employees on Indeed?

Indeed is a great place to find employees for all types of jobs. However, it's especially useful for jobs that require a specific skill or experience.

What are the benefits of using Indeed for hiring?

There are a number of benefits to using Indeed for hiring. First, Indeed is one of the most popular job boards online, which means that your job postings will be seen by a large number of potential applicants. Additionally, Indeed offers a number of features (some paid) that can make finding talent easier for your business. For example, you can clone job postings to make it easier to create multiple jobs at once, and you can communicate with applicants directly through the Indeed platform. Additionally, Indeed offers an app for employers that allows you to manage your job postings on the go.

Can you advertise jobs on Indeed for higher visibility?

Yes, you can advertise jobs on Indeed for higher visibility by purchasing a sponsored job listing to make your job stand out from the others.

Does Indeed have an app for employers?

Yes, Indeed has an app for employers that allows you to manage your job postings on the go. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

What is the Indeed policy for posting jobs?

Jobs posted on Indeed should not:

  • contain extra information, clickbait, or symbols
  • containing large amounts of keywords (known as keyword stuffing) that could be used to manipulate search results
  • be reposted excessively or habitually
  • be posted across multiple locations (known as location blasting)
  • contain low-quality descriptions with no relevant details about the role
  • exclude candidates based on anything other than their past work experience and skills
  • be for an unpaid internship

For details on these policies and more, see Indeed’s search quality page.

When does a job posting expire on Indeed?

Job postings on Indeed will remain active until you pause, close or remove the job yourself.

Can you communicate with applicants on Indeed?

Yes, you can communicate with applicants on Indeed by sending them messages through the platform.

(Note that as of August 9, 2023 Indeed's 'Employer Assist' feature is no longer available, which means that users can no longer automatically send rejection emails to candidates you are not interested in pursuing.)

Can you connect Indeed to your ATS?

Yes, you can connect Indeed to your ATS. When you connect your ATS to Indeed, you will be able to track the status of all of your applicants from all sources through one platform. This makes it easier to manage the hiring process.


If you're not using a tool like Team Engine to push your jobs out to all the job boards, you might also want to read up on ZipRecruiter, Craigslist and Google for Jobs. (And just a heads up - there's no more Facebook Jobs Marketplace!)

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