Where to Apply: LinkedIn or Company Website?
The great debate actually has a surprising answer
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The Dilemma
This is a question that has not only crossed my mind plenty of times when I have applied for jobs, but it is also one of the most frequently asked questions I receive. This classic dilemma when you see a job opening listed both on a job board such as LinkedIn or Indeed, and also on the company website.
Do I apply to one or both?
The answer is simple, and in this article, I am not only going to set you on the right path, but also give you a breakdown of why companies use job boards in addition to their company website.
The Answer
All applications go to the same place no matter where you apply!
Now wait, before you close out of this article, that is not everything, let me explain.
All companies, big or small, have some sort of ATS system in place that consolidates all applications no matter where they come from. Some companies use the method of applications flowing to a recruiter/HR person’s email address. And others use an, “application tracking system,” like Workable, for example.
(ATS = Application Tracking System) ← drop that acronym at the dinner table tonight and your parents will hit you the 👇
Extra Pointer
General advice I like to give when it comes to where you should apply, is whichever one has the more recent job posting date or even shows a symbol of the role being actively recruited. You will see an example of how LinkedIn shows not only when the job was posted but also an indicator of the company’s urgency to fill that role. Not all job postings show this, so be sure to look out for these callouts.
How Many Job Boards Are Out There?
The short answer is too many to count! Companies usually pick one and stick with that job board to house all their outbound job search methods. Larger companies with more budget will expand past one job board when necessary.
The job boards I think are most important for people to check out are below:
LinkedIn
Indeed
ZipRecruiter
Monster
Google for Jobs
That is not to say that any other job board is bad, but if you are looking to see the most volume of jobs, I would check out these first.
Companies On Job Boards
You might be wondering why companies even use job boards in the first place. That is a great question with a super simple answer. They want to reach as broad of an audience as possible. This then leads to the most applicants. Here are some numbers to help show you the power of job boards:
Total users on LinkedIn: 850 million (give or take a few)
Total users visiting your company website to search for a job: Wayyyyy less than 850 million
You see what I mean?
What To Do Next
So, we all now know that no matter where you apply your application will land in the same place at the company you are applying for. You also learned a random fact about how many users are on LinkedIn. But most importantly you learned that it is super important to apply to the job posting that has been most recently pushed live, because then you know they are actively recruiting.
But there is one more piece of advice I would give to anyone serious about landing that role they just found online. That is leveraging your network.
Here is what I mean.
Reaching out to a friend that works at the company, a connection on LinkedIn at the company, or even a recruiter directly is the best ways to ensure your application does not just fall into the abyss.
If you can get someone in your corner who is already in the door, your odds drastically improve. And if you can sell yourself to a recruiter through LinkedIn for example, chances are you should be applying for a job in sales instead, lol.
Short and sweet with a joke at the end of the article, now that’s what I call a great Saturday morning read right there. Now go get that job!
Cheers!
