Step 1: how do I advertise a vacancy on Indeed and showcase my brand?

When you advertise a vacancy on Indeed, you can choose to create a free listing or pay to sponsor your job to improve its visibility in jobseeker searches. You can also tailor your Indeed Company Page to help potential candidates learn more about life at your company.

When you sponsor a vacancy on Indeed, you may also get access to:

• Advanced matching: our smart matching technology automatically connects your job adverts with the right people. It analyses job requirements and puts your jobs in front of candidates who already have those specific skills.
• Smart Screening: automatically screen and assess candidates based on your job criteria, helping you focus on the right applicants faster. On average, Indeed Smart Screening users reduced time-to-hire by 20%.3
• Matched candidates: contact top matches on the Jobs page and invite them to apply.
• Talent Scout: an AI recruitment assistant that can identify and engage quality candidates for your open vacancies. (Only available in the US at the time of writing of this article)
• Time-saving AI features: accelerate your candidate screening process using auto-generated messages to contact applicants or the free Indeed AI Job Specification Generator. 
• Urgent vacancy label: drive interested jobseekers to apply right away by showing you are already actively reviewing candidates.
• Branded jobs: gain visibility by adding your logo and a company image to your job ad.

Step 2: how do Screener Questions help me screen for quality candidates on Indeed?

Indeed helps you find people with the skills and qualifications you are searching for by using Screener Questions in your job ad.

For hard-to-fill roles, you can also use Talent Scout to have an AI recruitment assistant help you identify and engage quality candidates. You can learn more about Talent Scout in this guide. Please note that Talent Scout is available only in the US at the time of writing of this article.

What should employers screen for in Indeed applications?

Depending on the vacancy, you might ask candidates questions about specific qualifications, work experience or software proficiencies. Their answers can help you quickly determine whether they meet your key recruitment criteria, such as education level, years of experience, language abilities, willingness to relocate or geographic location.

How do I set must-have Screener Questions on Indeed?

1. In your Employer Dashboard, create a new vacancy or open an existing draft and scroll to the Screener Questions section.
2. Choose pre-written questions based on your vacancy title or click to add your own custom questions.
3. For non-negotiable requirements (e.g. qualifications, minimum experience, work authorisation, location), toggle the question to Required so it becomes a must-have filter in your dashboard.
4. Save and publish your vacancy. Only required questions will be available as filters when you review candidates.

When you mark a question as required, you give Indeed permission to automatically deprioritise applicants who do not meet that must-have and file them under Rejected in your Employer Dashboard. That way, you can spend more time reviewing people who meet your minimum criteria, while still being able to review optional qualifications when you want to.

You can add as many Screener Questions as needed for each vacancy and adjust them over time if you find you’re being too strict or too broad.

What are examples of must-have Screener Questions on Indeed? 

For a fully qualified electrician vacancy, you might set required questions like:

• Do you currently hold an active NVQ Level 3 qualification or a JIB Gold Card in this region? (Yes/No – Required)

• How many years of full-time experience do you have as a fully qualified electrician? (Multiple choice – Required; e.g., ‘0–1’, ‘2–4’, ‘5+’)

• Are you available to work on-call or weekend shifts when required? (Yes/No – Optional)

Step 3: how do I filter and manage candidates in the Employer dashboard?

Once applications start coming in, your Employer Dashboard becomes your control centre.

You can:

• Filter applicants by must-have questions. Only questions marked as required will appear as filters. Optional questions won’t show up as filter options.
• Apply additional filters such as education, location or work experience where available.
• Tag each candidate with Yes, Maybe or No to quickly sort by interest.
• Track each applicant with statuses like Awaiting review, Reviewed, Contacting, Rejected and Hired.

Best practices:

• Reject unsuitable candidates quickly. When someone isn’t a fit, clicking Reject candidate automatically sends a polite message letting them know they’re no longer being considered.
• Mark new recruits as Hired. Updating the final status helps you keep accurate records, understand which sources bring in strong candidates and improve how Indeed finds candidates for you in the future.

You can also invite colleagues to collaborate (review candidates, leave notes and help make decisions) by adding them under your Application Settings > Communication Settings and assigning permissions.

Step 4: how does Smart Sourcing help employers find quality candidates on Indeed?

Advertising vacancies is one way to attract candidates. Smart Sourcing helps you go out and find them. Smart Sourcing can also include Sourcing Assistant, an AI-powered tool that helps employers identify and engage relevant candidates, reducing manual searching and automating early-stage outreach with customisable messaging options. It is available with Smart Sourcing Professional and Smart Sourcing Enterprise subscriptions and is not included with Standard subscriptions.

With a Smart Sourcing subscription, you can:

• Search across millions of Jobseeker Profiles using filters like job title, skills, location, availability and recent activity.
• Use advanced search, including Boolean operators, to focus on specific skill sets or backgrounds.
• Review matched candidates for your open vacancies based on the information they share with Indeed (skills, experience and preferences).
• Use Sourcing Assistant (Currently only available in the US) if you have a Smart Sourcing Professional or Enterprise subscription, to help automate candidate discovery and bespoke outreach for relevant matches. Build shortlists of people who closely match your requirements – even if they haven’t applied yet.

Smart Sourcing can be especially useful when:

• You’re managing recruitment for hard-to-fill roles or specialised skill sets.
• You want to supplement job adverts by reaching out to passive or semi-active talent.
• You want to move quickly and start conversations with well-matched candidates straight away.

How do I search for candidates with Smart Sourcing?

1. Open your employer account and go to the Smart Sourcing experience.
2. Attach an existing open job to your search (where available) so results are tailored for that vacancy.
3. Enter a job title and key skills, then apply filters like location, availability, recent activity and years of experience.
4. Review matched candidates and add the best matches to a shortlist so you can message them directly.

What are example Smart Sourcing searches?

• Skill + title focused (software engineer):
  (“software engineer” OR “backend engineer”) AND (Python OR “Django”) AND (API OR “microservices”)
• Licence + location (registered nurse):
  (“registered nurse” OR RN) AND (“ITU” OR “intensive care”) AND (“NMC registration” OR “NMC PIN”)
• Remote-ready marketers:
  (“marketing manager” OR “growth marketer”) AND (“remote” OR “work from home”) AND (SaaS OR “B2B”)

You can then refine this further using filters like location radius, years of experience, availability or date last active.

Note: An active Smart Sourcing subscription is required to review full candidate details and send direct messages. This feature is available with Smart Sourcing Professional and Smart Sourcing Enterprise subscriptions and is not included with Standard subscriptions. Standard Smart Sourcing subscriptions do not include Sourcing Assistant. Sourcing Assistant is only available in the US at the time of writing of this article. 

Step 5: how should I message candidates on Indeed to build trust?

Fast, clear communication is a big part of making the right hire.

From your Employer Dashboard:

• Send messages directly to candidates to introduce your opportunity, ask clarifying questions or invite them to the next step.
• Create and save templates so you can tailor at scale, swapping in role details, candidate names and key requirements without rewriting each note.
• Use AI-assisted messaging where available to generate first drafts based on your job description and the candidate’s CV.

Why does rapid candidate messaging matter?

• Candidates are more likely to respond and move forward when they receive a response from you quickly.
• Jobseekers who apply to jobs after employers contact them are 3.4 times more likely to get an interview than those who apply on their own.4
• Consistently responding to candidates can help you earn the Responsive Employer Badge, which shows jobseekers that you’re likely to reply.

Even a short acknowledgement or status update, especially after an application or interview, can improve how candidates perceive your organisation.

Step 6: how do I schedule and run video interviews with Indeed Interview?

Indeed has built-in tools to help you handle interviews without extra software.

During a virtual interview, you can:

• Review the candidate’s CV and take notes on the same screen.
• Invite additional colleagues for panel interviews and share your screen where required.
• Use features like background blur and noise reduction to create a more focused experience.

How do I schedule a video interview with Indeed Interview?

1. In your Employer Dashboard, open the candidate profile for the vacancy.
2. Click Set up interview.
3. Choose Video as the interview type (you can also select phone or in person).
4. Select several time options that work for your team and add details like interviewers’ names, duration and any preparation requests.
5. Send the invitation so the candidate can confirm a time. Once they confirm, both of you receive a calendar file and a link to join the virtual interview.

Keep the experience professional and structured. Come prepared with questions, allow candidates time to respond, and use the conversation to highlight why your company and vacancy are a good fit.

Step 7: how do I make a competitive offer and mark a candidate as hired on Indeed?

When you’ve identified the right person:

1. Contact your preferred candidate to arrange a conversation about the offer.
2. Share the proposed remuneration package, benefits and start date, leaving some room for negotiation where appropriate.
3. Follow up with a written offer letter that clearly outlines salary, role expectations, benefits and any conditions.
4. Once the candidate signs, update their status to Hired in your Employer Dashboard and close or pause the job advert.

Being transparent about pay and benefits upfront can help attract the right candidates and reduce friction at the offer stage.

FAQs about using Indeed’s employer tools to find quality candidates

Is Indeed a good choice if I care more about quality than application volume?

Yes. Indeed is designed to help you focus on quality by letting you define must-have Screener Questions, filter applicants in the Employer Dashboard, proactively search with Smart Sourcing and manage interviews and offers in one place. Together, these tools help you spend less time on unqualified applicants and more time with strong matches.

How do I automatically screen out applicants who don’t meet critical requirements?

Mark key Screener Questions as Required in the Screener Questions section of your job advert. Applicants who don’t meet those must-haves can be automatically moved to Rejected in your Employer Dashboard, so you can prioritise people who meet your baseline criteria.

Is Smart Sourcing included or paid for?

Smart Sourcing is available with a subscription. You can search for and assess limited information about candidates, but you need an active subscription to review full CVs and contact them directly. It is available on Smart Sourcing Professional and Smart Sourcing Enterprise subscriptions and is not included with Standard subscriptions. Standard Smart Sourcing subscriptions do not include Sourcing Assistant. The Sourcing Assistant is only available in the US at the time of writing of this article.

What’s the difference between free job adverts, Sponsored Jobs and Branded Jobs?

• Free job adverts offer basic visibility on Indeed.
• Sponsored Jobs are paid listings that can get better visibility and access to features like Advanced Matching and the Urgent vacancy label. 
• Branded Jobs are Sponsored Jobs with added visual branding (your logo and a company image) to help your adverts gain visibility.

When to use each option:

• Free job adverts: basic visibility at no direct cost; best for less competitive roles or when you’re testing demand.
• Sponsored Jobs: paid promotion for higher, more consistent visibility; best for competitive or hard-to-fill vacancies where you want more quality applicants faster.
• Branded Jobs: Sponsored Jobs with added visual branding (logo and image); best when you want to distinguish your job from similar vacancies and reinforce your employer brand.

What is the Responsive Employer Badge and how do I earn it?

The Responsive Employer Badge appears on your job adverts when you consistently reply to applications and messages within Indeed. It shows jobseekers that you’re likely to respond, which can encourage more of the right candidates to apply.

Can I export candidates or share them with my team?

Yes. From the Employer Dashboard, you can select candidates and export their information if you prefer to review CVs via email or share them with colleagues who don’t regularly log into Indeed.

What is the recruitment workflow checklist?

Use this quick checklist to keep your recruitment focused on quality:

• [ ] Describe the vacancy and write a clear job specification (or use Indeed’s AI Job Specification Generator).
• [ ] Claim and update your Company Page.
• [ ] Post your job advert and decide whether to use Sponsored Jobs (and Branded Jobs where available).
• [ ] Set must-have Screener Questions to enable automatic screening and filtering.
• [ ] Review and filter applicants in the Employer Dashboard, keeping statuses up to date (Reviewed, Contacting, Rejected, Hired).
• [ ] Use Smart Screening (where available) to screen and score candidates based on your job criteria. Use Smart Sourcing, Sourcing Assistant and/or Talent Scout (where available) when you want extra reach or help identifying relevant candidates.
• [ ] Message candidates quickly to work towards the Responsive Employer Badge.
• [ ] Arrange and hold video interviews with Indeed Interview and provide preparation information.
• [ ] Make a clear, competitive offer and confirm the details in writing.
• [ ] Mark the candidate as Hired and close the job advert to keep your pipeline accurate and inform future recommendations on Indeed.

Back to Hiring with Indeed

 

1. Indeed survey of US employers using Premium Sponsored Jobs.
2. Indeed survey of US employers using Smart Sourcing.
3. Indeed data (US). Based on 1,095 vacancies with the Smart Screening feature enabled.
4. Indeed data, US. Jobseekers contacted by employers on Indeed before applying are more likely to get an interview.