LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for recruiters and job seekers alike. With over 740 million members worldwide, LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and continues to grow. For recruiters, LinkedIn provides access to a massive pool of potential candidates. But with so many profiles to sift through, how does LinkedIn determine the number of applicants for a given job posting?
What LinkedIn Counts as an Applicant
When a job is posted on LinkedIn, there are a few key actions that LinkedIn counts as an “application” to that job:
- Clicking the “Apply” button on the job posting
- Submitting an application through LinkedIn Easy Apply
- Submitting an application via the company’s career page, if the posting links directly to it
Essentially, LinkedIn considers someone an applicant if they have actively expressed interest in that specific job opening through official application channels. Some things that won’t count as an application on LinkedIn:
- Saving or bookmarking the job
- Liking or reacting to the post
- Engaging with updates from the company page
- Following the company or recruiter
While those actions show interest in the company or recruiter, they don’t signify interest in that particular job. LinkedIn wants to make sure the applicant count only includes people specifically interested in and acting on that job opportunity.
How the Easy Apply System Works
A major way that applicants can express interest on LinkedIn is through Easy Apply. This is LinkedIn’s built-in application system that allows you to apply for jobs completely through the LinkedIn platform, without needing to visit an external site. Here’s how it works:
- A job seeker finds a job listing on LinkedIn that has the “Easy Apply” button enabled.
- They click the Easy Apply button on that job post.
- A new window opens where the applicant can upload their existing LinkedIn profile as their application. They can also add a customized cover letter.
- The applicant submits their profile and cover letter as their application for that job.
- LinkedIn registers this full Easy Apply submission as an application for that job.
The Easy Apply system provides a quick, one-click way for applicants to submit their information to multiple jobs with minimal effort. For employers, it allows them to easily track and organize applicants who have expressed direct interest in their role.
How LinkedIn Counts Applicants from Career Pages
Increasingly, companies are promoting their LinkedIn job postings in tandem with listings on their own career sites. Oftentimes, the LinkedIn job post will directly link out to the company site for the full job details and application portal.
In these cases, LinkedIn utilizes tracking technology to count applicants who land on the company’s career page from that specific LinkedIn job ad. Here are the key steps:
- A job seeker finds a LinkedIn job post that links to the company’s careers page.
- They click on that link to view the job and application on the company site.
- The company site registers the referral from LinkedIn via tracking cookies or URL parameters.
- If the job seeker then submits an application on the company’s career page, this is reported back to LinkedIn via their tracking system.
- LinkedIn counts the application submission as an applicant for that original LinkedIn job post.
This tracking integration allows LinkedIn to provide a full view of applicants, including those who applied externally on the company website. The two-way sharing of data allows for more comprehensive applicant counting and analytics.
How LinkedIn Counts Applicants from Other Sources
Applicants can also make their way to a company’s career page through other sources outside of LinkedIn. For example:
- Finding the job through a general online job board
- Visiting the company’s careers page directly
- Searching on Google and landing on the career page organically
- Referrals from an employee at the company
For applicants that come from these other sources, LinkedIn likely relies on self-reported data from the companies themselves. Here are some ways companies can report non-LinkedIn applicants:
- Manually updating the number of applicants via LinkedIn Recruiter
- Sharing applicant data through LinkedIn’s analytics and talent hub integrations
- Exporting applicant data from the company’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
By compiling applicant data from LinkedIn, career pages, and direct company integrations, LinkedIn can provide a full picture of the applicant activity on a given job posting.
Factors that Impact Applicant Counting
While LinkedIn has systems in place to track and tally applicants from various sources, there are some limitations and caveats to be aware of:
Multiple applications from one candidate
If one person submits an application through Easy Apply and also directly on the company career page, LinkedIn may count them as two applicants due to the separate systems. Typically, the ATS would catch this duplication during the vetting process. But it can sometimes inflate the LinkedIn applicant count.
Candidates “spraying and praying”
Some job seekers will take a high volume approach and blast out applications through Easy Apply to hundreds of listings. While it shows up as applicant activity for each posting, it does not necessarily indicate a strong interest or fit for the job on the applicant side.
False or accidental applications
Bots, scrapers, and even real people may end up submitting false applications through Easy Apply unintentionally. This can further dilute the applicant pool with irrelevant applicants.
External career page tracking issues
If the company career page or LinkedIn tracking breaks or loses the referral data, applicant activity can fail to be associated back to the LinkedIn job posting as intended.
Company integration inconsistencies
Issues with manual updates or exports from company ATS systems can lead to incorrect or missing applicant data being reflected on LinkedIn.
Best Practices for Accurate Applicant Counting
To help maximize the accuracy and transparency of applicant counts, here are some best practices for both employers and LinkedIn:
For Employers:
- Regularly check LinkedIn Recruiter to confirm applicant counts match your ATS
- Proactively share updates and exports from your ATS to LinkedIn
- Test career page links and tracking to catch issues before posting
- Report any suspected errors or discrepancies
For LinkedIn:
- Refine Easy Apply and career page tracking to reduce duplicates
- Implement screening to catch fake or bot applications
- Provide employers with visibility into applicant sources and details
- Continuously improve integrations with ATS platforms
The Bottom Line
LinkedIn applicant counts provide a helpful but imperfect measure of interest and engagement with a given job post. The number can be directionally insightful, but many variables can impact the accuracy. Both employers and LinkedIn play a role in ensuring the validity and transparency of applicant counting. With a clear understanding of the limitations, LinkedIn’s applicant data can provide valuable insights to inform recruiting strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does LinkedIn know if an applicant came from a specific job post?
LinkedIn utilizes UTMs, referrer tracking, and direct integrations with company sites to associate career page applicants back to the original LinkedIn job post they clicked from.
Why does my LinkedIn applicant count seem inflated?
Duplicates from the same candidate or false applications from bots/scrapers can sometimes inflate the numbers. Employers should compare LinkedIn data with their ATS for a real sense of viable applicants.
Can I see a full list of LinkedIn applicants for a job post?
LinkedIn shows aggregate applicant counts but does not provide a comprehensive list of each applicant or their details. For access to full applicant information, employers need to check their ATS or LinkedIn Recruiter account.
How frequently does LinkedIn update applicant counts?
Applicant counts on active job posts update in real-time to reflect the latest activity. For closed posts, totals will freeze at the time of closing. Employers can always export a report to get a snapshot of the final applicant tally.
Should I rely on LinkedIn applicant data alone for my recruiting decisions?
LinkedIn applicant counts have limitations so they should only be one input for decision making. Comparing to your internal ATS data and factoring in other recruiting metrics is important for the full picture.
Conclusion
Tracking applicants on a platform like LinkedIn can provide valuable signals about job post reach and engagement. But the system has inherent constraints, from technical issues to user behavior. While the applicant tally imperfect, it remains a useful directional measure when contextualized properly and combined with other recruiting analytics. With a nuanced understanding of what LinkedIn applicant counts do and don’t represent, employers can make the most of this data point to enhance their hiring efforts.