Hey there,
I constantly hear how much jobseekers can’t stand applying on Indeed. So I spent five hundred dollars sponsoring a job to see it from the other side, and I can’t wait to tell you how it went. That plus how recruiters actually use AI, a survey I need your help on, and a personal one to close. Let’s get into it.
Market Pulse
You’ve heard me say plenty of times that jobseekers can’t stand Indeed. So this week I wanted to see it from the hiring side. I put five hundred dollars behind a single role to sponsor it. Indeed charges you basically per click, so the meter runs fast. So far it’s pulled in over thirty-five applications for that one role, and not a single one has the bare minimum of experience. Not close. I’m talking applications that aren’t even in the right industry. Home Depot cashier applying for a claims manager job kind of not close.
I’ve had rough luck with Indeed for years, but this was worse than usual. Won’t be using it again, though it was a fun little experiment. And it’s a good reminder for jobseekers too. Alignment is everything. Firing your resume at every posting you see gets you the same thing it got me, a whole lot of noise and nothing that actually fits.
Career Intel
Let’s clear up one of the biggest misconceptions in recruiting. People think we run your resume through an ATS or some AI that automatically weeds you out, a robot rejecting you before a human ever sees your name. It’s not true. If AI was truly weeding out resumes without human oversight, you would be seeing lawsuits left and right (see Workday lawsuit).
Here’s what AI is actually doing in recruiting right now. The hottest tech in my world is AI sourcing platforms. Sourcing is how recruiters go out and find people, the “headhunting” side of the job. These tools scan the web for certain keywords, titles, and companies to surface people worth reaching out to. Some of them are genuinely good, and there are a ton of them out there.
Which leads to the most useful thing you can do as a jobseeker, especially if you’re passive and not actively looking. Update your LinkedIn. Write a headline that says who you are and what you do. Fill in your employment dates with real descriptions. Load your skills section with the keywords that match your work. This is literally how recruiters find you, so make yourself findable.
From the Desk
It’s been a busy summer, and it’s not slowing down. Later this week I’m headed to Los Angeles for the RIMS event. I know I keep hammering this one, but getting out and seeing people in person is the best part of this job. Can’t wait.
One quick favor while I have you. If you haven’t filled out the 2026 Claims Adjusters Survey yet, I’d really appreciate it. It only takes a few minutes and it helps me get a real read on where the market and the people in it actually are. At the end there’s a spot to drop your email, and I’m giving away a seventy-five dollar gift card to one person who does. And if you’ve already filled it out, thank you, truly.
Beyond the Desk
Switching gears completely. Last week I got to travel to the Midwest for my sister’s wedding, and it was exactly the reset I needed. Good reminder of why we all do this thing called work in the first place. It was never really about the work. It’s the people we get to show up for. Getting to be with family, welcome a new person into it, and just be present for a couple of days meant everything. So congrats to my sister and her new husband. Beyond happy for you two.
Until next week,
🤘Josh 🤘