The Truth About “Easy Apply” on LinkedIn (Does it Ever Work?)
It is the most tempting button on the internet.
You are scrolling through LinkedIn Jobs. You see a role that looks “okay.” You see the blue Easy Apply button. You click it, select your resume, and hit “Submit.” Total time: 10 seconds.
It feels productive. You just applied for a job!
But then… silence.
Most job seekers treat the Easy Apply button like a lottery ticket. They click it 50 times a day, hoping one of them wins. But weeks go by, and their inbox remains empty.
This leads to the big question: Is “Easy Apply” a scam? Is it a black hole where resumes go to die?
At Technosys, we have analyzed the backend of LinkedIn Recruiter (the tool hiring managers use). The answer is complicated. Easy Apply does work, but only if you know exactly how the algorithm treats your application.
In this guide, we will reveal the truth about Easy Apply, why most people fail using it, and the “Technosys Strategy” to hack the system.
What is “Easy Apply” (And Why Do Recruiters Use It?)
First, let’s understand the enemy.
Easy Apply is a feature LinkedIn offers to companies to increase the volume of applicants. When a company posts a job, they have two choices:
Apply on Company Website: This takes the user off LinkedIn to a complex form (Workday, Taleo, etc.). Conversion rate is low.
Easy Apply: The user stays on LinkedIn. Conversion rate is high.
Recruiters love Easy Apply because it gives them a massive stack of resumes instantly. But that is also the problem.
Because it is so easy, everyone clicks it. A job posted with Easy Apply will get 500+ applicants in 24 hours. A job posted on a company website might get 50.
The Math: When you use Easy Apply, you are voluntarily entering the most crowded room in the building.
The “Black Hole” Myth: Does Anyone Actually Read These?
Yes, but not in the way you think.
When you submit via Easy Apply, your resume does not go to an email inbox. It goes into a “Bucket” inside LinkedIn Recruiter.
The recruiter sees a dashboard that sorts candidates by “Match Score.”
Top 10%: “High Match” (Based on keywords in your headline and resume).
Middle 50: “Maybe.”
Bottom 40%: “Unqualified.”
If you are in the bottom 40%, a human will never see your application. The Easy Apply algorithm filters you out before the recruiter even logs in.
This is why optimizing your profile (as we discussed in our How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile guide) is non-negotiable. If your LinkedIn profile doesn’t match the job description, Easy Apply is a waste of time.
When You Should Use “Easy Apply” (The Green Light)
Despite the competition, Easy Apply has a place in your strategy.
Use “Easy Apply” if:
You are a Perfect Match: You have the exact job title and skills listed. The algorithm will rank you high.
Speed is Key: The job was posted less than 24 hours ago. Being in the first batch of 50 applicants matters.
Low-Stakes Roles: You are applying for a “Plan B” job that you don’t care deeply about.
When You Should NEVER Use “Easy Apply” (The Red Light)
If you see your “Dream Job,” do not touch that button.
Why? Because you are throwing your resume into a pile of 1,000 others. You become a commodity.
Instead, do this:
Read the job description on LinkedIn.
Go to the company’s website.
Apply through their official portal.
Why?
Official portals often ask specific questions (“Why do you want this job?”) that filter out the lazy Easy Apply candidates.
Your application goes into their internal ATS (Applicant Tracking System), which is often monitored more closely than LinkedIn’s bucket.
(Make sure your resume is formatted correctly for this. Check our guide on How to Write an AI-Proof Resume ).
The Technosys “Double Tap” Strategy
If you must use Easy Apply (because the company doesn’t have a website portal), you need to cheat.
We call this the “Double Tap.”
Step 1: The Click Submit your application via Easy Apply. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated.
Step 2: The DM (Direct Message) Immediately find the “Hiring Team” member listed on the job post. If none is listed, search for “Recruiter at [Company Name]”.
Send them this message:
“Hi [Name],
I just applied for the [Role Name] via Easy Apply, but I know those inboxes get flooded.
I wanted to personally reach out because I’ve been following [Company] for a while and [mention specific reason you like them]. I’ve attached my portfolio below.
Best, [Your Name]”
Why this works: You just moved yourself from the “Anonymous Pile” to the “Human Pile.” Even if they don’t reply, they will recognize your name when they scroll through the Easy Apply list.
Tools to Master the Application Game
Manually applying is slow. In 2026, you should be using tools to speed this up without sacrificing quality.
Simplify.jobs: This is a browser extension that is better than Easy Apply. It autofills “Apply on Website” forms in one click. It gives you the speed of Easy Apply with the quality of a full application.
Teal: We mentioned this before. Use it to track which Easy Apply jobs you hit so you don’t forget to follow up.
Apollo.io: Use this to find the email address of the recruiter if you want to bypass LinkedIn entirely.
Conclusion: Use It, But Don’t Rely on It
Is Easy Apply broken? No. It is just crowded.
If you treat Easy Apply as your only strategy, you will fail. But if you use it as part of a broader strategy combined with profile optimization, direct networking, and verifying listings to avoid Ghost Jobs it can be a powerful tool for volume.
Our advice: Spend 20% of your time on Easy Apply (Volume). Spend 80% of your time on Networking & Tailored Applications (Value).
Do you use the Easy Apply button? What has been your success rate? Let us know in the comments!
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