What's included in this guide
- What is Indeed Direct Apply?
- What are the benefits of Indeed Direct Apply?
- SETUP
- Indeed Direct Apply Screening Questions
- Advertising a ‘Direct Apply’ role to Indeed
- The candidate process for Indeed Direct Apply
- Viewing candidates’ applications
- Reporting
- Status Updates (Disposition Integration)
What is Indeed Direct Apply?
Indeed Direct Apply is a feature which allows candidates to apply for a job from Indeed (where the job was first created in your Jobtrain platform). Candidates' CVs and all their basic details from their Indeed profile will automatically transfer across into Jobtrain and appear as a submitted application.
What are the benefits of Indeed Direct Apply?
Just some of the benefits of using the Indeed Direct Apply method include:
- Reduced disengagement from candidates when they’re asked to register in a separate system (Jobtrain) - as Direct Apply will automatically transfer their basic details to their application form.
- An increase in the volume of applications for advertised roles on Indeed.
- Increase in application conversions - one of our clients saw a 19% increase in just 3 days!
Please note, if you choose to use Indeed Direct Apply, once this has been activated, this will apply to all roles that are posted on Jobtrain.SETUP
Step 1: Enable user access
Go to Settings > Security Roles and open the relevant Security Role.
Go to the Settings tab and enable access to:
- Application Templates: Direct Apply Application Form
- Equal Opps and ECNI Equal Opps, if required
This is only relevant for clients utilising the ECNI equal opps functionality
Step 2: System Customisation
To ensure candidates receive a confirmation email after applying: Go to Settings > System Customisation > Email > Set Direct Apply Email
Select the relevant acknowledgement email template.
Build your Direct Apply application form
Where to go: Go to Settings > Application Forms > Direct Apply Application Form
You can only have one Direct Apply application form, but it includes multiple tabs:
- Application Form (for assessment questions)
- Personal Details
- Equal Opps
- ECNI Equal Opps (if required)
Application Form tab
Set up your Direct Apply application form to collect key candidate details and ask custom questions from your Assessment Form Question Bank.
Candidate details pulled from Indeed
The following information will automatically pull from the candidate’s Indeed profile:
- First name
- Surname
- Email address
- Phone number
You can also choose to include a CV upload option if required.
Add questions from the Assessment Form Question Bank
On the right-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a list of compatible questions pulled from your Assessment Form Question Bank.
To add questions:
- Select the + button beside a question
- Or drag and drop questions into the application form area
Each added question will appear on the left-hand side — this is what candidates will see when completing the form.
You can add up to 10 custom questions.
Supported question types:
- Textbox
- Multi-choice (one answer)
- Multi-choice (multiple answers)
You can:
- Use drag-and-drop to reorder questions
- Select the bin icon to remove questions
To manage your questions, go to Settings > Assessment Forms > Question Bank.
Buttons and actions
- Preview — View the candidate version of the form before making the job live
- Save — Save your edits to the form
- Exit — Leave the form without saving changes
Personal Details tab
Use this tab to enable standard fields that automatically map into offers, contracts, and new starter forms.
Toggle on any of the following:
- Title
- National Insurance Number (no validation is available in Indeed)
- Address Line 1
- Address Line 2
- Town/City
- County
- Country
- Postcode
These fields are optional and can be enabled per client configuration.
Equal opportunities tab
Enable Equal Opportunities questions for your Indeed Direct Apply candidates to ensure full candidate coverage for Equal Opps reporting.
Any questions configured in this tab will appear to candidates applying via Indeed Direct Apply.
You can also include custom fields from the Question Bank — these work the same way as on standard application forms but must use question types supported by Indeed.
Supported question types:
- Text
- Multi-choice (one answer)
- Multi-choice (more than one answer)
- DateDirect Apply Equal Opps tab
Enable standard or custom equal opportunities questions. Compatible question types:
- Text
- Multi-choice (one or more answers)
- Date
ECNI Equal Opportunities tab
Use ECNI-compliant questions in your Indeed Direct Apply application form for enhanced equal opportunities reporting.
Enable ECNI Equal Opps app access
To give users access to configure ECNI-specific questions:
- Go to Settings > Security Roles > Settings > ECNI Equal Opps
- Enable the toggle to give access to:
- The ECNI Equal Opps tab in the Direct Apply Application form
- The Include ECNI Equal Opps toggle in the Assessment page for each job
Configure ECNI Equal Opportunities questions
To add ECNI-specific questions:
- Go to the ECNI Equal Opps tab in the Direct Apply Application.
- Select questions from the Assessment Form Question Bank or create new custom fields (compatible types only).
These questions will be shown to candidates when applying via Indeed Direct Apply.
Supported question types:
- Text
- Multi-choice (one answer)
- Multi-choice (more than one answer)
- Date
You can manage ECNI questions the same way as standard Equal Opportunities questions.
Enable ECNI Equal Opportunities per job
To include ECNI Equal Opportunities questions for a specific job:
- Make sure Equal Opportunities questions are enabled in the Direct Apply Application.
- On the job’s Assessment page, enable the Include ECNI Equal Opps toggle.
If no questions are configured in either the standard or ECNI tabs, candidates will not be shown any equal opportunities questions.
Indeed Direct Apply Screening Questions
Include Killer Questions (Pre-Assessment questions) in your Indeed Direct Apply applications to screen candidates more effectively.
Why include Killer Questions?
Including Killer Questions in your Direct Apply application helps:
- Automatically filter unqualified candidates
- Speed up screening by focusing on key requirements
- Create a fairer, more consistent process
- Improve candidate experience with clear expectations
When you post a job, any job-specific Pre-Assessment questions are automatically included as mandatory screening questions on Indeed.
Key points:
- Only multiple choice questions are supported
- Questions are mandatory for candidates to complete
- Questions must be part of the Pre-Assessment form for the job
Advertising a ‘Direct Apply’ role to Indeed
Once your job is live, it will automatically be added to the Indeed feed for processing.
How it works:
- The job is included in the Indeed job feed as soon as it's made live.
- Indeed refreshes the feed every 6 hours (4 times daily) to collect new or updated jobs.
- The role will appear on Indeed once it has been consumed during one of these refresh cycles.
Tip: If your job doesn’t appear on Indeed right away, allow up to 6 hours from the time it was made live.
Indeed Direct Apply candidates will always complete the Direct Apply application form, not the application template specified on the ‘Assessment’ page.Where enabled, Indeed Direct Apply posts ALL JOBS to Indeed – it isn’t possible to pick and choose which vacancies are posted.The candidate process for Indeed Direct Apply
When candidates apply to a job posted via Indeed Direct Apply, they complete a streamlined application experience powered by Jobtrain.
What candidates see
Candidates are presented with:
- Any Direct Apply Personal and Application questions set up in Jobtrain
- Any job-specific Pre-Assessment (Killer) Questions
- Any configured Equal Opportunities questions
These appear in the order above within the Indeed application flow.
Note: All Pre-Assessment and Equal Opportunities questions must be compatible with Direct Apply question types (Text, Multi-Choice, Date).
After submission
- The completed application is sent to Jobtrain automatically.
- Candidates receive an acknowledgement email (configured in Step 2 above) with instructions on how to access their Jobtrain account.
If Indeed cannot send a candidate’s data to us or we cannot receive the data (e.g. closing date is passed, CV size exceeds 1MB), the candidates will be directed to the job advert on your vacancies site to apply for the role.
Viewing candidates’ applications
Candidate Record
Once a candidate has submitted their application, this will be available to view in Jobtrain by going to the list of candidates against the role and clicking on the candidate’s name.
How will I know which candidates have applied using this method?
When viewing the candidates’ applications, there is icon on the candidate card and at the top of the application, which reads Applied via: (Indeed icon).
If a candidate is moved from a role where they originally applied via the Indeed Direct Apply method, please be aware that this information will be copied to the new role.
It will appear as though the candidate has applied directly using Direct Apply, even if the role does not have Direct Apply enabled.Viewing Application Questions & CV
- Any additional questions that have been added to the Indeed Direct Apply Application form will appear under the ‘Application Form’ tab section entitled Assessment Form A
- The CV is displayed under the ‘CV & Documents’ tab.
If a CV was required when setting up the application form, the information from the CV will be parsed, which can be used to assist the candidate if there is a 2nd stage process in the application journey.No matter which apply method a candidate has used, they will appear in the list of candidates against the job advertised.
Viewing Pre-Assessment / Killer Questions
You can review the candidate responses to the pre-assessment / killer questions by selecting the three dots in the Application Form section and then selecting Pre-Assessment Form.
The green tick and orange cross icons indicate the candidates answer to the question:
- If a candidate answers correctly, you'll see a green tick (Q1 in the below image)
- If a candidate answers a question wrong, you'll see an orange cross, and the response will be highlighted in orange (Q2 in the below image)
Please note: All correct answers in the pre-assessment/killer questions form will be shown in green. If there are multiple correct answers, they will all be highlighted in green as shown in the image below.
Multi-choice (More than one Answer) responses
If the question allows candidates to choose multiple answers, the responses will be shown in the same format:
In the example above the candidate has selected two options:
- GCSE which is incorrect
- A-Level which is correct
If configured, automatic Pass/Fail status updates and candidate emails will be sent upon receiving a Direct Apply application, depending on whether the candidates' have passed or failed.Viewing Equal Opps Information
Candidate responses to the Equal Opps and ECNI Equal Opps questions will be saved against the 1st stage application form Equal Opps section.
Depending on System Configuration, this will be accessed within the ‘More’ menu, or the Application Form menu of the candidate’s application record as highlighted below:
Existing security role controls will still apply, so only those users with access to view Equal Opps will be able to see the actual candidate responses.
If automatic Pass/Fail status updates and candidate emails have been configured within the Pre-Assessment settings of the job, then these will occur upon successful receipt of a Direct Apply application based on whether the candidates have passed or failed.
2nd Stage Applications
You can invite candidates who have applied via Indeed Direct Apply to complete a 2nd stage application form following the normal process.
If both the Direct Apply and 2nd stage forms include equal opportunities questions, candidates' responses to the standard equal opps questions from their initial Indeed application are automatically filled in.
Candidates can change their answers, which will overwrite responses in both stages if changed.
Please note: If custom fields have been used in the Indeed Direct Apply Application form these are not automatically filled in and will need completing again by the candidate.
Reporting
Source Tracking
The candidate source will automatically be tagged which allows you to report using the Source Tracking Report. This will appear as Indeed-Direct-Apply.
Equal Opportunities Reporting
Equal Opps responses from direct apply applications will be reflected in any standard equal opps reports, dashboard graphical displays and in data that is available to report via the Advanced Insights Reporting Suite.
Status Updates (Disposition Integration)
From 1st April 2025, clients using Indeed Direct Apply will automatically be opted in to share application progress updates (for applicants received via the integration) with Indeed. This means Jobtrain will share the status of any applications submitted through Indeed.
If you would prefer to opt out of sharing these status updates or sending disposition updates for your applicants, please complete this form to submit your opt-out request.
Why share disposition data?
Sharing status updates with job board providers can offer several benefits:
- Transparency for candidates
Applicants who apply directly via a third party gain clearer visibility into the status of their application. - Insights for Job Boards
Disposition data helps job boards understand application outcomes, supporting more effective sourcing strategies and better-informed decisions.
That said, this is your organisational data, and it’s entirely your choice whether to share it and provide feedback on job board performance.
FAQs
Are CVs mandatory for this apply method?
No, CVs are not mandatory for this apply method. There is a toggle within the Direct Apply Application form to turn the CV option off.
My Job is not appearing on Indeed, why could this be?
As Indeed consumes the feed and refreshes the job content 4 times each day (every 6 hours from the time of the last request) your job may not instantly appear on Indeed. Please read our Advertising on Indeed article for further information and tips.
Why is my question not appearing in the Direct Apply application form?
If you are adding a new question to the Indeed Direct Apply application form, you will need to add this to the question bank first.
If the question is already added in the question bank and it’s not appearing in the Direct Apply application form, then you may have selected a question type that is invalid. The valid question types are multi-choice (one answer) and Textbox.
Can I build more than one Indeed Direct Apply application form?
No, only one Indeed Direct Apply application form can be created. This can be controlled and edited by going to Settings > Application Templates > Indeed Direct Apply Application Form.
Are candidates using this apply method asked to complete pre-assessment / killer questions?
Yes, if a job is advertised that includes Killer Questions / Pre-Assessment questions, the job-specific pre-assessment form questions are to be added to the screening questions sent to Indeed and candidates are required to complete these.
Please note: this only applies for any roles advertised on Indeed as of 11th October 2023. Any candidates who applied via this method prior to this date will not have the been asked to complete these questions.
Are Equal opportunities questions mandatory?
No, Equal opportunities questions remain optional. If you don't wish to capture equal opportunities information for all initial Indeed Direct Apply applications, simply leave the Equal Opps section of the form empty by not activating any questions.
If none of the questions are enabled, then the candidates will not be asked to complete this information.
I have activated the Direct Apply Equal opps section of the Application template but some candidates who have applied via Indeed Direct Apply have this data missing, why is this?
The equal opps direct apply section of the application form was a new addition as of October 2023. Any candidates who applied prior to this date will not have this information included in their Indeed application.
Can I track if candidates have come from the Indeed Direct Apply method?
Yes, the candidate source will automatically be tagged which allows you to report using the Source Tracking Report. This will appear as Indeed-Direct-Apply.
Can I restrict who has access to this functionality?
Absolutely. As with most areas of Jobtrain, this functionality can be restricted in Security Roles within Settings.
If you need support with updating access using Security Roles, please contact your Continuous Improvement Consultant or the Support Team who will be happy to help.
What is disposition data?
Disposition data refers to the status or outcome of a job application after it has been submitted. It shows what happened to each applicant throughout the recruitment process.
For example, disposition data might include statuses like:
- Application received
- Interview scheduled
- Rejected at screening
- Offered
- Hired
When shared with job boards (such as Indeed), disposition data helps them understand how candidates performed after applying. This can improve the quality of future applicants by refining how and where your jobs are advertised.
Note: Sharing disposition data is optional and fully under your organisation’s control. Please let us know if you would like to opt-out of sharing this information.
I’ve followed the guidance notes and have some further questions.
For any questions about Indeed Direct Apply (or any other Jobtrain functionality), please contact our Support Team on +44(0)161 8502004.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is Indeed Direct Apply?
- What are the benefits of Indeed Direct Apply?
- SETUP
- Indeed Direct Apply Screening Questions
- Advertising a ‘Direct Apply’ role to Indeed
- The candidate process for Indeed Direct Apply
- Viewing candidates’ applications
- Reporting
- Status Updates (Disposition Integration)
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