Your job advert gets views but no applications: what to check
Updated: Sep 14
Views without applications are a reason to investigate, not proof that the salary is wrong. Candidates may be comparing opportunities, finding unclear requirements or encountering a problem in the application journey. Check the measurement and the route to apply before changing the offer.
First, check what is being counted
Distinguish views from unique people. A candidate may return to an advert, use more than one device or share it with a colleague. Application rate is applications divided by views, expressed as a percentage, only when the two counts cover the same period. A small number of views is too little evidence for a strong conclusion. There is no single useful target rate for every legal role.
Test the application journey
Open the public listing while signed out, including on a phone. Check that Apply reaches the correct vacancy and that the sign-in and form steps are understandable. Check the CV format and size instructions. If testing a submission, clearly mark it as a test and remove it from the recruitment decision process. A broken route needs fixing before you judge the advert’s appeal.
Check the offer against the brief
Read the advert as someone with the experience you want. Is the salary or package clear? Is the workload proportionate to the level and hours? Are office days defined? Is supervision described? Does the title match the responsibilities? A long list of essentials can discourage candidates who could do the work with ordinary induction and support.
Check whether the audience is right
Views from a general campaign may not reflect suitable candidates. Compare the role title and selected filters with the people you intend to reach. A specialist position may need a narrower, clearer message. Do not add unrelated practice areas or locations simply to appear in more searches; that can create attention without relevant applications.
Change one meaningful variable
Choose the most plausible issue, make a specific improvement and record the date. For example, replace vague hybrid wording with the actual attendance pattern, clarify the salary or reduce non-essential requirements. Review after a sensible interval for the role and volume. Look at suitable applications and candidate questions as well as the headline count.
How to interpret Pembroke Legal figures
Where tracking is active, the dashboard can display advert views and an application rate. Tracking starts when enabled and does not recreate earlier visits. Session-based counts are not a count of unique individuals. If the dashboard says tracking is unavailable, do not treat that as zero interest. Use the applications record while the measurement issue is resolved.
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