Applying for jobs on Indeed is a good way to streamline your job hunt and keep your applications in one place, but it’s not always a straightforward process. For example: How do you even message an employer on Indeed?

If you’re curious about an aspect of the job and want to ask a few questions before you commit to applying, unfortunately, you’re out of luck — there’s no way to message an employer on Indeed before you’ve applied for the job.  

If you’ve applied for the job and the messaging feature is enabled, you can send a direct message to the hiring manager after a few days have passed. Here’s how to find it, what to send, and a few things to keep in mind when messaging an employer on Indeed.

How to find and use the messaging feature on Indeed

First things first: You can only send a message to a company on Indeed if a) you’ve already applied for the job, and b) the company has enabled the messaging feature. If you’ve looked everywhere and still can’t find a way to send a message, one of those reasons is probably why.

If an employer has enabled private messages, you can get to the message window in one of three ways:

• On your ‘My Jobs’ page, scroll to the bottom of the job listing and click the ‘Send a message’ option.
• Following the link on an email inviting you to send a message.
• Clicking on a notification in your Notification Center on Indeed.

All three of these options will take you to the same page where you can compose and send a message to the employer.

How to write a follow-up message on Indeed

Once you’ve found the messaging page, you should:

• Begin your message with a polite (but not too formal) greeting.
• Use the hiring manager’s name if it’s listed in the job posting.
• Mention the job that you’ve applied for and the date of your application.
• Research the company and personalize the message by including a short sentence or two about what you’d bring to the role.
• Ask a relevant question that isn’t already answered in the job posting or on the company’s website or social media accounts.
• Include your contact information to make it easy for them to get in touch with you if they want to reply.
• End the message by thanking the employer for their time.
• Use a professional sign off.
• Proofread your message carefully for any spelling or grammatical errors before hitting ‘send.’

Template for messaging employers on Indeed

Not sure what to send in your message to an employer on Indeed? Here’s a template you can personalize and send:

Dear [Employer's Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to express my continued interest in the [Job Title] position at [Company Name] for which I submitted my application on [Application Date]. I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to join your team and contribute to [mention a project or aspect of the company that interests you].

To gain a better understanding of the role and your expectations, I was wondering if you could provide insights into the next steps in the application process or any additional details you may need from me.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to the possibility of further discussing how my skills align with the goals of [Company Name]. Please feel free to contact me via email at [Your Email] or by phone at [Your Phone Number].

Once again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Example of how to message employers on Indeed

Here’s an example of a good message to send to an employer on Indeed:

Dear Amanda Jones,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to express my continued interest in the Sales Representative position at XYZ Company for which I submitted my application on September 3rd. I am genuinely excited about the opportunity to join your team and contribute to your dynamic sales force.

To gain a better understanding of the role and your expectations, I was wondering if you could provide insights into the next steps in the application process or any additional details you may need from me.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to the possibility of further discussing how my skills align with the goals of XYZ Company. Please feel free to contact me via email at [email protected] or by phone at (555) 123-4567.

Once again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Best regards,

John Smith

For more templates and examples, check out our networking emails page for what to send a hiring manager after applying.

When is it appropriate to message an employer on Indeed?

You should only reach out to employers directly on Indeed if you actually need to. That usually means:

• If you have a genuine question that isn’t answered in the job posting or on the company website
• If it’s been at least a week and you haven’t heard back

Keep in mind that you may not hear back, and that’s okay. If you’ve sent one follow-up already with no response and are still in the early stages of the hiring process, you generally shouldn’t reach out again.

Related: What “Not Selected By Employer” Really Means on Indeed (And Proven Strategies to Avoid It)

How to contact an employer if you can’t message them on Indeed

If a company hasn’t enabled the messaging feature on Indeed, it’s still possible to reach out to them directly. You can find an employer’s contact information by:

• Searching for a ‘Contact Us’ page on the company website
• Connecting with the hiring manager on LinkedIn and sending a message
• Checking other job boards to see if the company’s contact information is listed