Success on Indeed and LinkedIn: Optimizing Job Alerts and Profiles to Get Noticed in 2025

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A banner for a guide on job searching and professional networking. The design features a large, dark gray background with a bright, vibrant red block on the left side. An inset photo, framed in black, is positioned over the red block and slightly into the gray area. The photo features a young, professional Asian woman with long dark hair, wearing a white shirt and a black blazer. She is seated at a wooden desk and holds a clipboard containing a modern resume template, looking down at it with a thoughtful, focused expression. The right side of the gray banner contains the white title text: "SUCCESS ON INDEED AND LINKEDIN," with 'LINKEDIN' highlighted in blue. Below the title is the subtitle: "Optimizing Job Alerts and Profiles to Get Noticed in 2025."

In the highly competitive Canadian job market of 2025, simply posting a résumé and hoping for the best won’t cut it. With the unemployment rate at 6.9% and employment growth slow, job seekers need smarter strategies to stand out. Using job-boards like Indeed and LinkedIn effectively can make the difference between dozens of “no-callbacks” and the interview you deserve. At OMY Resumes, we’re committed to empowering Canadian professionalswhether in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary or Ottawawith actionable steps to optimise job-alerts and profiles so you can attract the right hiring managers and recruiters.

In this article you’ll find practical, real-life tips and step-by-step strategieswhether you’re in IT, Healthcare, Finance or Engineeringalongside mistakes to avoid, success examples and insights into how to align your digital presence with today’s tools such as AI-enabled screening. We’ll also link you to our full suite of servicesfrom our toso you can take your job-search from decent to high-performance.

1. Understanding the Job-Board Landscape in Canada 2025

Why Indeed and LinkedIn matter now

  • Both Indeed and LinkedIn dominate the digital job-search ecosystem in Canada. Recruiters increasingly rely on these platforms to scan candidates before they ever open an email.
  • With employment growth modest and the labour force expanding, your profile must act as both résumé and marketing piece.
  • On LinkedIn you have the added advantage of networking, endorsements and visibility; on Indeed you can leverage job alerts and keyword alignment. These two platforms working in tandem create a “dual-engine” job search.

Canadian job-market data to know

  • As of October 2025 employment rose by 67 000 (+0.3%) across Canada and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.9%.
  • However job openings are still cooling and hiring demands are shifting from volume to quality.
  • For job-seekers, this means less chance of getting swept up in bulk hiringyou need to stand out.

Takeaway: In 2025 you’re a marketer of your own skills, and Indeed + LinkedIn are your storefronts. Let’s optimise them.

2. Setting Up and Optimizing Job Alerts on Indeed

Why job alerts matter

Job alerts on Indeed are not just passive notifications. They are signals to the algorithm and to recruiters that you are an active candidate. If you set them up correctly, you’ll:

  • Be notified of matching roles early (timing gives you advantage)
  • Create historical data of your applications (this shows consistency)
  • Align your résumé and profile to match the alert keywords

Step-by-step guide to effective alerts

  1. Go to Indeed → enter your job title (e.g., “Senior Software Engineer Toronto”, “Healthcare Manager Ottawa”)
  2. Choose “Create job alert”.
  3. Refine keywords: use roles + industry + location. For example: “IT Project Manager Toronto”, “Registered Nurse Vancouver ICU”.
  4. Set frequency: Daily or Weekly (daily is recommended if you’re actively job-searching).
  5. Refine criteria:
    • Location radius (e.g., 25 km around Toronto)
    • Salary filters if you have a target
    • Company type or posting age (last 3 days)
  6. Save alert. Then monitor your email or Indeed dashboard.

Optimising alert keywords (with examples)

  • Use specific job titles not generic ones. Example: “Business Analyst – FinTech Toronto” rather than “Business Analyst”.
  • Include skills or tools if you have niche expertise. Example: “Power BI Data Analyst Toronto”, “Azure DevOps Engineer Calgary”.
  • Avoid overly broad keywords (you’ll get irrelevant results).
  • Negative keywords: Indeed allows you to exclude. If you’re not interested in contract roles, exclude “contract” in the keyword field.
  • Use industry-specific keywords: for example healthcare (“RN ICU Toronto”), finance (“Financial Controller Toronto”), engineering (“Mechanical Engineer HVAC Vancouver”).

Example scenario

Sara, a mid-level marketing professional in Toronto:

  • Set alert: “Digital Marketing Specialist Toronto”
  • Added keyword: “Google Ads, SEO”
  • Excluded: “intern, junior”
  • Result: Received 2 relevant alerts on the same day a role posted by a Toronto startup. She applied within hours, tailoring her résumé and cover letter (see our service) and landed an interview.

Tips and common mistakes

Tips:

  • Review your alerts weekly to confirm relevance. If too many irrelevant jobs, refine keywords.
  • Use multiple alerts (2-3) with different but related keywords to catch more roles without spamming.
  • Let your alert keywords inform the keywords you place in your résumé and LinkedIn profile (see later sections).

Mistakes to avoid:

  • Setting an alert with a generic keyword like “manager”  you’ll get thousands of irrelevant jobs.
  • Not acting on alerts  creates complacency. The job board tracks “applied” but the algorithm might deprioritise inactive profiles.
  • Ignoring location filters  a job alert covering all Canada with no radius will overload you.

3. Crafting a Stand-out LinkedIn Profile for Canadian Employers

Why LinkedIn optimisation is essential

  • LinkedIn is more than a résuméit’s your professional branding hub.
  • According to LinkedIn research, profiles with full keywords and strong networks receive far more recruiter views.
  • In Canada’s competitive job market, a strong profile can tilt you ahead by signalling professionalism and readiness.

Key areas to optimise

Headline

Your headline should go beyond your job title. For example:

  • “Senior Software Engineer | AWS & Kubernetes | Toronto-based”
  • “Registered Nurse  ICU & ER | Vancouver | Patient Safety Champion”
    This tells recruiters what you are, your key expertise, and your location.

About / Summary section

Use 3-4 short paragraphs:

  • First paragraph: who you are + your core value to employers (e.g., “I help SaaS companies scale product capabilities by building robust APIs”).
  • Second paragraph: highlight 2-3 key achievements (e.g., “Led a 10-member team, reduced API latency by 40 %”).
  • Third paragraph: what you are looking for next and call-to-action (e.g., “Open to Senior Software Engineer roles in Toronto or remote Canada”).

Experience section

  • Use bullet points to quantify: for example “Managed budget of $2 M”, “Achieved 25 % YoY growth”.
  • Use keywords aligned with roles such as “Full-stack developer”, “React”, “Data analytics”.
  • Link out to projects or portfolios if relevant (see our service).

Skills & Endorsements

  • List 10-15 industry-relevant skills. LinkedIn allows up to 50 but choose quality over quantity.
  • Encourage colleagues or former managers to endorse you.

Recommendations

  • Request 2-3 short recommendations (from peers or supervisors) that mention your strengths and contributionsthis boosts credibility.

Profile Photo & Banner

  • Use a professional headshot.
  • Banner image: choose something industry-relevant (e.g., for IT: code background; for healthcare: hospital environment) or a simple branded visual.

LinkedIn URL & Public visibility

  • Customize your LinkedIn URL (e.g., linkedin.com/in/muhammadyousufkhan).
  • Set profile to “Open to opportunities” discreetly so recruiters can see you’re active.

Example optimisation scenario

Ahmed, an engineering professional in Calgary:

  • Headline: “Mechanical Engineer | HVAC Systems Specialist | Calgary & Alberta”
  • Summary: Short intro, then bullet list of 3 major projects.
  • Skills: “HVAC design, Revit, AutoCAD, Project Management”
  • Result: He doubled profile views within a month and connected with 5 recruiters.

4. Aligning Résumé Content with Job Alerts and Profiles

Why alignment matters

When you set alerts on Indeed and have a strong LinkedIn profile, your résumé becomes the central document that connects the two. It should echo keywords from alerts and match your LinkedIn profile to create consistency. This is especially critical for ATS-friendly resumes in Canada.

Practical steps for alignment

  • Review your job alert keywords: If many roles include “data scientist Python SQL Toronto”, your résumé should include those exact keywords (where accurate).
  • Mirror your LinkedIn headline and summary in your résumé’s profile or summary section.
  • Use consistent formatting: Same job title, same name, same contact info across LinkedIn, Résumé and Indeed profile.
  • Focus on results: Instead of “responsible for team”, use “led team of 10 to deliver …”
  • Tailor cover letters (see our service) to match the role and reference the job alert keywords.

Canadian résumé trends for 2025

  • Hiring managers increasingly use AI and keyword-scanning tools (ATS).
  • Emphasis on skills over years of experienceespecially transferable skills.
  • Inclusion of remote work or hybrid work capabilities when applicable.
  • For executive or senior roles, more value placed on impact, leadership, and strategic contributions (see our in the IT domain as an example).

5. Building and Managing Your Indeed Profile

Why your Indeed profile matters

Even if you apply directly through LinkedIn, many companies repost on Indeed or use Indeed’s resume database. A well-completed Indeed profile ensures you appear in recruiter searches and your alert setup works effectively.

Key sections to complete

  • Headline: Short and keyword-rich (e.g., “Senior Financial Analyst Toronto – Budgeting & Forecasting”).
  • Summary: 3-4 sentences introducing you and your value.
  • Skills: Add 8-10 top skills (matching your résumé and LinkedIn).
  • Experience: Fill in each role with achievements and keywords.
  • Education & Certifications: Important if industry-specific (e.g., healthcare, engineering).
  • Availability & desired salary: Fill in realistic expectations but don’t undersell.
  • Upload PDF résumé: Use ATS-friendly format (no excessive graphics or tables).

Tips for maximising recruiter reach

  • Turn on “Make my resume searchable” so recruiters can find you.
  • Keep your profile active: log in weekly, update sections or add new skills.
  • Use Indeed’s “prefered job types” filters (full-time, part-time, contract) to refine your visibility.
  • Use job tracking: mark jobs applied to track your process and avoid duplication.

6. Using Alerts and Profiles Strategically for Industry-Specific Searches

IT / Tech Sector

  • Keywords: “Full-stack developer”, “AWS”, “DevOps”, “Cybersecurity Toronto”.
  • On LinkedIn: emphasise current stacks, certifications (e.g., AWS Certified), remote/hybrid readiness.
  • On Indeed alerts: set “Software Engineer – Remote Canada” plus location filters for flexibility.
  • Example: A DevOps engineer in Vancouver set alerts for “Azure DevOps Engineer Vancouver” and “Continuous Integration Specialist Canada remote”. They received a role offer within 3 weeks.

Healthcare & Life Sciences

  • Keywords: “Registered Nurse ICU”, “Clinical Research Associate Toronto”, “Mental Health Counselor Calgary”.
  • LinkedIn: Highlight licensure, hospital systems, patient safety metrics.
  • Indeed: Use location filters around major hubs (e.g., Toronto-GTA, Vancouver, Edmonton).
  • Case study: A nurse used alerts for “RN Emergency Vancouver” and accentuated “trauma care” in profile; she landed two interviews in five days.

Finance & Accounting

  • Keywords: “Financial Controller Toronto”, “Business Analyst FinTech Toronto”.
  • LinkedIn: Highlight regulatory compliance (e.g., IFRS), system skills (e.g., SAP).
  • Indeed: Alerts like “Cost Accountant Calgary oil & gas” or “Risk Analyst Montreal banking”.
  • Tip: Attach project outcomes (e.g., “Reduced audit findings by 30 %”).

Engineering & Construction

  • Keywords: “Civil Engineer Project Manager Toronto”, “Mechanical HVAC Engineer Calgary”.
  • LinkedIn: Show project sizes, budgets, software used (AutoCAD, Revit).
  • Indeed: Alerts for “Site Engineer Vancouver infrastructure” or “Engineering Manager Alberta”.
  • Example: An HVAC engineer in Calgary set dual alerts (city radius + Canada remote) and customised résumé with “HVAC design” and “LEED certified” keywords.

7. Mistakes to Avoid When Using Job Alerts and Profiles

Over-generalisation

  • Using keywords like “engineer” or “manager” without industry or location modifiers will flood your inbox and reduce focus.
  • If your profile covers too many different job titles, recruiters may see ambiguity.

Inconsistent branding

  • Mismatch between your LinkedIn profile and résumé (different titles, skills, location) creates confusion.
  • Using a fancy infographic résumé may look great but may not be ATS-friendlyrisk missing caution.

Ignoring alerts

  • Setting alerts and then ignoring them means a missed opportunity for early application. Arrival time matters.
  • Not updating your profile regularly leads to decreased visibility in recruiter searches.

Ignoring keywords and ATS

  • Many Canadian employers use automated screening tools; ignoring keyword alignment can mean immediate rejection.
  • Neglecting to tailor your résumé or profile for a role type means your application may seem generic.

Lack of follow-up and networking

  • Relying only on job boards and not reaching out to recruiters, hiring managers or former colleagues misses the human element.
  • On LinkedIn, not engaging (posts, comments, networking) reduces your visibility.

8. Case Study: From Invisible to Interview in Toronto

Meet Jessica, a marketing professional in Toronto aged 29. She was applying to roles via Indeed but getting no response for months. We helped her at OMY Resumes in three steps:

  1. Audit: Reviewed her résumé, LinkedIn profile and Indeed alerts. The résumé lacked keywords like “digital campaign”, “ROI”, “Google Analytics”. Her LinkedIn headline read “Marketing Professional” (too generic) and she had only one Indeed alert for “Marketing Manager Canada”.
  2. Optimisation: We rewrote her résumé with a strong summary (“Digital Marketing Specialist with 5 yrs experience driving ROI for SaaS firms”), added bullet points (“Improved conversion 40% in 12 months”), and aligned LinkedIn headline to “Digital Marketing Specialist | Google Analytics & SEM | Toronto”. We set new Indeed alerts: “Digital Marketing Specialist Toronto”, “SEM Manager SaaS Toronto”.
  3. Action: She logged into Indeed daily, reviewed alerts, customised cover letters (leveraging our service), and updated LinkedIn with a post about a successful campaign she led. Within four weeks she landed 3 interview offers and accepted one at a Toronto-based SaaS start-up offering remote work 2 days/week.

Key takeaways: Focused keywords + consistent profile + active alert management = tangible results.

9. The Role of AI, ChatGPT and Digital Screening in 2025

What’s changing

  • Many Canadian employers now use AI-driven tools to scan résumés and profiles for keywords, formatting and even fit.
  • Candidates using AI or tools like ChatGPT to draft résumés need to ensure authenticity, readability and alignment with ATS-friendly formats.
  • There’s a rising trend in “AI-résumé upgrade”  the résumé that passes screening but still reads human.

How you can use this to your advantage

  • Use ChatGPT or similar tools to generate a baseline résumé or profile keyword listbut always personalise.
  • Ensure your résumé format remains ATS-friendly: simple layout, standard fonts, no text in images. At OMY Resumes we craft ATS-friendly resumes for Canada.
  • Use AI to scan your résumé for missing keywords: e.g., use alerts keywords from Indeed and check if your résumé contains them.
  • In your LinkedIn profile, mention digital literacy and AI familiarity if relevant (e.g., “leveraged AI tools for market segmentation”). This can help for tech-savvy roles.

Caution

  • Don’t rely entirely on AI to write your profile. Recruiters can spot generic or over-optimised language.
  • Keep your voice professional but humanshow results, personality and clarity.
  • Avoid outdated clichés: “team player”, “hard worker” without backing evidence.

10. Long-Term Strategy: Building a Job Alert + Profile Ecosystem

Why think longer term

Even if you land a role, building this system ensures you’re ready for your next move and reduces job-search stress.

Components of your ecosystem

  1. Alert dashboard: Keep a spreadsheet or tracker of alerts you’ve set, jobs you applied to, responses and follow-up dates.
  2. Profile refresh schedule: Quarterly update your LinkedIn profile with new achievements, refreshed headline, updated skills.
  3. Resume versioning: Maintain multiple versions of your résumé (for IT, for healthcare, for finance) if you’re open to multiple industry paths.
  4. Networking routine: On LinkedIn, post once per week (share an insight in your field), connect with 5-10 new people monthly, endorse others and seek recommendations.
  5. Continuous learning: Add new certifications or courses (e.g., for IT: cloud certification; for healthcare: new licence; for finance: CFA level) and update your résumé and profile accordinglythis keeps alert algorithms recognising you as active.

Beginner to advanced alerts

  • Beginner: One generic alert (e.g., “Marketing Toronto”)
  • Intermediate: Two alerts, with one narrow focus (e.g., “Digital Marketing Specialist Toronto”), one broader (e.g., “Marketing Canada remote”).
  • Advanced: Three alerts, with one narrow geographic focus, one remote role focus, one “wild-card” for a tangential role (e.g., “Growth Marketing Toronto start-up”).

This multi-tier strategy gives you both stability and opportunistic reach.

11. Mistakes to Avoid in the Long-Term Strategy

  • Setting it and forgetting it: An alert left unchanged for six months may yield irrelevant jobs or role types you’re no longer interested in.
  • Profile stagnation: A LinkedIn profile last updated two years ago signals inactivity.
  • Résumé divergence: If your résumé, LinkedIn profile and Indeed profile don’t match (different titles, dates, skills) you risk confusion and mistrust.
  • Ignoring analytics: LinkedIn gives you profile view stats; if views are low, adjust headline or add content.
  • Over-networking without substance: Connecting for the sake of numbers is less valuable than meaningful engagement.

12. Quick Checklist Before You Submit an Application

  • Resume contains keywords from your alert and matches the job description.
  • LinkedIn headline aligns with résumé job title and uses keywords.
  • Indeed profile is searchable and up to date.
  • Cover letter references each role keywords and shows why you’re a match.
  • You’ve set the correct job alert and monitored the alert within 24 hours of posting.
  • You’ve applied within the first 24-48 hours of job posting (early bird advantage).
  • You’ve followed the company and, if possible, engaged on their LinkedIn posts (shows interest).

13. Measuring Your Success and Adjusting Your Strategy

Key metrics to track

  • Number of job alerts set vs number of relevant job notifications received.
  • Days from alert to application.
  • Number of applications submitted vs interview invitations received.
  • LinkedIn profile views and recruiter messages.
  • Update-to-application ratio: number of profile updates in last 3 months vs number of new roles reached.

When to pivot

  • If you’ve set alerts but receive many irrelevant jobs, refine your keyword filters.
  • If you apply and get no responses in 4–6 weeks, revamp your résumé or LinkedIn profile (you may be missing keywords or value-statements).
  • If your LinkedIn profile views are minimal (<50 views/month), post content, ask for recommendations, engage your network.
  • If your alert-to-application ratio is high (you apply to many but get few interviews), target fewer roles but tailor each more deeply.

14. Why OMY Resumes Is Your Partner for Success

At OMY Resumes, we specialise in helping Canadian professionals land better roles through precision-written, ATS-friendly resumes, LinkedIn profile optimisation, custom job-alert strategies and career consultation. Here’s how we fit into your job-search ecosystem:

  • Our ensure your résumé speaks the language of both humans and applicant-tracking systems.
  • Our service creates a profile that attracts recruiter attention in Canada’s specific job-market context.
  • For tailored cover letters, we offer a dedicated service.
  • If you’re seeking guidance on career path, job-search strategy or industry transition, our is designed for you.
  • Need to showcase your work online (for creative or IT roles)? Check our service.
  • We have specialised industry-pages too (such as our and services) and location-specific pages so your application reflects your market context.

Conclusion

In 2025’s competitive Canadian job-market, your most important assets are your digital presencethe job alerts you set on Indeed and the professional profile you maintain on LinkedIn. When these are optimised, aligned with an ATS-friendly résumé and continuous activity, you position yourself far ahead of the passive job-seekers. As we’ve detailed: precise alerts, profile optimisation, keyword alignment, and consistent action lead to interviews and results.