What the checker looks at
Every result shows the line from the post it came from, so you can check it yourself.
- Age. "Posted 45 days ago", "3 weeks ago", or the publish date from a Greenhouse or Ashby link. Lever's public board doesn't give one, so for a Lever link the age only comes from a date in the post itself. Anything over 30 days is flagged.
- Reposts. A "Reposted" label means the role went back up and the original post is older than it looks.
- Still open. For Greenhouse, Lever and Ashby links, whether the company's own job board still lists the job. For pasted posts, "no longer accepting applications" and similar wording.
- How crowded it is. "Over 100 applicants" and "Be among the first 25 applicants", when the board shows them.
- Ghost-job signs. No pay range, "talent pool" or "always accepting" wording, no team or manager named, a vague location, and a very short description. These come from our ghost job checklist.
- Who owns the hire. The "reports to" line when the post has one, otherwise the role that usually hires for that job title. It does not give names or emails.
What the three verdicts mean
- Apply now: posted in the last two weeks, not reposted, not crowded, and at most one ghost-job sign.
- Apply, and also message the hiring manager: the job looks real, but it is older, crowded, or the date is missing. Your application alone may sit in the pile, so reach the person doing the hiring. Our guide on finding the hiring manager shows how.
- Probably stale: closed, older than 60 days, older than 30 days with a repost or two ghost-job signs, or three or more ghost-job signs.
The checker cannot tell you whether a company will reply. Nobody has reliable reply data for every employer, so it does not guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the checker send my pasted text anywhere?
No. The checks run in your browser. For a Greenhouse, Lever or Ashby link, your browser reads the job from that company's public job board directly. Nothing goes to HiringReach.
Why don't LinkedIn and Indeed links work?
LinkedIn and Indeed block outside tools from reading their pages. Open the post, select all the text, and paste it into the box instead. Include the line with the posting date and the applicant count.
Can it tell me if the company will reply?
No. Nobody has reliable reply data for every company, so the checker does not guess. It tells you how old the post is, whether it is still listed, how crowded it looks, and whether it shows common ghost-job signs.
Does it give me the hiring manager's name?
No. It tells you which role most likely owns the hire, based on the post. Finding the person and their work email is what the HiringReach app does, and that needs a paid plan.
Last updated: October 2026. HiringReach is an independent resource for job seekers navigating the modern hiring market.