Quick Summary
Not getting job alerts? Check that notifications are enabled, verify your email settings and spam folder, ensure your search criteria aren't too narrow, and confirm browser permissions for push notifications. Use the test notification feature to diagnose issues.
If your job alerts aren't arriving as expected, there are several things to check. Follow this troubleshooting guide to diagnose and fix the issue.
Check Your Alert Settings First
Verify Notifications Are Enabled
- Go to Account Settings > Notification Settings
- Confirm Email Notifications is turned on
- Check that individual saved searches have notifications enabled
Check Notification Frequency
Your alert frequency affects when you receive notifications:
- Instant - Emails sent within minutes of new matches
- Hourly - One email per hour (only if matches exist)
- Daily - One email at 9 AM local time
If you have daily frequency set, you'll only receive one email per day regardless of how many new jobs match.
Check Notification Hours (Premium)
If you've set quiet hours:
- Go to Notification Settings
- Review your notification hours setting
- Notifications are held during quiet hours and sent when the window opens
Check Your Email
Check Spam/Junk Folder
Job alert emails sometimes get filtered. Look for emails from:
If found in spam, mark as "Not Spam" to improve future delivery.
Add to Contacts
Prevent future filtering by adding DirectApplicant to your contacts or safe sender list:
Gmail:
- Open an email from DirectApplicant
- Hover over the sender name
- Click "Add to contacts"
Outlook:
- Right-click on an email from DirectApplicant
- Select "Add to contacts"
Check Email Address
Verify your account email is correct:
- Go to Account Settings > Profile
- Confirm the email address listed
- Update if necessary and verify the new address
Check Your Search Criteria
Search Might Be Too Specific
If your saved search criteria are very narrow, new matches may be rare. Try:
- Broadening location (e.g., state instead of city)
- Using fewer filters
- Adding alternative job titles
No New Jobs Posted
If the job market for your criteria is slow, there simply may not be new matches. Check by:
- Running your saved search manually
- Looking at the "Posted" dates of results
- Consider broadening criteria if results are all old
Push Notification Issues (Premium)
Browser Permissions
Push notifications require browser permission:
- Check your browser's notification settings
- Ensure DirectApplicant is allowed to send notifications
- Look for a blocked notification icon in the address bar
Subscription Status
Push subscriptions can expire:
- Go to Notification Settings
- Check the Push Notifications section
- If no devices are listed, toggle push notifications off and on again
- Grant permission when prompted
Browser Must Be Running
Push notifications only work when your browser is running (can be minimized or in background, but must be open).
Still Not Working?
If you've checked all the above and still aren't receiving alerts:
- Test notification - Use the "Send Test" button in Notification Settings
- Check daily limits - Free users have a daily notification limit
- Contact support - Use the help contact form with details about your issue
When contacting support, include:
- Your saved search name(s)
- Expected vs. actual behavior
- When you last received an alert
- Email provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc.)