Why Stockton Businesses Are Switching from Indeed to Local Job Boards

I keep having the same conversation with Stockton and Modesto business owners:

"I posted on Indeed, spent $400, got 60 applications, and maybe 3 were actually qualified. Half of them don't even live in California."

Sound familiar? You're not alone. And there's a reason this keeps happening.

The Problem With National Job Boards

Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and LinkedIn are designed for one thing: scale. They want the most users possible, applying to the most jobs possible, generating the most clicks possible.

That works great for big corporations with dedicated HR teams who can sort through 500 applications. It does NOT work for:

A restaurant owner in Stockton who needs a line cook
A warehouse in Tracy looking for forklift operators
A dental office in Modesto hiring a front desk person
A construction company that needs laborers who can actually show up

You don't need 100 applications. You need 5-10 good ones from people who live here and want this specific job.

Why Indeed Doesn't Work for Local Hiring

1. The Geography Problem

Indeed shows your job to everyone. Someone in Texas scrolling through "warehouse jobs" will see your Stockton posting. They might even apply (Easy Apply makes it too easy not to).

Result: 50% or more of your applications are from people who don't live anywhere near you and have no intention of relocating for an $18/hr warehouse job.

2. The Easy Apply Problem

Indeed's "Easy Apply" lets people apply to jobs with one click. Sounds convenient, right?

In practice, it means people are mass-applying to 50+ jobs without reading any of them. You're not getting candidates who want YOUR job. You're getting people who are spray-and-praying every job that pops up.

3. The Pay-Per-Click Trap

Indeed charges you every time someone clicks your job posting. Not applies. Not gets hired. Just clicks.

In the Central Valley, that's typically $5-12 per click depending on competition. So:

100 people click your job: $500-1,200
30 of them actually apply
20 of those are out of state
5 are bots or spam
You paid $500+ for 5 real applications

4. The Algorithm Games

Indeed's algorithm decides who sees your job. If you don't pay enough, your job gets buried. If big companies are outbidding you, your job gets buried. If Indeed decides your job isn't "engaging" enough, your job gets buried.

You're competing against companies with $10,000/month recruiting budgets. As a small business, you can't win that game.

What Local Businesses Actually Need

After talking to hundreds of Valley employers, here's what actually matters:

Local candidates only - People who actually live in Stockton, Modesto, Tracy, or nearby
Intentional applications - People who read your posting and specifically want your job
Predictable costs - Know what you're paying upfront, not per-click guessing games
Direct contact - Email and phone numbers, not messages through a platform
No spam - Real people, not bots or mass-appliers

Why Local Job Boards Work Better

A local job board like 209.works is built differently:

Geography is Built In

We only show jobs to people in the 209 area code. We don't have users in Texas or Florida because why would they be on a Stockton job board?

Every single application you get is from someone who lives here.

No Easy Apply Nonsense

Applicants have to actually fill out an application and upload their resume. It takes 3-5 minutes instead of 3 seconds.

That small friction filters out the spray-and-pray people. If someone takes the time to apply, they actually want your job.

Flat Pricing

$99 per job posting. That's it. Not per click, not per application, not per month. You pay once and your job is live for 30 days.

You know exactly what you're spending before you post.

Real Support

When you email Indeed, you get a bot. When you email us, you get a person (usually me).

Need help writing your job posting? Have a question about applicants? Want to extend your listing? Just ask.

The Numbers: Indeed vs Local

Let me show you real numbers from a Stockton warehouse that tried both:

Indeed (2 months)

Cost: $847 (pay-per-click)
Applications: 73
Local applicants: 18
Interviewed: 6
Hired: 1
Cost per hire: $847

209.works (1 month)

Cost: $99
Applications: 12
Local applicants: 12
Interviewed: 4
Hired: 1
Cost per hire: $99

Fewer applications, but they were all local and all quality. No time wasted sorting through spam.

"But Indeed Has More Users!"

This is the most common objection I hear. And yes, Indeed has millions of users. But ask yourself:

How many of those millions live in Stockton?
How many are actively looking for YOUR type of job?
How many will actually show up to an interview?

You don't need millions. You need 5-10 qualified locals. A focused local board can deliver that better than a national platform showing your job to the entire country.

When Indeed DOES Make Sense

I'm not saying Indeed is always wrong. It works well for:

Remote jobs - You actually want nationwide reach
Executive positions - Candidates will relocate for $150k+ jobs
Large companies - With dedicated HR teams to process 200 applications
Specialized roles - Where you need to cast a wide net

But for local hourly work? Retail, warehouse, restaurant, healthcare, admin? You're overpaying for reach you don't need.

Making the Switch

Here's my honest advice:

Next time you need to hire, post on a local board first
Give it 2 weeks and see what quality applications you get
If you need more reach, then consider Indeed as a backup

You might find you don't need Indeed at all. A lot of our employers have completely stopped using it.

Try It Yourself

Post your next job on 209.works for $99. If you don't get quality local applications, I'll give you a full refund.

That's a guarantee Indeed won't give you.

Questions? Want to talk through your hiring situation? Email me directly: paul@209.works

209.works is a proud member of the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce.