To apply via LinkedIn, you have two options: the simplified application ("Easy Apply"), fast but highly competitive, and the application on the company's own website, more demanding but better regarded. Before you apply, optimize your profile (photo, headline, experience), because the recruiter will look at it every time. Turn on "Open to Work" so you can be found, and use your network: an application backed by a contact has far more chance of succeeding than an anonymous click.
"I applied to 40 jobs on LinkedIn using Easy Apply, and got zero replies." This complaint comes up often, and it is no surprise. In Switzerland, LinkedIn has become unavoidable: the country has 5.3 million members, roughly 59% of the population, one of the highest rates in the world. In other words, recruiters in French-speaking Switzerland are on it, and your profile is being seen there.
But applying on LinkedIn is not just about clicking a button. In this article, we distinguish the two ways of applying, explain how to prepare your profile before you start, and show how your network changes everything, with the figures to back it up.
Easy Apply or direct application: which should you choose?
LinkedIn shows two buttons depending on the posting. "Easy Apply" sends your profile in a few clicks, without leaving the platform. "Apply" redirects you to the company's website, where you fill out a real form and upload your CV and cover letter.
The two do not carry the same weight. Easy Apply is tempting because it is fast, but that is exactly its trap: since everyone clicks, these postings attract a far higher volume of applications. As a result, the response rate drops: an Easy Apply application is generally estimated at a 1-2% response rate, compared with 3-5% for an application submitted directly on the company's website.
| Criterion | Easy Apply (simplified application) | Direct application (company website) |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Very fast, a few clicks | Longer, full form |
| Competition | Very high (massive volume) | Lower |
| Estimated response rate | 1-2% | 3-5% |
| Personalization possible | Limited | Full (tailored CV + cover letter) |
| Recruiter perception | "Mass" application | Committed application |
The rule is simple: if you genuinely care about the job, go through the direct application and take the time to tailor your file. Keep Easy Apply for secondary positions or to test a market. And in every case, personalize: a generic application is spotted immediately.
How to optimize your LinkedIn profile before applying?
When you apply on LinkedIn, the recruiter does not just read your CV: they click on your profile. It is often the first thing they look at, and they decide quickly, usually within a few seconds. So your profile needs to be ready even before you click "Apply."
A few levers that really matter:
- The photo. According to LinkedIn, profiles with a photo receive far more views than those without. In Switzerland, the photo is part of the application conventions, just as it is on the CV. Our advice on the CV photo in Switzerland applies here too.
- The headline. Do not just write your current job title. State what you are aiming for and your value: "Certified accountant, specialized in SMEs in French-speaking Switzerland" says more than a plain "Accountant."
- Experience. Follow the same logic as the CV: a clear title, concrete results, action verbs. A complete, optimized profile is far more visible in recruiter searches.
- Skills and keywords. Recruiters search by keyword. Reuse the vocabulary of your profession and of the postings that interest you, without stuffing them in artificially.
A strong profile and a strong CV work together. If the recruiter sees a good application but an empty profile, doubt sets in. The reverse is true too.
Should you turn on "Open to Work"?
"Open to Work" signals that you are looking. There are two settings: the green badge visible to everyone, or the discreet option reserved for recruiters. The latter makes you visible in LinkedIn's recruiting tool without publicly displaying your search, which is useful if you are still employed.
The effect is measurable: members who use the "Open to Work" frame receive on average 40% more messages (InMails) from recruiters. On top of that, complete, optimized profiles are far more likely to receive opportunities than incomplete ones.
The choice between the public badge and the discreet mode depends on your situation:
| Situation | Recommended setting |
|---|---|
| Employed, confidential search | Discreet mode (recruiters only) |
| Unemployed, active search | Public badge is an option, to maximize visibility |
| Small sector in French-speaking Switzerland | Be cautious with the public badge: your employer may see it |
Applying actively is good. Being found without lifting a finger is even better. "Open to Work" combines the two.
Why does going through your network change everything?
This is the point most candidates overlook. Applying cold, even well, remains a numbers game. Going through someone inside the company completely changes the odds.
The research on the subject all points the same way. According to several recruitment analyses, referred candidates are around 4 times more likely to receive an offer than those who apply through the usual channels. Hiring through referrals is also generally faster than an application submitted on a careers site. And while referrals make up only a small share of applications received, they account for a much higher proportion of hires.
In practice, on LinkedIn:
- Before you apply, look at who in your network works at the company or knows it.
- Send a short, honest message: you saw the posting, it matches your profile, and you wanted to know whether the person could point you in the right direction or put in a word internally.
- Apply officially as well, in parallel, so that your application exists in the system.
- Stay courteous and brief. In French-speaking Switzerland, restraint is appreciated: no pushy follow-ups, no excessive familiarity.
The network does not replace a good application, it amplifies it. A relevant CV, backed by a contact, jumps ahead of the pile.
What to check in your file before applying on LinkedIn?
Applying via LinkedIn does not exempt you from any of the fundamentals of the Swiss application. Your CV must respect local conventions, your cover letter must be targeted, and your file must get past the screening software (ATS) that many companies use before any human look. On this topic, read our article on how the ATS works and the one on the format of a Swiss CV.
This is where candidat.app helps you: from your background, the tool generates a CV and cover letter tailored to each posting, calibrated to Swiss conventions, without inventing anything about your profile. You paste the ad you found on LinkedIn, and you get a file ready to submit, whether via Easy Apply or on the company's website. You save the formatting time and stay in control.
In short
Applying via LinkedIn in Switzerland comes down to four reflexes. One: choose the direct application for the jobs that matter, and keep Easy Apply for the rest, because its response rate is low. Two: optimize your profile before applying, because the recruiter looks at it within seconds of receiving your application. Three: turn on "Open to Work" to be found, in discreet mode if you are still employed. Four: go through your network whenever you can, because a referred application has far more chance of succeeding. The "Apply" button is only the last step: everything is decided before it.
FAQ
Does LinkedIn's Easy Apply really work?
It works, but its yield is low: the estimated response rate is 1-2%, compared with 3-5% for a direct application. It is useful for applying quickly to secondary positions, but for a job you really want, go through the company's website with a personalized file.
Do you need a complete LinkedIn profile to apply?
Yes. The recruiter looks at your profile as soon as they receive your application, and forms a first impression within seconds. An incomplete profile, without a photo or detailed experience, weakens even a good application. Treat your profile as a second CV.
Is "Open to Work" visible to my current employer?
Only if you choose the public green badge, visible to everyone. The discreet mode shows your search only to recruiters using LinkedIn's tool, not to your network or your employer. In French-speaking Switzerland, where sectors are sometimes small, this discreet mode is often the safest.
Is it better to apply on LinkedIn or on the company's website?
On the company's website when possible: the application is better regarded there and less drowned in volume. Use LinkedIn to spot the posting, identify an internal contact, and submit an Easy Apply only if no other channel is available.
How do you stand out when hundreds of people are applying?
By stepping out of the click mindset. Tailor your CV and cover letter to the specific posting, optimize your profile, and above all activate your network: a referred application is around 4 times more likely to lead to an offer. Volume never beats relevance backed by a contact.