LinkedIn is where many people find roles, and also where stale ones linger. Some listings are posted by the employer; others are copied in from company sites, and a copy can outlive the job it describes. Five quick checks tell you whether one is worth your evening.
1. Look for "Reposted"
When a job is reposted, LinkedIn shows "Reposted" beside the date. One repost is normal. A role reposted for months with the same description usually means the posting is running on autopilot.
2. Find it on the company's own careers page
This is the most reliable check. Search the company's careers site for the same title. If it isn't there, the role is very likely closed, whatever LinkedIn shows. If it is, apply there: your application goes straight into the employer's own hiring system.
3. Don't rely on "No longer accepting applications"
LinkedIn shows this on roles that have been closed there. A listing without it isn't necessarily open, especially if it was copied from somewhere else.
4. Read the wording
Talent-pool phrases ("always looking for great people", "future opportunities"), no team or manager, and requirements no real person meets are all signs of a pipeline posting rather than a vacancy. More in how to spot a ghost job.
5. Ask someone inside
A short message to someone at the company, asking whether the team is actively hiring, settles it. See how to ask for a referral for what to send.