Stop Getting Spammed: How to Set Up Job Alerts That Actually Send the Right Roles

You know the feeling

It's 8 AM. You grab your phone, bleary-eyed, hoping to see a notification from that company you applied to last week. Instead, your lock screen is flooded with job alerts. "Waiter needed in Causeway Bay." "Insurance agent – no experience required." "Sales executive – cold calling."

You didn't apply for any of these. You're a marketing executive with three years of experience. You have a degree from CityU. You've been tailoring your CV for weeks. And yet, the algorithms have decided you're a perfect candidate for... selling insurance? Again.

This is the reality of job hunting in Hong Kong. You send 咗幾十份工, you tailor each cover letter, you follow up. But the alerts you set up — the ones that were supposed to save you time — are making things worse. They clutter your inbox, they waste your mental energy, and they make you feel like the system doesn't see you at all.

Why job alerts go wrong

Job alert systems on platforms like JobsDB, CTgoodjobs, LinkedIn Hong Kong, and Indeed are powered by keyword matching and basic filters. They're not smart. They don't understand nuance. So when you type "marketing" as your preferred field, the system interprets that as "anything with the word marketing in the title or description."

That includes:

• Marketing assistant (junior roles you've outgrown)
• Marketing manager (senior roles you're not ready for)
• Telemarketing (a completely different skill set)
• Digital marketing intern (you graduated three years ago)

Each platform also has its own logic. JobsDB tends to send alerts based on job title keywords and industry categories. CTgoodjobs relies heavily on your saved search filters. LinkedIn uses your profile, your activity, and your network — but it also throws in "suggested" roles based on what other people with similar titles clicked on. That's how a data analyst ends up getting alerts for "financial planner" and "customer service officer."

And then there's the issue of timing. Most platforms send alerts once a day, but the time varies. Some send them at midnight. Some send them in batches. If you check your email at 9 AM, you might see 15 alerts from the past 12 hours, half of which are irrelevant. You start ignoring them. Then you miss the one that actually matters.

How to set up alerts that work

Here's the thing: job alerts can be useful. But you have to treat them like a precision tool, not a firehose. Most people set them up in 30 seconds and wonder why they don't work. If you spend 15 minutes configuring them properly, you'll get alerts that actually match your profile.

Step 1: Use negative keywords

On JobsDB and CTgoodjobs, you can exclude certain terms from your search. This is the single most effective thing you can do. If you're an accountant, exclude "clerk" and "assistant" if you're looking for senior roles. If you're in IT, exclude "support" and "helpdesk" if you're a developer. If you don't want sales roles, exclude "sales," "business development," and "account manager."

Example: A friend of mine, a graphic designer from PolyU, was getting alerts for "designer" roles that were actually retail visual merchandising positions. She added "visual merchandising" and "retail" to her exclude list. Her alert quality improved by 80%.

Step 2: Set salary filters realistically

Many job seekers leave the salary field blank because they don't want to miss out. That's a mistake. If you're earning $25,000 and looking for $30,000+, set the minimum to $25,000. Yes, you might miss a role that doesn't list salary. But you'll also stop getting alerts for roles paying $15,000. The trade-off is worth it.

On JobsDB, you can set a minimum and maximum. On CTgoodjobs, you can choose a range. On LinkedIn, you can set your desired salary privately — it won't show on your profile, but it will influence the jobs LinkedIn suggests.

Step 3: Use multiple alerts for different angles

Don't create one alert and call it done. Create several. For example, if you're a project manager in construction:

• Alert 1: "Project manager" + industry: Construction
• Alert 2: "Project coordinator" + industry: Construction (for stepping-stone roles)
• Alert 3: "Site supervisor" + industry: Construction (for backup options)

Set different frequencies. Daily for your primary alert. Weekly for backup alerts. This way, you're not overwhelmed.

Step 4: Adjust location and distance

Hong Kong is small, but commute matters. If you live in Tuen Mun and don't want to go to Chai Wan every day, set your location filter to Kowloon or New Territories. On JobsDB, you can select specific districts. On CTgoodjobs, you can choose by region. On Indeed, you can set a radius.

Step 5: Review and refine weekly

Your alerts should evolve. If you've been getting irrelevant results for a week, tweak the keywords. If you're suddenly interested in a new industry, add a new alert. Don't let your alerts become stale.

The hidden tricks on each platform

JobsDB: Use the "Advanced Search" option. You can filter by company size, benefits (e.g., 5-day work week), and even specific skills. Save this search and set a daily alert. Also, check the "Similar Jobs" section on job postings — it's a good way to discover new keywords.

CTgoodjobs: Their search is more rigid, but you can use multiple keywords separated by commas in the search bar. For example: "marketing manager, brand manager, digital marketing." Then save that as an alert. Also, their "Industry" filter is very granular — use it to narrow down to your specific sector.

LinkedIn Hong Kong: LinkedIn's alert system is profile-based, which means it uses your headline, skills, and job history. If your profile says "Marketing Executive" and you list "SEO" as a skill, you'll get alerts for SEO roles. But LinkedIn also shows "Jobs you may be interested in" based on what similar profiles clicked. To control this, update your "Job preferences" settings (under "Jobs" > "Preferences"). Set your desired role, industry, and location. Also, turn off "Open to work" if you don't want recruiters to see it — but keep the preferences active for alerts.

Indeed: Indeed's alerts are keyword-heavy. Use exact phrases in quotation marks for precise matches, like ""HR generalist"" or ""financial analyst."" Also, use the "Indeed Resume" feature sparingly — if your resume is public, you'll get calls from recruiters for roles you didn't apply for. Keep it private unless you're actively looking.

What to do with the alerts you get

Even with perfect settings, you'll get some irrelevant alerts. Don't delete them immediately. Skim the subject line and the first few lines. If it's clearly wrong, unsubscribe from that specific alert (most platforms have a one-click unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email). If it's borderline, open it and scan the description. Sometimes a job with a misleading title has a great role inside.

Also, set a routine. Check alerts once a day, at the same time. Spend 10 minutes scanning. If you see something promising, save it to a list or apply immediately. Don't let alerts pile up.

The real shortcut: Let Amploy handle the filtering

All of this manual setup takes time. And even with perfect alerts, you still have to tailor your CV and cover letter for each role. That's where Amploy comes in. Amploy's Autofill feature reads the job description and your profile, then fills in every field on the application form — from your name to your cover letter. You just press Tab to accept each suggestion. It works on JobsDB, CTgoodjobs, LinkedIn Hong Kong, and Indeed.

And Amploy's job pipeline tracker keeps everything organized. No more spreadsheets. No more wondering where you applied. You can see every application's status: Saved, Applied, Interviewing, Offered, or Rejected. It's like having a personal assistant for your job search.

But here's the thing: Amploy doesn't replace the need for good alerts. You still need to find the right roles. Amploy just makes the application part 10x faster. So set up your alerts properly, then let Amploy handle the rest.

---

Ready to stop wasting time on irrelevant alerts and generic applications? Try Amploy today. It's free to start. You'll wonder how you ever job hunted without it.