[Website] hid my job application from an employer?
Notice: The story below is entirely anecdotal. I don't see any feasible way of collecting evidence, so I will not identify the website.
I created my account a few months ago on [Website], but had absolutely zero follow ups to my job applications.
[Website] offered me to sign up for their [Premium Program]. I was getting absolutely no results, but there was a free trial period. What could I lose? I signed up and focused on getting the most of it. The trial period was over and I still had no followups. Their [Premium Program] brought me zero prospects, so I did not become a paying customer.
I kept on using the [Website] to find jobs, but then it hit me: If [Website]'s users got hired before their [Premium Program] trial period was over, they would make a lot less than if their users were hired after the trial period was over. There is a definite advantage for [Website] that users involved in [Premium Program] don't get hired until they become paying customers.
While I continued to use [Website] to find and apply to jobs, I started to apply outside [Website] via email or web forms. This past month I had four followups.
Today my suspicions were confirmed. I had an interview today with one of the companies that I applied to via both [Website] and e-mail. The interviewer could absolutely not find my job application on [Website]. I double checked and my profile clearly showed that I did apply. To the very same job.
Did [Website] hide my profile from prospective employers, hoping I would pay for [Premium Program]? This would be a disservice to the community, negatively affecting both job posters and job seekers. ----
TLDR: Job interviewer couldn't find my job application on [Website], even though I could clearly see that I applied.