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Enterprise ATS Integration with Indeed

This resource contains integration instructions for Indeed’s Enterprise Applicant Tracking Systems partners. Integration with Indeed will allow you to optimize the hiring process, improve the job seeker experience, and help employers make the right hires faster.

Note: While our integration documentation is publicly available as a reference to understand and plan your integration with Indeed, it is intended to be implemented only by ATS partners who have signed a Master Services Agreement with us.

How To Use This Resource

To successfully integrate with Indeed, please review this topic completely. Please ask your Alliances manager if you have any questions. It’s important that you complete your integration in the following order:

  1. XML Job Feed
  2. Adding Indeed Apply
  3. Application Data Delivery and Screener Questions
  4. Ensure you’re returning disposition data for applications you receive.
  5. Test your integration end-to-end and make sure you have ongoing monitoring on your side for XML reliability, Indeed Apply delivery, and screener question retrieval.

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XML Job Feed

Before getting started, review our partnerships page.

The Indeed XML feed lists job information that will be displayed on Indeed. By maintaining an XML feed, you have greater control over how jobs are displayed. You can also choose to add the Indeed Apply label to jobs.

When your customers create jobs in your system, the listings are sent via XML feed directly to the Indeed XML feed. By maintaining XML feeds, you have greater control over how jobs are displayed.

Using the XML feed

Create and maintain an XML document containing all job information. Indeed monitors the file for changes in one of three ways:

  • Crawling an XML URL
  • Crawling a client-hosted FTP site (SFTP also supported)
  • Receiving the file directly in an Indeed FTP server (zipped files recommended)

Important: You must Include all jobs hosted on your career page in the XML feed. Indeed does not accept incomplete XML feeds and does not support partial opt-in of jobs. An XML file that does not include all jobs may be rejected or receive limited exposure to job seekers. All information available to job seekers from your website should be included in the XML. For example, if you list salaries on your jobs, then you must include an element for that piece of data, i.e., <salary>. Salary information is not required for indexing if it is not available to job seekers on your website.

XML feed example

The following example shows a basic XML feed containing one job.

Example: Basic XML feed


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<source>
    <publisher>ATS Name</publisher>
    <publisherurl>http://www.atssite.com</publisherurl>
    <lastBuildDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2008 22:49:39 GMT</lastBuildDate>
    <job>
        <title><![CDATA[Sales Executive]]></title>
        <date><![CDATA[Fri, 19 Dec 2014 22:49:39 GMT]]></date>
        <referencenumber><![CDATA[unique123131]]></referencenumber>
        <url>
            <![CDATA[http://www.examplesite.com/viewjob.cfm?jobid=unique123131&source=Indeed]]>
        </url>
        <company><![CDATA[ABC Hospital]]></company>
        <sourcename><![CDATA[ABC Medical Group]]></sourcename>
        <city><![CDATA[Phoenix]]></city>
        <state><![CDATA[AZ]]></state>
        <country><![CDATA[US]]></country>
        <postalcode><![CDATA[85003]]></postalcode>
        <streetaddress><![CDATA[123 fake street Phoenix AZ, 85003]]
        <email><![CDATA[example@abccorp.com]]></email>
        <description>
            <![CDATA[Do you have 1-3 years of sales experience? Are you
            relentless at closing the deal? Are you ready for an exciting and
            high-speed career in sales? If so, we want to hear from you! [...]
            We provide competitive compensation, including stock options and a full
            benefit plan. As a fast-growing business, we offer excellent opportunities
            for exciting and challenging work. As our company continues to grow, you
            can expect unlimited career advancement! ]]>
        </description>
        <salary><![CDATA[$50K per year]]></salary>
        <education><![CDATA[Bachelors]]></education>
        <jobtype><![CDATA[fulltime, parttime]]></jobtype>
        <category><![CDATA[Category1, Category2, CategoryN]]></category>
        <experience><![CDATA[5+ years]]></experience>
        <remotetype><![CDATA[COVID-19]]></remotetype>
        <indeed-apply-data>COVERED IN A LATER SECTION</indeed-apply-data>
    </job>
</source>

XML feed elements

The XML feed contains basic elements, used once per feed, and a set of job elements that are used for each job in the feed.

Basic elements

Basic elements table
Element Required Description Example value
<?xml ?> Yes XML Declaration <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<source> Yes The root node for the XML feed document. —
<publisher> No The name of the ATS from which this job was published. ATS Name
<publisherurl> No The URL for the ATS from which this job was published. http://www.atssite.com/
<job> Yes All metadata specific to a job. Include one <job> element for each job to be displayed on Indeed. See following section for details.

Job elements

Note:

  • Job descriptions should be provided inside <![CDATA[]]> sections as raw HTML, just as it would be on the original website. The HTML should be provided as raw characters (<,>,&) and not as XML entities/ escaped characters (&amplt;, &ampgt;, &ampamp;).
  • If clients do not adhere to the following guidance, their jobs may not be included in Indeed search results. Jobs that are missing required fields or that do not meet Indeed Quality rules may be discarded or hidden. Clients should review Indeed Quality rules if they have any concerns over their postings. Clients in need of assistance should contact Indeed via our employer pages.
Job elements table
Element Required Description Example value
<title> Yes The title of the job. Do not include other types of information such as employment type, job location, job descriptions, copies, or headlines. <![CDATA[Sales Executive]]>
<date> Yes The date on which this job was first published.
Note: If the publish date is posted on your site, the date on the site must match what is in the XML.		 <![CDATA[Fri, 19 Dec 2014 22:49:39 GMT]]>
<referencenumber> Yes A unique identifying number for this job. Indeed uses this element to identify each job. Do not change the number once you’ve set it. <![CDATA[unique123131]]>
<url> Yes The URL for this job listing on your site. Use the URL for the job description page, not the application page. Include the source=Indeed token to track clicks from Indeed. ATS’s can perform default URL tracking using any method. However, in the event of Indeed Apply failure or optout, this token is required to track Indeed organic applies by default. You’ll also need to support clients with URL options for sponsored and IndeedTargetedAd via url tracking. <![CDATA[http://www.examplesite.com/viewjob.cfm?
jobid=unique123131&source=Indeed]]>
<company> Yes The company name to be displayed in search results. This can either match sourcename or be the name of an individual unit or brand.
You can use different company names under the same sourcename for different jobs as long as they are consistent. For example, if the client is a franchise owner or operates multiple branded locations under the same company, company should be the business unit or brand name in the simplest possible form that job seekers quickly understand.		 <![CDATA[[ABC Hospital]]>
<sourcename> Yes The ATS client name. This element must be consistent for each unique client. The simplest form of the Parent Company name should be passed. <![CDATA[ABC Medical Group]]>
<city> Yes The city in which this job is located.
Note: For statewide/country-wide jobs, see the XML Feed FAQ later in this document.		 <![CDATA[Phoenix]]>
<state> Yes The state in which this job is located. Use the appropriate postal abbreviation. If your job is located outside the US, use the corresponding geographic designation such as province or region.
Note: For statewide/country-wide jobs, see the XML Feed FAQ later in this document.		 <![CDATA[AZ]]>
<country> Yes The country in which this job is located. Please provide the ISO Alpha 2 Country Code. <![CDATA[US]]>
<postalcode> Yes, if on the job details page The postal code in which this job is located. <![CDATA[85003]]>
<streetaddress> Yes, if on the job details page The street address of the job’s primary work location. Please include the street name and number. If possible, provide the full address including city, state, and postal code. <![CDATA[1234 Sunny Lane
Phoenix, AZ 85003]]>
<email> Yes The email account associated with either the Indeed account for this client (preferred) or the account used to sign up for your ATS services. Indeed’s Search Quality team uses this email address to verify the legitimacy of the business entity posting the job. <![CDATA[example@abccorp.com]]>
<description> Yes The description for this job listing. Ensure the information in the brackets [ ] matches the full written details on the <url> page. This includes all data sections on the <url> page as any omission can result in a job being hidden from Indeed search results. Do NOT send images in the XML.
Note: Job descriptions require HTML formatting. For a list of supported HTML elements, see Formatting Guidelines.		 <![CDATA[
Do you have 1-3 years of sales
experience? [...] ]]>
<salary> Yes, if on the job details page The salary offered for this job. Best practices are as follows:

  • Provide data in a single <salary> element. If the salary is a range use the following example format: $10 – $20 / hour.
  • Always specify a pay period, e.g., per year, per week, per hour, etc.
  • Keep number formats as simple as possible
  • Include a currency symbol
  • Do not use any commas, spaces, apostrophes, etc.
  • Do not use shorthand expressions, e.g., “k” to express thousands
  • Avoid putting multiple salaries in the job title or description
  • Salary ranges are supported e.g., $50000 – $75000 per year
  • Inputting Salary Amounts Guidelines

NOTE: If a job does not have a salary, leave the field blank in the XML for that job. Salary ranges that are unreasonably wide will be removed.

<![CDATA[$50000 per year]]>
OR
<![CDATA[$4000-$5000 per month]]>
<education> Yes, if on the job details page The desired education level for this job. <![CDATA[Bachelors]]>
<jobtype> Yes, if on the job details page The type of job: full- or part-time. <![CDATA[fulltime, parttime]]>
<category> No A comma-delimited list of job categories, used to aid job seekers when searching. <![CDATA[Category1, Category2, CategoryN]]>
<experience> Yes, if on the job details page The desired experience for this job. <![CDATA[5+ years]]>
<tracking_url> No Unique URL for each job in order to track clicks on Indeed. Indeed creates a GET request to this URL each time the job is clicked.
Note: This tracks when a job is clicked on in Indeed’s SERP. It does not track apply starts. 		<![CDATA[https://www.examplesite.com/
trackjob1234]]>
<remotetype> No Specifies the type of remote work being offered. Please include one of the following:

  • Fully remote (The employer intends all work for the job to be done remotely or from home.)
  • COVID-19 (These jobs are temporarily remote during the pandemic, but will return to the office when the pandemic ends.)
  • WFH Flexible (Available for US jobs ONLY: The employer gives employees the option to work from home occasionally as a benefit.)

Please see the FAQ below for additional text that can be included in job descriptions and how to properly send remote jobs.
Note: The data collected from this field will not be used to determine location. Please see the XML Feed FAQ section for information on posting jobs remotely.

<![CDATA[COVID-19]]>
<lastactivitydate> No The most recent timestamp of any action that was taken on this job within your system. This could include reviewing candidates, modifying the job, etc. <![CDATA[Fri, 19 Dec 2014 22:49:39 GMT]]>

Formatting guidelines

Indeed expects the same HTML formatting from your website when you provide job descriptions in XML. Include your formatting in CDATA tags.
Note: We do not support escaped HTML entities. For example, use < instead of &amplt;. Improper HTML can result in rejection and/or formatting issues for jobs on Indeed.
Supported tags include but are not limited to the following examples:

Formatting guidelines table
Tag Description
<b> Bold
<h1> to <h6> Headers
Note: Text in header tags transform to consistent sizes when displayed on Indeed pages.
<br> Line break
Note: Indeed automatically inserts line breaks between paragraphs.
<p> Paragraph
<ul> Unordered list (bullets)
<li> List item
<strong> Strong text (bold)
<em> Emphasized text (italics)
<table>, <tbody>, <th>, <tr>, <td> Simple tables

Additionally, we support computed style nodes like the following:

  • <font style="font-weight:bold">Some bold text</font> will result in bold text.
  • <div><h2 style="display:inline">Label: </h2> Text</div> will display “Label: Text” in-line, despite the fact that <h2> is a block element by default.
  • A paragraph tag must have positive top/bottom margin/padding. This is the <p> tag’s default behavior

Formatting example

Formatting for an example job description


<description><![CDATA[
<h2 id="job-description">Job Description:</h2>
 <ul>
 <li>Do you have 1-3 years of sales experience?</li>
 <li> Are you relentless at closing the deal? </li>
 <li>Are you ready for an exciting and high-speed career in sales? If so, we want to hear from you!</li></ul>
 <font style="font-weight:bold">Benefits</font>
 <p>We provide competitive compensation, including stock options and a full benefit plan. As a fast-growing business, we offer excellent opportunities for exciting and challenging work. As our company continues to grow, you can expect unlimited career advancement! </p>
]]>
</description>

How it looks on Indeed

Job Description:

  • Do you have 1-3 years of sales experience?
  • Are you relentless at closing the deal?
  • Are you ready for an exciting and high-speed career in sales? If so, we want to hear from you!

Benefits

We provide competitive compensation, including stock options and a full benefit plan. As a fast-growing business, we offer excellent opportunities for exciting and challenging work. As our company continues to grow, you can expect unlimited career advancement!

Common issues

The following problems can cause Indeed to reject your XML feed or can cause jobs to not appear in Indeed search results.

Common issues table
Issue Solution
Incorrect special character encoding Check the feed URL using the “view source” function in your browser and ensure special characters such as brackets (< >) show up correctly. Verify that the feed is using an XML Declaration like UTF-8 character encoding. Your file must have a header that declares encoding. You can use an encoding other than UTF-8, although UTF-8 is the most common.
Jobs missing from the feed or job counts differing between the feed and career sites Include every job in the feed for each client. Anything published and available on the web should be in the feed. Remember that Indeed is a search engine and indexes the more comprehensive source.
Incomplete or empty job descriptions Include all text related to the job. For example, “required qualifications” may be a separate category in your database, but for Indeed’s purposes, it should be included in the <description> field.
Jobs that are scams or suspected scams Indeed works to exclude suspected scams. Ensure that positions have well-written descriptions. If submitting jobs for another company, vet the company to ensure that it is legitimate and the listed jobs are actual open positions.
Old jobs in the file Do not include old or inactive jobs in the XML. Once a job has been filled, remove the role from the XML file. If Indeed notices old or inactive jobs, we’ll ask you to correct that the behavior to continue utilizing the XML.

XML Feed FAQ

How often does Indeed index the XML feed?

For XML being crawled on a URL or ATS provided FTP site Indeed will refresh the job data 4 times a day every 6 hours from the time of the last request. For Indeed hosted FTPs we’ll refresh the XML feed when a new file is received up to every 2 hours. If more frequent file uploads occur previous runs may cease and prevent job updates from occurring.

What metadata can be included?

You can include any fields you like (ex. <job_type>, <branch_id> ) as long as the standard fields are present.

Will every job in the feed appear in Indeed search results?

Visibility in search results is based on Indeed’s visibility rules. Our Search Quality team prioritizes jobs that are legitimate, unique, have detailed descriptions and locations, and are easy to apply to. Jobs that do not meet these criteria may be hidden from search results. Make sure your clients follow our search quality team’s best practices for posting. If clients have issues finding their jobs on Indeed they should reach out to Indeed for assistance.

If I’m using Indeed Apply and allowing job seekers to apply directly from Indeed, why must I provide a URL?

We require a URL that points to the job description (not apply page), for 3 reasons:

  • If Indeed Apply fails, we direct the job seeker back to the job URL.
  • If a client opts out of Indeed Apply we need a method for job seekers to apply.
  • Our aggregation engine needs an active URL to confirm job content and job activity.

What happens if I have the same job in multiple languages?

Provide the job in every language you currently have it as a unique job in the XML. If you duplicate the reference number in the XML, only the first appearance of the job appears on Indeed.

What happens if I have the same job in multiple countries?

Provide the job in every location where there is an open position. Region-wide postings that are not region-wide jobs are rejected for organic visibility on Indeed. each job needs its own unique location, unique reference number, and should represent a unique job, otherwise it will lose visibility on Indeed.

What happens if I have a statewide/country-wide job?

Indeed requires city, state/province, country, and postal code elements. If these elements are not provided, the job does not receive organic visibility by default.

If you have legitimate region-wide postings or remote work opportunities, include them in the file and have your clients request organic visibility. If your client has an Indeed account, they can log in to get support. Clients without an account can submit questions to Indeed directly by visiting our website.

Why do you require an email for each job?

For companies that are new to Indeed, or for new job sources from companies already on Indeed, we require a contact email address to verify the account and enable organic syndication. In some cases the email address is not used, but we require it for all jobs.

What do we do if a client wishes to opt-out of distribution to Indeed?

Remove ALL <job> elements for the clients jobs from the XML. Please note that clients can NOT opt out job by job and must completely opt out of distribution to Indeed. If a discrepancy in job volume between the XML and a client’s job portal appears the source with the largest job volume will be preferred for accuracy.

How can I specify whether a job is a remote position?

Include the <remotetype> element from the table above and indicate one of the three following options:

  • COVID-19
  • WFH Flexible (US ONLY)
  • Fully remote

Additionally, in order to identify roles in one of these three distinct ways, there are certain phrases employers can include in job descriptions:

To be considered a “temporarily remote due to COVID-19” job, include one of the following phrases:
“Work remotely temporarily due to COVID-19”
“Work from home during coronavirus”
“Can start remotely due to COVID-19”

To be considered as a job having “work from home flexibility”, include one of the following phrases:
“Flexible work from home options available”
“Work from home days possible”
“Options for working from home”

To be considered a “fully remote” job, include one of the following phrases:
“This is a remote position”
“Employees will be working remotely”
“Remote work allowed”

In summary, there are three differentiated options that Indeed uses to accurately identify jobs:

  • Use “fully remote” when the employer intends all work for the job to be done remotely or from home.
  • Use “work from home flexibility” when the employer gives employees the option to work from home occasionally as a benefit.
  • For jobs that are temporarily remote during the pandemic, use the “Temporarily remote due to COVID-19” option.

How do I post a remote job and utilize the <remotetype> element?
To properly post remote jobs, you’ll need to utilize the elements that Indeed uses to capture location data: <city>, <state>, <country>, and <postalcode>.

To post a job remotely in the US, use this XML:


<city><![CDATA[Remote]]></city>
<state><![CDATA[]]></state>
<country><![CDATA[US]]></country>
<postalcode><![CDATA[]]></postalcode>

Please note in the example above that the <state> and <postalcode> elements are still present but contain no information. This is how you should provide the data in the <job> element for jobs you’re posting remotely. If you do not leave the <state> and <postalcode> blank, jobs will not post as Remote positions.

To post a job that is temporarily remote due to COVID-19 statewide in Arizona, for example, take advantage of the <remotetype> element. The example XML below illustrates how to post this information:


<city><![CDATA[Remote]]></city>
<state><![CDATA[AZ]]></state>
<country><![CDATA[US]]></country>
<postalcode><![CDATA[]]></postalcode> 
<remotetype><![CDATA[COVID-19]]></remotetype>

Please note in the example above that the <postalcode> element is still present but contains no information. This is how you should provide the data in the <job> element for jobs you are posting remotely and due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. If you do not leave the <postalcode> blank, the job will not post as a remote position.

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Adding Indeed Apply

Use the Indeed Apply (IA) API to mark your jobs with the Easily Apply label and allow job seekers to apply without leaving Indeed.

Generating an API token

Before implementing the Indeed Apply API, generate an API token by logging in to your Indeed account or creating a new account.

Please select the Indeed Apply option when creating your token.

Note: If you use OAuth elsewhere at Indeed, you must maintain a separate token specifically for your Indeed Apply integration.

Adding IA using the XML feed

In your Indeed XML feed, add Indeed Apply configuration attributes to an <indeed-apply-data> element in your existing feed.

Indeed Apply configuration attributes are outlined in the IA Configuration parameters table.

IA XML element example

The following example shows a basic XML feed containing one job and the Indeed Apply element.

Note: The basic job elements are omitted for clarity, but must be present in your feed.

Basic XML feed example


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<source>
    <publisher/>
    <publisherurl/>
    <lastBuildDate/>
    <job>
        <title/>
        <date/>
        <referencenumber/>
        <url/>
        <company/>
        <sourcename/>
        <city/>
        <state/>
        <country/>
        <email/>
        <postalcode/>
        <description/>
        <salary/>
        <education/>
        <jobtype/>
        <category/>
        <experience/>
        <indeed-apply-data>
            <![CDATA[indeed-apply-apiToken=1234ABCDE&indeed-apply-jobTitle=Professional+B
            asket+Weaver&indeed-apply-jobId=Sample+ID&indeed-apply-jobCompanyName=My+Favo
            rite+Company&indeed-apply-jobLocation=Austin+TX&indeed-apply-jobUrl=http%3A%2
            F%2Fwww.indeed.com&indeed-apply-postUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fhookb.in%2FPxOjJqJELNH8
            lZLZDkpz&indeed-apply-questions=https%3A%2F%2Fpastebin.com%2Fraw%2F0vXq9q9b%2
            3]]>
        </indeed-apply-data>
    </job>
</source>

IA XML element restrictions

The following restrictions apply when configuring Indeed Apply using the XML feed:

  1. Attributes must be URL encoded.
  2. If an Indeed Apply field is included in the XML feed, it must not be blank.

Indeed Apply configuration attributes are outlined in the IA Configuration parameters table.

IA configuration parameters

Set up the Indeed Apply API using the following configuration parameters.

List of parameters table
Parameter name Required Description Example
jobtitle Yes The title of the job to display externally. Note: this should match the <title> field in the XML. Test Engineer
jobcompanyname Yes The name of the company. This should match the value provided in the <company> field in the xml. Your Company
joblocation Yes The location of the job. New York, NY 10110
apitoken Yes The public API token provided by Indeed. your-api-token
posturl Yes The URL to which Indeed will post the application data. Encode this URL in XML files. http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yourcompany.com
%2Fprocess-applications
phone No A string value indicating whether the phone number field should be displayed on the job.
Acceptable values are optional, hidden, or required. The default value is optional.		 optional
coverletter No A string value indicating if the message or coverletter field is required.
Acceptable values are optional, hidden, or required. The default value is optional. NOTE: This is a freeform text field. If an attachment is expected consider using a screener question to request a file upload.		 required
resume No Specifies whether to require a resume, make a resume optional, or to hide the resume upload option from the user.
Acceptable values are optional, hidden, or required. The default value is required.
If you select optional or hidden you must include screener questions.
You must support .pdf, .doc, .docx, .rtf, and .txt formats for resumes.		 required
name No A string value indicating if the name field in the apply form should be split into first and last name (name="firstlastname") or if a single field for the full name is sufficient (name="fullname"). The default value renders a single field for the full name. We recommend using name="firstlastname". firstlastname
questions No A URL which returns a JSON-formatted string of questions to be asked during the Indeed Apply application process. Refer to Including screener questions for more information about creating questions.

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Screener questions

Format screener questions in JSON and post them to a URL that is included in each <job> in the indeed-apply-questions parameter. Indeed does not host screener questions on your behalf.

Before you begin

Considerations

  • You can provide a maximum of 500 questions. However, our data indicates that a sharp drop-off in conversion occurs when more than 20 questions are asked.
  • Questions files should be no larger than 1 MB.
  • Questions files are cached server-side by unique question URLs and refreshed hourly. Note: Questions are ONLY cached when they are requested by Indeed when a jobseeker starts the Indeed Apply process.
  • The format of type=date impacts how the application is passed to the third party as well as the parsing of min and max. The job seeker still enters the date based on their locale, not the specified format, and validation error messages are in their locale’s format.
  • For type=date, use yyyy instead of yy in the format to prevent confusion.
  • Use the “pagebreak” question type to split your application into logical sections. Indeed inserts pagebreaks by default if none are included in your JSON, but this can split your application up in unintended ways. On desktop Indeed limits each page to 3 questions, while on mobile applications all questions are on a single scroll screen.

Note: Verify the syntax of your JSON file and preview the look of your screener questions using the Indeed Apply Questions tool.

Best practices

  • Make sure your clients review Indeed’s best practices for screener questions and applications.
  • All screener questions should be relevant to the job being applied to and should not duplicate information coming from the resume.
  • Indeed uses the SimpleDateFormat, so month must be formatted as MM. Using mm will result in misconfiguration.

JSON for screener questions

This section lists the parameters used in building all question types. For examples of specific question types, refer to Screener question types.

JSON screener question parameters

JSON screener question parameters table
Name Required? Description Allowed values Example
id Yes Unique ID for this question. any string strengths
type Yes Describes the type of question. Refer to the following sections for a full explanation of each question type. textarea

text

select

hierarchical

multiselect

date

file

information

pagebreak

 textarea
question No for type=information and type=pagebreak

Yes for all other types

 The question text that applicants see. any string Veteran status?
text Yes for type=information

Not supported for all other types.

 Text that applicants see. any string The following questions are optional.
options Yes for type=select and type=multiselect The list of options available in the drop-down menu. JSON [{
"value":"1",
"label":"Female"
}]
value Yes for type=select and type=multiselect The value corresponding to each option that will be returned for questions with drop-down menus. any string 1
label Yes for type=select and type=multiselect The text for options in any drop-down menus. any string Female
required No Allows you to set a question as required. When required:true is present, Indeed Apply forces a non-empty text field or a non-empty selection. When the required parameter is not present, questions are optional. If a question is optional, a possible answer value is “”. true "required":true
format Yes for type=date
No for type=text		 The accepted format of the input.
If used with type:text, the question will accept only integer, decimal, or numeric_text validation answers. If used with type:date, the question will only accept SimpleDateFormat with MM. 		Text formats:

  • integer
  • decimal
  • numeric_text
  • other locale specific formats (please use Unicode CLDR as a guide)

Date formats:

  • integer
  • dd/MM/yyyy
 integer,
dd/MM/yyyy
limit No For type=text and type=textarea, the character limit for the answer. any integer 100
min No For format=integer or format=decimal, the minimum value for the answer. For type=date, the date that the answer must be on or after. any integer for format=integer

any decimal for format=decimal

any date for type=date (in the specified format)

 0
max No For format=integer or format=decimal the maximum value for the answer. For type=date, the date the answer must be on or before. any integer for format=integer

any decimal for format=decimal

any date for type=date (in the specified format)

 100
condition No Marks a question as conditional, depending on the answer to a previous select question. Specify the id of the previous question as well as the option value that activates this question.
For example, you might ask the applicant if they served in the military. If they answer yes, you display a conditional question that asks what branch they served in.		 JSON "condition": {
"id": "parent1",
"value": 0}

JSON post example

Currently, the JSON post contains ‘screener questions’ and their ‘answers’ in 2 formats:

  • The Legacy* format
  • The Current format

Both formats are described below. In the future, we will discontinue the “Legacy” format.

The Legacy* Format

In the Legacy format, the screener questions and their answers are a part of the ‘questions’ section in the JSON file. 

  • question:
  • questions: the full questions list as described in the previous section
  • answers: the full answers list
  • url: the URL from which the questions were retrieved
  • retrievedOnMillis: the datetime in milliseconds at which the questions were retrieved

The Current Format

In the Current format, the screener questions and their answers are a part of the ‘questionsAndAnswers’ section in the JSON file.

  • questionsAndAnswers: (Improved format)
  • questionsAndAnswers: A list of
  • question: question as described in the previous section
  • answer: the answer given to the above question
  • url: the URL from which the questions were retrieved
  • retrievedOnMillis: the datetime in milliseconds at which the questions were retrieved

Click this link to view or download a full example JSON post file. (Contains both the Legacy and Current formats.)

*Legacy format: We will discontinue the Legacy format in future. In case you use the Legacy format to read ‘Screener questions and their answers’, you are requested to make changes as soon as possible to ensure your Indeed Apply integration continues to receive the complete and correct information. If you are an existing Employer or ATS that uses the Legacy format and wants to migrate to the Current format – then you can refer this additional guide for migration.

Screener question types

textarea

A question that displays a multi-line text entry field. Used for questions with long-form answers.

textarea example

{
  "id":"felonytext",
  "type":"textarea",
  "question":"If you have been convicted of a felony, please explain the circumstances around the conviction:"
}

text

A question that displays a single-line text entry field. Used for questions with shorter answers.

Note: Please see the examples below as well as the previous table for more information on the different formats available for text questions: integer, decimal, numeric_text.

text examples

No format specification: 


{
  "id": "city",
  "type": "text",
  "question": "What city are you located in?",
  "required": true
}

Integer: Displays whole numbers; does not allow for decimals or leading zeroes


{
  "id":"age",
  "type":"text",
  "question":"Age?",
  "format":"integer",
  "min":"16",
  "max":"75"
}

Numeric text: Allows for numbers with leading zeroes; does not allow for decimals


{
  "id": "ssn",
  "type": "text",
  "format": "numeric_text",
  "question": "Enter last 4 digits of your SSN.",
  "required" : false
}

Decimal: Displays numbers with decimals; allows for leading zeroes


{
  "id": "gpa",
  "type": "text",
  "format":"decimal",
  "question": "What was your GPA?",
  "required": true
}

select

A question that displays a drop-down menu that allows the applicant to select a single answer. Used for questions with multiple choice answers.

Note: If you include 5 or fewer answer options, they will appear as radio buttons. If you include more than 5 options, they will appear in a drop-down menu.

select example

{
  "id": "gender",
  "type": "select",
  "question": "Gender?",
  "options": [{
      "value": "0",
      "label": "Decline to answer"
    },
    {
      "value": "1",
      "label": "Male"
    },
    {
      "value": "2",
      "label": "Female"
    }
  ]
}

multiselect

A question that displays a list of checkboxes that allows the applicant to select multiple answers. Used for questions with multiple answers.

multiselect example

{
  "id": "favoritecolors",
  "type": "multiselect",
  "question": "Select your two favorite colors:",
  "options": [{
      "value": "0",
      "label": "Maize"
    },
    {
      "value": "1",
      "label": "Blue"
    },
    {
      "value": "2",
      "label": "Green"
    }
  ]
}

conditional

A question that is or is not displayed based on responses to previous questions. For example, you might ask an applicant if they are at least 18 years of age. If they answer yes, you ask if they can provide required work documentation.

conditional example

[{
    "id": "profile-atLeast18",
    "question": "Are you at least 18 years of age?",
    "required": true,
    "options": [{
        "value": "1",
        "label": "Yes"
      },
      {
        "value": "0",
        "label": "No"
      }
    ],
    "type": "select"
  },
  {
    "id": "profile-permit",
    "question": "Can you provide a work permit?",
    "required": true,
    "condition": {
      "id": "profile-atLeast18",
      "value": "0"
    },
    "options": [{
        "value": "1",
        "label": "Yes"
      },
      {
        "value": "0",
        "label": "No"
      }
    ],
    "type": "select"
  }
]

hierarchical

A question that displays additional questions and responses based on previously selected answers. For example, you might ask an applicant to choose a state. Then, depending on what they select, you could offer them a drop-down list of cities within that state. Each hierarchical question is limited to 3 levels, for example: state/city/county.

Note: Hierarchical questions are similar to conditional questions. However, hierarchical questions may be better suited to certain question types where an initial selection defines potential answers for subsequent questions. Using the hierarchical functionality reduces the total number of questions needed to obtain related information.

hierarchical example

[{
  "id": "hierarchical",
  "type": "hierarchical",
  "question": "State",
  "required": true,
  "options": [{
    "value": "0",
    "label": "California"
  }, {
    "value": "1",
    "label": "Texas"
  }, {
    "value": "2",
    "label": "New York"
  }],
  "hierarchicalOptions": [{
      "id": "cali_cities",
      "options": [{
        "value": "0",
        "label": "San Francisco"
      }, {
        "value": "1",
        "label": "Los Angeles"
      }],
      "condition": {
        "id": "hierarchical",
        "value": "0"
      }
    }, {
      "id": "texas_cities",
      "options": [{
        "value": "0",
        "label": "San Antonio"
      }, {
        "value": "1",
        "label": "Austin"
      }],
      "condition": {
        "id": "hierarchical",
        "value": "1"
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "sa_zipcodes",
      "options": [{
        "value": "0",
        "label": "78212"
      }, {
        "value": "1",
        "label": "78209"
      }],
      "condition": {
        "id": "texas_cities",
        "value": "0"
      }
    }
  ]
}]

date

A question that displays a text field that only accepts date entry. Used for questions that must be answered with a date.

Note: format is required when using this screener question type. The format must be dd/MM/yyyy or another locale specific format that meets Unicode CLDR formatting. Indeed uses the SimpleDateFormat, so month must be formatted as MM. Using mm will result in misconfiguration.

date example

{
  "id":"startdate",
  "required":true,
  "type":"date",
  "question":"Start date?",
  "format":"dd/MM/yyyy",
  "min":"01/02/2014",
  "max":"03/04/2014"
}

file

A question that displays a file upload interface. Used for questions that require a file upload as an answer, such as certifications, portfolios, or example work. As detailed in Application data delivery options, the answer data returned in the JSON POST request will contain 3 fields: contentType, data, and fileName.

Accepted file types: doc, docx, gif, jfif, jif, jpe, jpeg, jpg, pdf, png, rtf, tif, tiff, txt
File size limit: 5 MB. The maximum combined limit per application is 15MB, including resume file.

Note: Do not use this question type to acquire resumes. Instead, use the “Resume” Indeed Apply configuration parameter.

file example

{
  "id": "file2",
  "type": "file",
  "question": "Please attach a resume file.",
  "required": true,
  "min":"1",
  "max": "3"
}

information

A text display that does not require a response. Used to include explanatory text or provide section headings. You can include the following HTML elements in the text: <b>, <p>, <br>, <li>, <ul>, <ol>, <a href=" ">. Only HTTP and HTTPS protocols are allowed in URLs. Links open in a new tab.

Note: Do not use <br> to force line breaks after paragraphs. Indeed automatically inserts line breaks between paragraphs.

information example

[{
  "id": "first_header",
  "type": "information",
  "text": "The next set of questions are <b> optional </b> and are for recording purposes only. 
 Make sure to view the <a href='http://www.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf'> EEO is the Law</a> poster.",
  "fontsize": 8
}]

pagebreak

Used to group questions on a page. All questions included between two pagebreak types appear on the same page. You can group up to 20 questions on the same page. Indeed defaults to 3 questions per page on desktop and groups all questions onto a single page for mobile.

pagebreak example

[{
    "id": "page1_open",
    "type": "pagebreak"
  },
  {
    "id": "question_sample",
    "type": "text",
    "question": "Age?"
  },
  {
    "id": "page1_close",
    "type": "pagebreak"
  }
]

Testing your screener questions?

Verify the syntax of your JSON file and preview the look of your screener questions using the Indeed Apply Questions tool.

Test the entire Indeed Apply application flow by using our external testing tool. This can include the full screener question process.

(Go back to the top)

Application data delivery

PostUrl

If you process applications programmatically, specify a URL where Indeed Apply will send a POST request. The indeed-apply-postUrl data attribute must be a string containing the URL where Indeed will POST the application data.

PostUrl example


<indeed-apply-data><![CDATA[indeed-apply-apiToken=1234ABCDE&indeed-apply
-jobTitle=Professional+Basket+Weaver&indeed-apply-jobId=Sample+ID&indeed
-apply-jobCompanyName=My+Favorite+Company&indeed-apply-jobLocation=Austi
n+TX&indeed-apply-jobUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com&indeed-apply-postUr
l=https%3A%2F%2Fhookb.in%2FPxOjJqJELNH8lZLZDkpz&indeed-apply-questions=h
ttps%3A%2F%2Fpastebin.com%2Fraw%2F0vXq9q9b%23]]></indeed-apply-data>

Because Indeed sends the application data as the raw body of the HTTP POST request, the request cannot be processed like a typical form. The body of the request contains a JSON document that must be read and parsed. Not all JSON fields are provided, so you should use a robust JSON parser that treats missing fields as empty and ignores unrecognized fields.

Note: There is no maximum size for JSON data payload.

The post body is encoded as UTF-8 and contains an authenticity header that is used to verify that Indeed is sending you the application.

A file portion of the Applicant field contains 3 fields: contentType, data, and fileName.

  • ContentType is determined based on the fileName.
  • The data field contains the raw resume file, which is Base64 encoded.
  • The following filetypes must be supported by the third party: txt, pdf, doc, docx, rtf.

Note: Do not redirect the POST to another URL (e.g. via a 301/302 redirect). Indeed Apply does not handle redirects.

JSON application data

JSON Resume upload example


{ 
   "applicant":{ 
      "email":"john.doe@indeed.com",
      "fullName":"John Doe",
      "phoneNumber":"555-555-4321",
      "verified":true,
      "sponsored":true,
      "indeedTargetedad":false,
"resume":{ 
         "file":{ 
            "contentType":"text/plain",
            "data":"SGVsbG8h",
            "fileName":"resume.txt"
         }
      }
   },
   "appliedOnMillis":1325276227653,
   "job":{ 
      "jobCompany":"Your Company",
      "jobId":"7775e2bc62b7f77e",
      "jobLocation":"New York, NY 10110",
      "jobMeta":"",
      "jobTitle":"Test Engineer",
      "jobUrl":"http://www.yourcompany.com/careers/yourjob123.html"
   },
   "locale":"en_US"
}

JSON Indeed Resume example


{ 
   "locale":"en_US",
   "appliedOnMillis":1324051581711,
   "job":{ 
      "jobId":"7775e2bc62b7f77e",
      "jobTitle":"Test Engineer",
      "jobCompany":"Your Company",
      "jobLocation":"New York, NY 10110",
      "jobUrl":"http://www.yourcompany.com/careers/yourjob123.html",
      "jobMeta":""
   },
   "applicant":{ 
      "fullName":"John Doe",
      "email":"john.doe@indeed.com",
      "phoneNumber":"555-555-4321",
      "coverletter":"coverletter - text",
      "verified":true,
       "sponsored":true,
      "indeedTargetedad":false,
      "resume":{ 
         "text":"resume - text",
         "html":"resume - html",
         "json":{ 
            "firstName":"John",
            "lastName":"Doe",
            "headline":"headline",
            "summary":"summary",
            "publicProfileUrl":"http://www.indeed.com/r/123456",
            "additionalInfo":"me-additionalinfo",
            "phoneNumber":"555-555-4321",
            "location":{ 
               "city":"Austin, TX"
            },
            "skills":"HTML, JavaScript",
            "positions":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "title":"Product Manager",
                     "company":"Indeed",
                     "location":"Austin, TX",
                     "startDateMonth":"09",
                     "startDateYear":"2007",
                     "endDateMonth":"-1",
                     "endDateYear":"-1",
                     "endCurrent":true,
                     "description":"I am the current product manager for Indeed Apply."
                  }
               ]
            },
            "educations":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "degree":"B.A.",
                     "field":"Computer Science",
                     "school":"University of Texas, Austin",
                     "location":"Austin, TX",
                     "startDate":"2002",
                     "endDate":"2006",
                     "endCurrent":false
                  }
               ]
            },
            "links":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "url":"http://www.indeed.com"
                  }
               ]
            },
            "awards":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "title":"Best PM at Indeed",
                     "dateMonth":"04",
                     "dateYear":"2008",
                     "description":"Best PM is voted on by Indeed employees and 
given to the PM with the most votes."
                  }
               ]
            },
            "certifications":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "title":"cert-title",
                     "startDateMonth":"02",
                     "startDateYear":"2007",
                     "endDateMonth":"02",
                     "endDateYear":"2008",
                     "endCurrent":false,
                     "description":"cert-description"
                  }
               ]
            },
            "associations":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "title":"group-title",
                     "startDateMonth":"01",
                     "startDateYear":"2009",
                     "endDateMonth":"-1",
                     "endDateYear":"-1",
                     "endCurrent":true,
                     "description":"group-description"
                  }
               ]
            },
            "patents":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "patentNumber":"patent-number",
                     "title":"patent-title",
                     "url":"patent-url",
                     "dateMonth":"02",
                     "dateYear":"2009",
                     "description":"patent-description"
                  }
               ]
            },
            "publications":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "title":"pub-title",
                     "url":"pub-url",
                     "dateDay":"14",
                     "dateMonth":"10",
                     "dateYear":"2004",
                     "description":"pub-description"
                  }
               ]
            },
            "militaryServices":{ 
               "_total":1,
               "values":[ 
                  { 
                     "serviceCountry":"mil-country",
                     "branch":"mil-branch",
                     "rank":"mil-rank",
                     "startDateMonth":"02",
                     "startDateYear":"2003",
                     "endDateMonth":"12",
                     "endDateYear":"2008",
                     "endCurrent":false,
                     "commendations":"mil-commendations",
                     "description":"mil-description"
                  }
               ]
            }
         },
         "file":{ 
            "contentType":"application/octet-stream",
            "data":"SGVsbG8h=",
            "fileName":"John_Doe.pdf"
         }
      }
   }
}

IA JSON fields

Top-level fields

Top-level fields table
Field name Description Example
id Unique ID for the application as assigned by Indeed.
Include this ID with the application status when sharing disposition data with Indeed. 		5156eb63c9a0a8ac<br />9358c3a444a2818c<br />8a5ffdbcba5960ec<br />0cace3277f6b99df
appliedOnMillis The date and time the user applied expressed in standard Unix time. 1324051581711
job A job object representing the data provided by your button’s HTML data attributes. See Job object fields
applicant An applicant object representing the applicant. See Applicant object fields
analytics

An object containing the following information:

  • ip – IP address of the user
  • referrer – page the Easily Apply button is on if the button is present
  • useragent – device/useragent of the user
  • targetedApplyAd – returns true for Indeed Apply ads served on Indeed
  • sponsored – returns true if the job is sponsored on the Indeed search engine results page, and returns false if the job is organic, meaning not sponsored, on Indeed

Note: sponsored returns empty/absent if the job click did not originate on Indeed, such as when a user applies from a third-party website or if the job seeker was directed to apply through Indeed’s Targeted Ads (ITA) product. third-party sites cannot specify whether a job is sponsored.

To track sponsored job clicks on third-party sites, enable URL tracking. Because JSON responses do not include the “sponsored” parameter, you must also enable XML-only responses. Sponsored job tracking from third-party websites must be configured per job in your client’s Advertiser accounts and appended to the joburls, which can then be tracked by the ATS.
locale The locale that was used when applying to the job. en_US

Job object fields

Note: These fields are based on the button configuration.

Job object fields table
Field name Description Example
jobTitle The title of the job to display. Test Engineer
jobCompany The name of the company.

Note: This is called jobCompanyName in the data-attributes.

Your Company
jobLocation The location of the job. New York, NY 10110

Applicant fields

Applicant fields table
Name Always provided? Description Example
fullName Yes The name of the applicant. If the user is using their Indeed Resume, this will be their firstName and lastName. John Doe
email Yes The email of the applicant. john.doe@indeed.com
phoneNumber No The phoneNumber if provided by the applicant. 555-555-4321
coverletter No The cover letter of the applicant. If a user did not provide a cover letter, this field will not be present in the JSON object. My cover letter
resume No An object representing the user’s resume. See the Resume fields section
verified Yes

A flag indicating whether a job seeker’s email address is verified. Will display true if:

  • the user is logged into a verified account, and their email address on the application matches the email address associated with the account, or
  • the user is logged out but their email has been verified by a one-time password

All other cases, the flag will be set to false.

 true

Resume fields

Resume fields table
Field name Resume upload Indeed Resume Description
file Yes Yes An object containing the binary resume file.
text No Yes A text representation of the resume. Only provided if the user is using their Indeed Resume.
html No Yes A representation of the resume. Only provided if the user is using their Indeed Resume.
json No Yes A JSON structured representation of the resume data. See Indeed resume below.

Resume file fields

Resume file fields table
Name Description Example
data The file’s raw binary bytes encoded using base 64. SGVsbG8h=
fileName The filename of the uploaded resume. The filename will be auto generated when using the Indeed Resume. resume.txt
contentType The content type identified using the resume file’s extension. application/octet-stream

Indeed Resume fields

An array-like object contains a _total field and a values field. The _total field is an integer indicating the length of the array. The values field is a JSON array containing the _total objects.

Indeed Resume fields table
Field name Type Description
firstName string The applicant’s first name.
lastName string The applicant’s last name.
headline string The applicant’s resume headline.
summary string The applicant’s resume summary.
publicProfileUrl url If the Indeed Resume is public, the URL to view the user’s public resume.
additionalInfo string Any additional info.
phoneNumber string The phone number of the user if included on the user’s Indeed Resume.
location object JSON object representing the user’s location if provided.
location.city string The applicant’s city.
location.country string The applicant’s country.
location.postalCode string The applicant’s postal code.
Personal details object Personal details supplied by applicant.
Note: These are only applicable in certain markets as noted on each field.
skills string The applicant’s skills.
positions array-like An array-like object of position objects.
educations array-like An array-like object of education objects.
links array-like An array-like object of link objects.
awards array-like An array-like object of award objects.
certifications array-like An array-like object of certification objects.
associations array-like An array-like object of association objects.
patents array-like An array-like object of patent objects.
publications array-like An array-like object of publication objects.
militaryServices array-like An array-like object of military service objects.

Personal details fields

Personal details fields table
Field Name Type Applicable Markets Description Example
highestLevelOfEducation Single Value AE, AU, BE, BR, CA, CL, CO, CR, CZ, DK, EC, ES, GB, HK, HU, IE, IT, LU, MX, NG, NL, NO, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RU, SE, TR, TW, UA, UY, VE, VN,ZA A dropdown with localized levels of education for each corresponding market, where a job seeker can select their highest level. GCSE or equivalent
Diploma of Higher Education
employmentEligibility Single Value AE, AU, BH, EG, GB, HK, IT, KW, MA, NZ, OM, QA, RU, SA, SG Asks if job seekers are eligible to work in a country. Yes
highestCareerLevel Single value FR, HK, IN, KR, VN, ZA Job seekers can select their highest career level from 4 options. New Grad
industry Multi Value AE, AR, BH, BR, CL, CN, CO, CR, EC, EG, ES, FR, GB, IE, IN, KR, KW, LU, MA, MX, NG, OM, PA, PE, QA, RU, SA, TR, TW, UA, UY, VE, ZA A drop-down where job seekers can select the industry in which they work/specialize. Arts & Entertainment
driversLicense Multi Value AR, BE, CL, CO, CR, CZ, EC, ES, GB, IT, JP, MX, NL, PA, PE, RU, TR, UY, VE, ZA A dropdown with localized Driver License options for each corresponding market. Light Vehicles
dateOfBirth Date AE, AR, BH, BR, CK, CN, CO, CR, EC, EG, ES, FR, HK, ID, IN, IT, JP, KR, KW, MA, MX, MY, NG, OM, PA, PE, PT, QA, RU, SA, SG, TR, TW, UA, UY, VE, VN, ZA 3 dropdowns – date, month and year. Order is localized per market. DD-MM-YYYY
educationDescription Open text CH, DE, NO, SE, UA, UY, VN, VN Job seekers can describe their education. Open text
gender Single Value JP The job seeker’s gender. Female
disability Single Value BR, IT, MX, ZA A dropdown with different disability options (BR) or yes/no for remaining markets. Cognitive
OR
Yes
ethnicity Single Value ZA A dropdown with ethnicity options. African
veteranStatus Single Value KR A job seeker’s veteran status. Applicable
NYSCStatus Single Value NG A dropdown for a job seeker’s NYSC status. Ongoing
employmentSupportStatus Single Value KR A job seeker’s employment support status. Applicable
willingToTravel Single Value AR, CL, CO, CR, EC, ES, MX, PA, PE, UY, VE A dropdown for a job seekers’ willingness to travel. Yes
europeanUnionWorkPermit Single Value IE Asks job seekers if they have a European Work Permit. Yes
citizenship Single Value PH, SG, ZA A dropdown for a job seeker’s citizenship. South African Citizen
IDP Checkbox UA Asks job seekers whether they are an internally displaced migrant. IDP (Internally Displaced Migrants)
employmentEligibilityMultiCountries Multi Value ES, IN A dropdown that asks job seekers which countries they are eligible to work in. Afghanistan
idNumber Numeric BR, IT, TR, ZA Asks job seekers to type in their ID Number. Numeric value
totalYearsOfExperience Numeric ID, IN Asks job seekers about their years of experience. 3
hobbiesAndInterests Open text CZ, HU, KR, LU, PL, RO Asks job seekers about their hobbies and interests. Open text

Indeed resume position fields

Indeed resume position fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of the job. Product Manager
company string The company’s name. Indeed
location string The location of the position. Austin, TX
description string The description of the position. ——–
startDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
startDateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007
endDateMonth integer 1-12 integer representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). -1
endDateYear integer The year of the end date (-1 if not provided). -1
endCurrent boolean A flag indicating if this is a current position. true

Indeed resume education fields

Indeed resume education fields table
Field name Type Description Example
degree string The degree level attained for this education listing. B.A.
field string The degree field studied for this education listing. Computer Science
school string The institution for this education listing. University of Texas
location string The institution location. Austin, TX
startDateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007
endDateYear integer The year of the end date (-1 if not provided). -1
endCurrent boolean A flag indicating if this education is in progress. true
Indeed resume link fields table
Field name Type Description Example
url string The URL of the link. https://www.indeed.com

Indeed resume award fields

Indeed resume award fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of this award. Best PM at Indeed
description string The description for this award. Awarded for being the best PM in my company.
dateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
dateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007

Indeed resume certification fields

Indeed resume certification fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of this certification. PMP
description string The description of this certification. Project Management Professional certification
startDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
startDateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007
endDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the ending month (-1 if not provided). -1
endDateYear integer The year of the end date (-1 if not provided). -1
endCurrent boolean A flag indicating if this is a current certification. true

Indeed resume association groups fields

Indeed resume association groups fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of this association. Society for Technical Communication
description string A description of this association. A professional association for technical communication professionals.
startDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
startDateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007
endDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the ending month (-1 if not provided). -1
endDateYear integer The year of the end date (-1 if not provided). -1
endCurrent boolean A flag indicating if this is a current association. true

Indeed resume patent fields

Indeed resume patent fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of this patent. ——–
description string The description of this patent. ——–
patentNumber string The patent number. ——–
url string The URL for this patent. ——–
dateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
dateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007

Indeed resume publication fields

Indeed resume publication fields table
Field name Type Description Example
title string The title of this publication ——–
description string A description of this publication. ——–
url string A URL for this publication. ——–
dateDay integer The day of the month (-1 if not provided). 9
dateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the month (-1 if not provided). 9
dateYear integer The year of the date ( -1 if not provided). 2007

Indeed resume military service fields

Indeed resume military service fields table
Field name Type Description Example
serviceBranch string The service branch for this service entry. ——–
branch string The branch for this service entry. ——–
rank string The rank for this service entry. ——–
description string A description for this service entry. ——–
commendations string Any commendations earned for this service entry. ——–
startDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). 9
startDateYear integer The year of the start date ( -1 if not provided). 2007
endDateMonth integer An integer (1-12) representing the starting month (-1 if not provided). -1
endDateYear integer The year of the end date (-1 if not provided). -1
endCurrent boolean A flag indicating if this is a current position. true

POST authenticity

The post request sent to your postUrl contains an HTTP header that can be used to verify the authenticity of the post. Using the shared API secret, Indeed Apply computes a message signature using the HMAC-SHA1 algorithm. This signature is sent as an X-Indeed-Signature HTTP header. The code examples below demonstrate how the message signature is generated. DO NOT rely on IP whitelisting to verify Indeed application or screener question retrieval.

Using C# (version 4.0)


using System;
usingSystem.Diagnostics;
usingSystem.Security.Cryptography;
usingSystem.Text;
 
classMainClass {
  publicstatic void Main (string[] args) {
    String message = getMessage();
    String apiSecret = "your api secret key";
    String signature = computeSignature(message, apiSecret);
    if(signature.Equals("m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk=")) {
      Console.WriteLine("B64 HMAC SHA1: "+signature);
    } elseConsole.WriteLine("invalid value: "+signature);
  }
   
  staticstring computeSignature(string input, String key) {
      byte[] keyBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(key);
      HMACSHA1 myhmacsha1 = newHMACSHA1(keyBytes);
      byte[] inputBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(input);
      byte[] hash = myhmacsha1.ComputeHash(inputBytes);
      returnSystem.Convert.ToBase64String(hash);
  }
   
  staticstring getMessage() {
    return"{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}";
  }
   
}

Using Java (version 1.8)


import javax.crypto.Mac;
importjavax.crypto.spec.*;
importjavax.crypto.SecretKey;
importjava.util.Base64;
 
publicclass Main {
 
    publicstatic void main(String[] args) {
 
        String message = getMessage();
        String apiSecret = "your api secret key";
        String signature = computeSignature(message, apiSecret);
        if(!signature.equals("m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk="))
            System.out.println("invalid value "+signature);
        elseSystem.out.println("B64 HMAC SHA1: "+signature);
 
    }
 
    staticString computeSignature(String message, String apiSecret) {
        try{
            finalbyte[] keyBytes = apiSecret.getBytes();
            finalSecretKey signingKey = new SecretKeySpec(keyBytes, "HmacSHA1");
            finalMac mac = Mac.getInstance("HmacSHA1");
            mac.init(signingKey);
            returnnew 
String(Base64.getEncoder().encode(mac.doFinal(message.getBytes("UTF-8"))));
        } catch(Exception e) {
            System.out.println(e.getMessage());
            thrownew RuntimeException(e);
        }
    }
 
    publicstatic String getMessage() {
        return"{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}";
    }
}

Using Perl (version 5.0)


use Digest::SHA qw(hmac_sha1_base64);
useEncode qw(encode);
 
# your secrete key
my$key  = "your api secret key";
# test message
my$message = get_message();
# compute signature
my$signature = hmac_sha1_b64_string($key, $message);
 
if($signature eq "m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk=") {
    print"B64 HMAC SHA1: " . $signature, "n";
} else{
    print"invalid value! ", $signature, "n";
}
 
subhmac_sha1_b64_string {
    my($key, $data) = @_;
    my$keybtes = encode("UTF8", $key);
    my$databytes = encode("UTF8", $message);
    my$b64digest = hmac_sha1_base64($databytes, $keybtes);
    # Perl does not pad b64 output, so we have to do it manually
    while(length($b64digest) % 4) {
        $b64digest.= '=';
    }
   return$b64digest;
}
 
subget_message {
    return"{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}";
}

Using PHP (version 7.0)


function sign($str, $key) {
    $opts=  OPENSSL_RAW_DATA;
    $digest= hash_hmac("sha1", $str, $key, $raw_output = TRUE);
    $signature= base64_encode($digest);
    return$signature;
}
 
$api_secret= "your api secret key";
$message= "{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}";
 
$signature= sign($message,$api_secret);
 
if( $signature!= "m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk=")
    print("invalid value ". $signature);
elseprint("B64 HMAC SHA1: " . $signature);

Using Python (version 2.7)


from hashlib import sha1
importhmac
importbase64
 
# your secret key
secret ="your api secret key".encode("utf-8")
# test message
message ="{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}".encode('UTF-8')
# compute the hash
message_hashed =hmac.new(secret, message, sha1)
digest =message_hashed.digest()
# b64 encode the hash...this is the message authentication value
signature =base64.b64encode(digest)
ifsignature != "m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk=":
    print"invalid value "+signature
else:
    print'B64 HMAC SHA1: ' + signature

Using Python (version 3.6)


from hashlib import sha1
importhmac
importbase64
 
# your secret key
secret ="your api secret key".encode("utf-8")
# test message
message ="{"locale":"en_US","applicant":{"fullName":"John 
Doe","email":"john.doe@example.com"}}".encode("UTF-8")
# compute the hash
message_hashed =hmac.new(secret, message, sha1)
# b64 encode the hash...this is the message authentication value
signature =base64.b64encode(message_hashed.digest()).decode("UTF-8")
ifsignature != "m7I9OcotC2GxmVEVAufv5TD7lEk=":
    print("invalid value "+signature)
else:
    print("B64 HMAC SHA1: "+ signature)

(Go back to the top)

Using SSL

Please see the List of Trusted Root SSL Certificates for supported certificates. If your certificate is not listed please follow up with your Alliances manager to test and verify your integration.

(Go back to the top)

Testing and Monitoring Your IA Integration

We want to help you provide the best possible experience for jobseekers and employers who use Indeed. Review the following sections to avoid issues with your integration.

Testing IA

Test your Indeed Apply code using the Indeed Apply test tool. Using the test tool, you can enter job metadata and generate the appropriate XML element or HTML code. You can also enter your own XML element or HTML code and verify that Indeed reads the metadata correctly.

Verify the syntax of your JSON file and preview the look of your screener questions using the Indeed Apply Questions tool.

Monitoring integration health

When integrating with Indeed Apply, you should set up monitoring to ensure:

  • The integration successfully delivers job applications
  • Questions files are consistently available and valid

Indeed monitors whether applications are delivered successfully to our partners, along with other health indicators. If any problems arise, Indeed will contact you. In some cases, Indeed will disable the Apply feature for some or all of your jobs until issues are fixed.

Note: Undelivered applications are not lost. In case of failure, retry attempts are made automatically at periodic intervals after the original apply. If delivery is not possible, applications are retained for 60 days and retry attempts can be made on request.

To avoid integration issues, make sure you are returning HTTP status code 200 for all applications that are successfully received. Indeed Apply considers any other HTTP status codes, post timeouts or connect timeouts to be failures.

Additionally, return the following statuses in these conditions:

  • 409 (Conflict): Use if there is a duplicate application already in your system. We define duplicate as an application from the same job seeker email, to the same jobid, within 120 days.
  • 410 (Gone): Use if a job Indeed attempts to post to is expired or no longer available. if you respond with HTTP410 Indeed will expire the job from our search results. If the job is still present in the XML at the time of the next feed run we’ll un-expire the position.

If your jobs use screener questions, also ensure the pages that host those files:

  • are consistently available
  • do not redirect
  • are properly formed

Common integration issues

The following common issues may cause integration errors with POST or Question URLs:

Common issues table
Issue Solution
Redirecting to another location, e.g. via 301 redirects

Ensure the POST and Question URLs do not include redirects.

If you must include a protocol change (i.e. HTTP to HTTPS), be sure to:

  • send a 301 redirect error
  • include the precise HTTPS version of your URL in the location header

Any alternative behavior will cause errors.
Expired SSL certificate Renew your SSL certificate. For more information, see the List of Trusted Root SSL Certificates.
Misconfigured SSL

Use an SSL server test to analyze and help diagnose the problem. (e.g. https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/)

Make sure to:

  • send the full certificate chain
  • check that none of the certificates in the chain require additional downloads

Any alternative behavior will cause errors.
Question’s JSON is invalid or doesn’t follow Indeed’s requirements definition Review the screener question requirements. Use the Test Indeed Apply Questions tool to preview changes.
Other issues accessing the resource (404, 500 errors, timeouts)

Implement strategies to ensure your resources reliably scale to accommodate high-traffic periods. Additionally, use appropriate HTTP response codes to help us investigate any issues that may occur.

As Indeed does not have a post size limit (citation needed), please ensure you’re able to handle any size post from Indeed. If you are unable to accommodate this request, please return an HTTP 413 error to indicate the post was too large.

Integration Checklist

Review the following checklist before submitting your XML feed to your Alliances Manager. Following this checklist ensures the submission process is efficient for you and Indeed.

  1. Check the top of the XML file to make sure version, encoding, and publisher information are present. 
    
 <?xml version=”1.0” encoding=”utf-8”?>
    <source>
    <publisher> Example Job Site</publisher>
    <publisherurl>http://www.examplejobsite.com</publisherurl>
    <lastbuilddate>Thu, 15 Oct 2015 09:44:37 GMT</lastbuilddate>
  2. Include all companies in the XML file. Indeed already has a list of most jobs, so any missing companies will prevent the file from going live.
  3. Ensure you have included all jobs available on your website; this includes jobs from sub-brands or subsidiaries of the parent company. Discrepancies in job volume between career portals and what’s in the XML may result in lowered visibility for jobs coming through the provided XML.
    Note: Every job needs to have a unique URL in the <url> tag.
  4. Confirm that all the following required fields are present and properly formatted as outlined in the XML Feed Elements section.
  5. Remove all TEST jobs from the file. Otherwise it will be rejected.
  6. Make sure you test the Indeed Apply data you’re including in the feed. If you have any trouble, contact your Alliances Manager and they’ll troubleshoot with you.
    • Use the Indeed Apply button test tool and the IA code in the XML to confirm the feed is working properly.
    • Ensure that all URLs (joburl, posturl, questions) included in metadata are fully URL encoded.
    • Verify that your analytics field can categorize applications as organic, sponsored, or Indeed Targeted Ad.
      For more information, refer to Indeed Apply top-level JSON fields.
    • Make sure every job has Indeed Apply included in the <job> node.
    • Ensure you’ve properly encrypted the email address if you use email as your delivery method.
    • Check that your SSL certificate is valid and up-to-date.
    • Verify your question JSON using the question test tool. Note: The test tool does not provide sponsored data information.
    • Make sure your screener questions are in line with our best practices.
    • Deliver screenshots to your Alliances manager of the Opt Out process for Indeed Apply. We require all partners to develop Indeed Apply opt out within their system for clients to use.
  7. After completing all of the preceding steps, you can either:
    • Upload the XML to Indeed’s FTP. (If you need an account, let your Alliances Manager know.)
    • Update the file hosted on either an FTP or a URL get request.
  8. Contact your Alliances Manager so they can review before submission and provide you with a tool to review any quality issues that may be present.