How to add JobPosting structured data for job rich results

What is JobPosting structured data?

Structured data is a standardized format used to provide information about a web page and classify its content. Google uses this data to understand the content on a page, which can lead to a richer appearance in search results, known as a rich result. If you are new to structured data, it is helpful to understand how it works.

The JobPosting structured data type specifically describes a listing for a job opening within a certain organization. Adding this structured data to your job posting pages can improve the experience for job seekers.

How does JobPosting structured data appear in Google Search?

When you add JobPosting structured data, your job postings become eligible to appear in a special user experience within Google Search results. This interactive rich result allows job seekers to find jobs more easily.

The job search experience on Google can feature various details from your structured data, such as your organization's logo, reviews, ratings, and specific job details. This enhanced display helps your job listings stand out to potential applicants.

What are the general guidelines for JobPosting structured data?

To be eligible for rich results in Google Search, you must follow Google's technical guidelines and job posting content policies. Your structured data should not violate the content policies for Google Search, which include spam policies. If your page has a structured data issue, it could lead to a manual action.

Google documents that JobPosting markup must only be used on pages that contain a single job posting. It is also important that your structured data is a true representation of the page content and that you do not mark up content that is not visible to readers. You must also not block your structured data pages from Googlebot using robots.txt, noindex, or other access control methods.

To be eligible for rich results, you must include all required properties listed in the documentation for your specific rich result type. Google supports three formats for structured data: JSON-LD (recommended), Microdata, and RDFa. Following these guidelines helps make your site's pages eligible for rich results.

Which JobPosting properties describe job locations and application methods?

Schema.org defines several properties to describe job locations and how applicants can apply. The jobLocation property specifies a single geographic location associated with the job position. For instance, this could be a physical office address.

For jobs where the applicant does not need to be in a physical office, such as telecommuting roles, you can use applicantLocationRequirements. This property indicates the location or locations from which applicants can apply. Additionally, the jobLocationType property can provide a description of the job location, such as 'TELECOMMUTE' for remote positions.

The directApply property is a boolean value that indicates whether a URL associated with the JobPosting enables direct application for the job via the posting website.

How do you indicate a job posting is no longer valid?

Jobs that are no longer open for applications must be expired to ensure accurate information is displayed in search results. Schema.org provides the validThrough property for this purpose.

The validThrough property specifies the date after which the job posting is no longer valid. By setting this date, you can clearly communicate when a job position is no longer available for applications.

How do you test JobPosting structured data?

After implementing JobPosting structured data, you should validate your code using Google's Rich Results Test. This tool helps you check if your structured data is correctly implemented and eligible for rich results.

The Rich Results Test also allows you to preview most features of your job postings as they might appear in the job search experience on Google. This helps ensure your structured data is working as intended before it goes live.

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