Job Board Configuration

Table of Contents

Overview #

The PCRecruiter Job Board is the portion of the PCRecruiter hosted platform which is made visible to candidates and jobseekers either by directly linking to it or, more commonly, by using an ‘iframe’ (inline frame) and accompanying JavaScript to insert into a page on a website. It is through this portal that job data is made visible to the public, as well as through which incoming candidates are entered into the system and attached to the appropriate position pipelines. This document covers the implementation of the stock PCRecruiter Job Board features but does not touch on custom integrations or other capabilities leveraging the public API.

Setup #

Configuration of the job board requires top-level administrative access to PCRecruiter. Once logged in, you’ll find all the required panels under the SYSTEM option in the main PCRecruiter menu.

The following panels are found under the JOB BOARD submenu:

  • Job Board Results: Controls the layout of the search results / job list and related items such as filters and sorting.
  • Job Board Search: Controls the job search form and custom-filtered URLs.
  • Job Details: Controls the layout of the individual job display, social login options, and structured schema data (Google Jobs, etc.)
  • Job Board Register: Controls the layout and fields used in the basic candidate data forms for applying, passive info submission, and updates.
  • Job Board Messages: Customization of intro text (to appear above the results list), Thank You screen, and message for empty search results.
  • Inquiries/Apply: Controls the email notification to users or system admins when a candidate applies.
  • Job Board Style: Editing of stylesheets and header scripts.
  • Job Board Options: Specify Profile data sheets for registering and applying, and disable/enable return login button.
  • Job Board Import/Export Settings: Upload or download configuration files for the Job Board.
  • Custom Forms: Create and embed one-way record entry forms in external web pages.
  • Job Board EEOC: Configuration and enabling of fields for EEOC demographics and source tracking.
  • Position Life Span: Optional maximum days for jobs to remain public.
  • Landing Pages: Defines the URL(s) for the system’s iframe URL redirection.

General Notes #

  • The job board is built using Bootstrap 3.2 and layouts for the various screens use this framework for responsive layouts. It is highly recommended that any job board setup be checked on both desktop and mobile devices before deployment.
  • On any panel with an HTML editor, you may click the < > button to view and edit the HTML source. In many cases, some hand-editing of the source will be required.
  • On most HTML editor screens, the Template button in the editing toolbar inserts sample layouts that can be used as a starting point for customization.
  • On the HTML editor screens, the Insert Fields button in the editing toolbar includes the various fields that can be inserted into that screen. The Insert Fields button includes other screen-dependent inserts which are outlined below.
  • When inserting a field, you may replace the text label of that item by simply altering it in the editor. You may also choose to insert the merge tag for the field directly (e.g. [[positions.title]]) in order to wrap it with your own custom HTML.
  • Most panels include an “Open Website” link in the Action menu at the upper right corner which will launch the job board link for viewing. If the older Classic Extensions are currently enabled on the database, adding &forcenew=y to the job board URL will allow viewing of the newer board. Some panels also include a “Preview Mobile” and “Preview Desktop” option for loading the Job Board in a pre-sized modal dialog.

Duplicate Handling #

When using the PCRecruiter Job Board, the following three items are used to determine if a record already exists in your database:

  1. Email Address: Strictly looking at the “Predefined: Email Address” field, no custom fields will be used when duplicate checking.
  2. Resume: Must be stored in the Resume area and be the exact same resume, character-for-character.
  3. LinkedIn URL: Must be stored in the “Social_LinkedIn” field when an applicant chooses to “Apply With LinkedIn”

If an applicant is determined to be a duplicate, the existing record will updated with the new details. The Change Log on the record will contain the old information if needed.

Import/Export Setting #

The “Download Configuration” button on this screen will export all of the primary job board settings and layouts into an .XML file for backup. The “Upload Configuration” option restores these XML files into the job board, replacing the current configuration. This feature is also helpful for moving or copying configurations between databases or locations.

Job Board EEOC #

This panel enables the EEOC Collection screen, which collects Race, Gender, Source, Veteran Status, and Disability Status as required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Position Life Span #

By default, jobs remain visible on the job board indefinitely. Entering a number here causes the jobs to switch to ‘Expired’ status once the current date is the specified number of days past the Date Posted field on the position.

The WCAG and PCRecruiter #

What is the WCAG? #

The WCAG, or Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, are just part of the guidelines for web accessibility published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The W3C are the international organization that develops open standards for the Internet. The goal of these guidelines is to make the web more accessible to people with disabilities, but they are also helpful in providing a better online experience for web users in general through options such as keyboard shortcuts, alternate text for missing images, video transcripts, and support for a variety of devices.

What are the guidelines? #

A ‘Quick Reference’ guide to WCAG 2 can be found at https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/quickref.

The WCAG standards have been updated several times. The current version is WCAG 2.1, published in 2018, with version 2.2 anticipated in 2023. Within each standard are a dozen or so ‘guidelines’, each of which has testable criteria for success, labeled A, AA, and AAA.

The A, AA, and AAA levels are dependent on how much impact each criteria has on most users, with Level A being the broadest and simplest criteria to achieve, and AAA being the most detailed or narrow, and potentially complicated or expensive to achieve.

For example, in WGAC 2.1, the Guideline 3.3 section is about avoiding and correcting mistakes in web input. If a web form identifies an error and describes the error to the user in text, that meets Level A compliance. If the error is identified and suggestions for correcting the error are shown to the user, that meets Level AA compliance for that criteria. Level AAA compliance requires the offering of context-sensitive help, or allowing reversible / correctable submissions.

A web page can be Level AA compliant on one element, but only Level A on another. Furthermore, some guidelines are subject to interpretation, such that automated testing tools or checklists may not be a perfect indicator of compliance.

While it is practically impossible to expect Level AAA compliance with every single guideline, meeting Level A on all points is a necessity. Properly built websites should be able to achieve AA compliance with relative ease, and depending on the industry or jurisdiction, may be legally obligated to do so. Check with experts in your field or location for specific requirements.

Is the PCRecruiter Job Board WCAG Compliant? #

As described above, ‘compliance’ is not one thing, but an indication of how well specific elements of a site meet specific criteria. The PCRecruiter Job Board is a mix of software-driven elements and user-defined elements, so compliance can vary from implementation to implementation, or even between job postings within a single board. 

Whether your own Job Board is compliant with a particular level of WCAG is up to you, but it is completely possible to achieve WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance with the PCRecruiter Job Board when proper attention is given to the matter.

Because a job board is by nature almost entirely composed of text, a great many of the accessibility guidelines are not applicable, as they are aimed at more rich-media driven content. The key items to review often involve navigation, color contrasts, text sizes, text organization, and the functionality of application forms. Wherever possible, PCRecruiter has been designed to either produce or support the production of compliant content.

In some cases, attention must be paid to the content entered by individual users, independent of the Job Board setup itself. For example, criterion 2.4.6 governs the use of headings, so any individual job description entered would need to use headings in their properly ranked order (i.e. not using a H2 second-level HTML heading tag without a preceding first-level H1 heading tag.)

Responsibility for compliance with WCAG or any other form of legal or regulatory requirement in PCRecruiter ultimately lies with the users and administrators of that database. We encourage you to consult with web accessibility specialists for best practices or to review your current Job Board configuration. The PCRecruiter web team are available to consult or assist with changes or questions as they arise.