Using RSS to Post Jobs to Multiple Channels

Using RSS to Post Jobs: EPA’s Case

Jeffrey LevyNovember 4, 2013

Why Post Jobs?

• Very popular link on home page– Top 10 click (others include search

and contact us)• Job listings page on our website

is popular: 500-700 views/day• On Facebook, people asked for

job openings

Why Not Post Jobs?

• Resource intensive to maintain: fast-changing• Especially challenging to create and maintain

multiple channels• High visibility if we miss something, including:– Not posting all jobs– Leaving a job up that’s closed– Missing some detail on a particular listing

Solution: RSS

• RSS is a plain text file best created automatically• One file, so the same information everywhere• Fire and forget: once set up, zero maintenance• Easy to add new channels, edit existing ones• Each channel is independent of others

We use OPM’s RSS feed from USAJOBS.gov

Same Info, Different Channels

EmailJob Listings Page

Careers home page

Twitter USAJOBS

EPA Sends to Three Channels• EPA website– Careers home page: http://epa.gov/careers – Page specifically for job listings: http://

epa.gov/careers/openings.html– RSS URL also listed directly

• Twitter: @EPAjobs: http://twitter.com/EPAjobs– 4500 followers

• Email subscription via GovDelivery signup box on EPA website– 52,000 subscribers (3rd most popular EPA topic)

How to Start

• Get the OPM job search RSS feed• Decide where you want to send job listings:– Website– Twitter– Email (find a system that can autosend based on RSS)– Facebook– Google+– LinkedIn– Others?

How to Finish• Research each potential channel

– Is it possible to send an RSS feed an auto-post?– How do you actually do it? Research before deciding to use

something– Any intermediate sites needed (e.g., Twitterfeed to send to Twitter)?– Any restrictions in TOS prevent autoposting?

• Implement and check every once in a while• Advertise!

– List all channels on your website– Link to your website from Twitter, Facebook, Google+, listserves– Share website URL in email signature block, paper materials, etc.

Getting the RSS Feed

1. Advanced search on USAjobs.gov: https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/AdvancedSearch

Setting up Your Search

• EPA uses nothing in the top section• Location: we leave blank to include all jobs,

but this could be relevant to your office

Agency Search Options• Agency search: choose top-level agency or branch, then

subagency, or• For several organizations:

– Choose one of the last two options– Then choose agency

• Must click “add” after each choice to include it.

Select Other Options

• Occupational series: leave blank to include all• Applicant eligibility: leave “no” checked to

include jobs open to non-feds• Sort results: choose “date”• Other settings as you choose• Click “Search Jobs”

Select Other Options

Getting the RSS Feed2. On the search results page, click the link on the left to “RSS Feed of This

Search” and copy the URL of the page that comes up.Note: the URL will work as long as it’s used, but will vanish after 3 years of not being used

Autoposting to Website

• Decide what you want to do on the site– Dedicated page just for job listings?– Pages that also serve other purposes?– Multiple pages?

• EPA’s choice:– dedicated page: http://epa.gov/careers/openings.html– careers site home page: http://epa.gov/careers

• How? Work with coder– EPA uses Javascript to convert RSS to HTML

Autoposting to Email

• Decide what you want to do in email:– Dedicated listserve?– Send to a listserve that has other purposes– Send to multiple lists?

• EPA’s choice: Dedicated listserve• How? Work with listserve provider– EPA uses GovDelivery: http://govdelivery.com

Autoposting to Twitter

• Decide what you want to do in Twitter:– Dedicated account?– Send to an account that has other purposes– Send to multiple accounts?

• EPA’s choice: Dedicated account: @EPAjobs• How? EPA uses Twitterfeed: http://twitterfeed.com– For each Twitter account: log in, then go to

Twitterfeed

Twitterfeed

1. Create an account.2. When the dashboard appears, click “create

new feed” in the upper right corner

Twitterfeed3. Choose a feed name. This isn’t public; it appears only in

your Twitterfeed dashboard.4. Paste the URL from USAJOBS into “RSS feed URL”5. Click “test RSS feed” to be sure it’s correct. Note the

message about “GUID,” which you’ll use further down.

Twitterfeed6. Scroll down, click “advanced settings” in the lower left

– Update frequency: every 30 minutes– Post up to: 5 new updates at a time– Post content: title & description– Post link: check it and choose bit.ly, which will turn all .gov URLs into

1.usa.gov• Optional: click “bitly settings,” then create a bit.ly account to be able to track

clicks

Twitterfeed7. We don’t use Twitterfeed with LinkedIn or Facebook, so we skip those

sections8. Post sorting: GUID and check “feed is sorted”9. Skip prefix, suffix, and keyword filter unless you have a specific need10. You’ve now set up the feed. Click “continue to step 2” to choose where

to publish it.

Twitterfeed

11.Click “Twitter” under “available services”

Twitterfeed12. In another window in the same browser, you should’ve

logged into the target Twitter account. Click the big blue “Authenticate Twitter” button.

Twitterfeed13.Twitter will ask you to give Twitterfeed

access. Click “authorize app.”

Twitterfeed14.Once authorized,

Twitterfeed will show your Twitter account in the first box. Delete anything in the remaining fields and click “Create service.”

Twitterfeed15. On the available services page, you’ll see the Twitter account

listed. Click “All done” in the lower left corner.

Twitterfeed• You’re all set, as shown on the confirmation

screen.

Contact Info

• Jeffrey Levy, EPA– levy.jeffrey@epa.gov– 202-564-9727

• OPM Help– RSS feed questions: recruiter-help@usajobs.gov– Building a jobs search: https://

schemas.usajobs.gov/JobShare/Dynamic%20Search%20Query%20Service.pdf

– APIs: https://data.usajobs.gov – Dan Thibodeau, USAJOBS Deputy Program Manager

• Dan.Thibodeau@opm.gov• (202) 606-1563