Are you looking to build a job board on your WordPress website? Whether you’re creating a niche job listing site or want to add job listings to your company site, WP Job Manager is one of the most popular and beginner-friendly solutions available. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to get started—from installation and configuration to understanding its core features.
What is WP Job Manager?
WP Job Manager is a lightweight and extensible job board plugin for WordPress. Originally developed by Mike Jolley (also behind WooCommerce), the plugin allows you to easily create, manage, and categorize job listings on your site. It works with any WordPress theme and is shortcode-powered, meaning you can embed job listings virtually anywhere on your site.
Why Use WP Job Manager?
- Easy setup with shortcode-based listings
- Frontend job submission forms
- Employer dashboards
- Developer-friendly with hooks and APIs
- Wide range of official and third-party add-ons
Step 1: Installing WP Job Manager
From the WordPress Dashboard:
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Search for “WP Job Manager”.
- Click Install Now, then Activate.
Alternatively, you can download the plugin from WordPress.org and upload it manually.
Step 2: Initial Setup
After activation, you’ll see a prompt to set up pages. WP Job Manager will create default pages with necessary shortcodes:
- Jobs:
[jobs]– displays the job listing archive - Post a Job:
[submit_job_form]– frontend form for submitting jobs - Job Dashboard:
[job_dashboard]– employers can manage their listings
You can edit or relocate these shortcodes to fit your site structure.
🧩 Step 3: Understanding Core Features
1. Job Listings
Employers or admins can add listings with details like:
- Job title and description
- Company name and logo
- Location
- Application email or URL
- Job type (Full-Time, Part-Time, Freelance)
2. Frontend Job Submission
Users can submit jobs from the frontend using the [submit_job_form] shortcode. This form includes a multi-step flow and is configurable through the settings.
You can moderate listings before they go live (under Job Listings > Settings > Job Submission).
3. Job Dashboard
Logged-in users can manage their listings via the [job_dashboard] page. They can edit, mark jobs as filled, or delete them.
4. Search and Filtering
The [jobs] shortcode includes built-in AJAX filters for:
- Keyword
- Location
- Job type
This provides a dynamic and responsive browsing experience for job seekers.
Step 4: Customizing the Job Board
Theme Compatibility
WP Job Manager is designed to work with most themes. However, for a more refined look, you may want to:
- Adjust CSS for listing styles
- Override templates (found in
/wp-job-manager/templates/) - Use theme-compatible add-ons like Jobify, Listify, or Astra
Adding Job Types
Go to Job Listings > Job Types to add categories like:
- Internship
- Remote
- Contract
These show up as filterable options on your listings page.
Step 5: Expanding Functionality with Add-Ons
WP Job Manager’s core is intentionally lean, but there are premium and free add-ons available for extended functionality:
Popular Add-Ons:
- Applications: Accept and manage applications directly.
- Resume Manager: Job seekers can upload resumes and build profiles.
- Job Alerts: Users can get email notifications for new listings.
- WC Paid Listings: Charge users to post job listings using WooCommerce.
- Bookmarks: Allow users to save job listings for later.
Step 6: Managing Listings (Admin View)
From the backend:
- Go to Job Listings > All Job Listings
- You can edit, approve, or delete listings
- Filter listings by status (pending, filled, expired)
You can also customize expiration dates and notifications under Settings.
Step 7: Controlling Access and Spam
- Enable reCAPTCHA on submission forms (via plugin or third-party extension)
- Use membership plugins to restrict posting to registered employers
- Moderate job submissions to avoid spam or irrelevant listings
Developer-Friendly Features
For developers, WP Job Manager is a dream:
- Plenty of hooks and filters
- REST API for integrations
- Custom post types (
job_listing) - Custom taxonomies for job types and categories
Final Tips
- Keep your plugin and add-ons updated
- Monitor listings and delete spam regularly
- Consider using SEO plugins to enhance listing visibility
- Encourage employers to post detailed, high-quality listings
Conclusion
WP Job Manager is a powerful tool to launch a job board quickly and efficiently. With its flexibility, frontend submission capabilities, and a large ecosystem of add-ons, it’s suitable for both beginners and developers. Whether you’re running a niche board or integrating job listings into an existing site, WP Job Manager gives you all the tools you need.
Ready to build your own job board? Start with WP Job Manager today and grow your platform one listing at a time!
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