Preparing for an SAP SuccessFactors Career Site Builder Implementation

Designing the Career Site

Completing the Initial Setup of the Recruiting System

Building the Career Site

Moving the Career Site to Production

Engaging Potential Candidates

Implementing Source Reporting

Succeeding as a Consultant

Generating XML Feeds to Support the Customer's Job Distribution Requirements

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to generate XML feeds to support customer-hosted career sites.

Custom XML Feed Creation

Custom XML feeds require rules to filter client jobs down to a specific subset. Some considerations regarding custom XML feeds include the following:

The rule syntax must be exact.
- Field names are listed in lowercase.
- Values are identified in quotation marks.
- A colon (:) separates the field names and values.
- Boolean operators are represented in ALL CAPS.
Example rules include:
- country:"US"
- title:"Manager"
- title:("Marketing" AND "Manager")
- department:("Plant" OR "Operations")

This site and others are a good reference for additional information: http://www.lucenetutorial.com/lucene-query-syntax.html

Simple Custom XML Feed

In this simple example for a custom feed for the Jooble job board, only jobs with "manager" in the title are included.

The custom feed for the Jooble job board with a highlighted Rules section where the rule specifies that only jobs with the title “manager” will appear.

Generate a simple custom XML feed:

Start with a standard feed.
Choose Add Rule.
In the numbered edit box, enter the rule.
- For our example, enter title manager.
Ensure that Activate Rule is set to YES.
Save and run the feed to test.
- Note that FTP SETTINGS are not required. This section is only configured to schedule the delivery of XML feeds.

In another example, only English jobs would be included by using this rule: joblocale: "en_US".

Normally all languages are provided unless there is a logistical issue. For example, there is a job board in Canada that must only receive French language jobs by using this rule: joblocale: "fr_CA".
If the customer wished to deliver only the English jobs in the U.S., this rule could be used: joblocale: "en_US" AND country: "US".

Custom XML Feed with Multiple Rules

This example shows how to list jobs in Chicago first in the feed, then jobs in Los Angeles, then jobs in New York. The same campaign code is used for all jobs.

A Feed List/Feed Details page for Best Run Indeed with highlighted Campaign fields on the Basic Information tab.

Custom XML Feed with Multiple Rules and Campaign Codes

The previous example has been modified. It still lists jobs in this order: Chicago, LA, New York City. But now each set of jobs has its own campaign code associated with it, in addition to the Campaign code assigned to the entire job at the "Feed Token" level. (Note that Rule Tokens override Feed Tokens.)

Also shown in this example: The blank rule at the bottom will add all other active jobs to the feed. These jobs will include the original Campaign code.

Note that jobs are never listed twice in a feed. So jobs in Chicago, LA, and New York will not appear again for the last rule.

The Rules page with highlighted Campaign fields - Multiple Rules and Campaign Codes.

Custom XML Feed with Keywords

In some situations, the customer may need to include a keyword term or job code in the job requisition so that a rule can be written on it. This requires minimal effort by the recruiter.

Note that the keyword is visible to candidates on the career site, so put it at the bottom of the job description.

Exclusion can be used to send all job except for a specific set of jobs. In the figure that appears below, the keyword "EX:OUT" was used in the job description to exclude this job from the feed.

In the External Job Description field, the keyword “EX:OUT” was used in the job description to exclude this job from the feed.

The keyword “EX:OUT” appears in the job posting at the bottom of the job description.

Custom XML Feed Creation: Rules

The figure, Custom XML Feed Creation: Exclusion Rules, shows how the rule is written for the first exclusion example.

A Feed List/Feed Details page for Best Run Monster with a highlighted rule showing the keyword “EX:OUT” .

Custom XML Feed with Multiple Variables

The figure, Custom XML Feed Creation: Multiple Variables, shows how to use rule strings with multiple variables using "AND NOT".

"SF:LINK" is another example of using a code in the job description, for example, to designate jobs that are to be distributed to LinkedIn.

Custom XML Feed with Country Keywords

In the figure below, the keyword "#SAPSFSF" is used in the job description. For the #SAPSFSF jobs, US jobs are listed first, then India, and then China.

XML Feeds to Support Customer-Hosted Career Sites

For customers who maintain their CSB jobs on their externally hosted corporate site, an XML feed provides the jobs, and the customer parses it as necessary for their job description layout.

For this use case, use the Career Site - Hardcoded template because it maintains the site tracking automatically, and contains the necessary fields for most scenarios.

Example of Jobs on a Customer-Hosted Career Site. They consist of a job title, location information, posted date, and a button to view.

Source Tracking for Agencies That Redistribute the Customer’s Jobs

Some customers work with a third-party agency that redistributes their jobs to partnering sites such as social media, Google AdWords, programmatic advertising using AI, and so on. Some examples of third-party strategic/purchasing agencies are https://www.recruitics.com/ or https://www.radancy.com/ (formerly TMP), or https://bayardad.com/.

Typically, the agency wants to import the jobs with no tracking, and they append the tracking tag for each vendor they advertise to. Use the XML feeds source template built specifically for each agency. Tags can be generated from Source Tracker, or request assistance with tags via a support ticket. The complete list of all tracking tags is not available as it is always expanding, but a list of tracking tags by vendor and product can be provided. Examples: Indeed versus Indeed PPC, paid versus organic, and so on.

Create XML Feeds

This video provides a demonstration on how to create XML feeds.

Business Example

Create both standard and custom XML feeds. Best Run needs an all jobs feed for CareerBuilder. For Indeed, they want the manager jobs listed first, and then all other jobs.

Task 1: Create a Standard XML Feed

Steps

Log in to Command Center and navigate to Feeds Management.
Select the + Add button.
For Name, enter BestRun – CareerBuilder. Add your initials to the end of the Feed Name so that it's unique. You can filter the Feed Name list using your initials.
For Source, select CareerBuilder - 1PRIMARY.
For Site, select the Company ID for your training instance.
For Activate Feed, select YES.
In the Feed Token section of the page, for Campaign, enter &utm_campaign=BestRun_CareerBuilder.
Select Save.
Select Run Feed. If this button is not enabled, click Return to Feed List, search for your Feed Name by using your initials, and Run Feed from that page.
Choose Run Full Feed.
Explore the results. All jobs are included in the feed. Notice how the fields are tagged for this particular vendor, CareerBuilder. You can share the URL for this page.
Return to the Feed List page.

Task 2: Create a Custom XML Feed

Steps

Click + Add from the Feed List page.
For Name, enter BestRun – LinkedIn – Custom. Add your initials at the end of the Feed Name.
For Source, select LinkedIn - 1PRIMARY - Non Mapped.
For Site, select your training instance.
For Activate Feed, select YES.
In the Feed Token section of the page, for Campaign, enter &utm_campaign=BestRun_LinkedIn_Custom.
In the Rules section of the page, click the Add Rule button.
In the first edit box, enter title:"manager".
Ensure that Activate Rule is enabled.
Click Validate Rule.
Beneath the Tokens for the first rule, click Add Rule. No additional information is required in order to pull in the rest of the active jobs.
Click Save.
Click Run Feed. (If necessary, run it from the Feed List, as described for the first feed.)
Click Run Full Feed.
Explore the results. Notice that any jobs with the word "manager" in the title are at the top of the feed.
Click Return to Feeds List and from the dropdown at the top of the page, select Site Management.

Summary

Custom XML feeds rely on strict rule syntax, using lowercase field names, quoted values, colon separators, and uppercase boolean operators to filter jobs accurately.
A simple feed can be created by starting from a standard feed, adding a filtering rule, activating it, and running the feed to test results; FTP settings are only needed when scheduling automated delivery.
Feed rules can define language, country, and job ordering, and they can prioritize specific job groups. Rule-level tokens can override feed-level tokens, and the system ensures that jobs are never duplicated within the same feed.
Recruiters can influence inclusion or exclusion by adding keywords or job codes directly in job descriptions, enabling targeted routing or filtering. Agencies often request feeds without tracking so they can apply their own, which can be supported through agency-specific XML templates and tracking tags obtained through Source Tracker or support.

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