Why and how to use the Workable API for integrations

Workable is recruiting software to manage the entire hiring process. It provides a complete overview of your open jobs and helps track every candidate who applies. You can also use Workable to create your own careers page and post on job boards.

But what if you already have a website with an established careers page? How do you keep that updated, and direct the applications straight to your Workable recruiting pipeline? And how can you extract information about jobs and candidates in a different format for your organization’s specific needs?

Good questions! This is where the Workable API comes in.

What is the Workable API?

Put simply, Workable’s API enables the software applications used by your organization to interact with data from your Workable account. If you’re on a PRO plan, you can use the API to:

• Extract information about:
  • Your account
  • Your hiring members and recruiters
  • The pipeline stages for each position
  • Jobs and screening questions
  • Scheduled events
  • Activities/status of each job or candidate
• Manage your candidates:
  • See candidates for a specific job
  • Extract detailed candidate information
  • Update candidate information
  • Add comments or ratings
  • Copy, disqualify or move candidates
• Enter data in Workable
  • Create candidate profiles inside Workable
  • Migrate existing candidates from other places (like spreadsheets)
• Integrate with other systems
  • Any system that holds personal profiles can use the API to transfer these profiles in Workable.

Here’s a basic scenario: You have an existing website with an established careers page that already conforms to your brand guidelines. You’d like to keep this updated, but ideally, every candidate that applies should be gathered inside your Workable ATS account. That way, you can keep profiles organized in a single location, which makes it easier to work with your hiring teams. In this case, the Workable API helps your developers to transfer all the applications you receive from your careers page straight to Workable.

Similarly, you can ask the API to give you access to information from your Workable account. For example, use the API to extract a list of open jobs and the details of each role and add them to your careers page. Every time you create a new position in Workable, your own website will update with the latest details.

How to start using the API for integrations

The first thing you need to start using the API is an access token, or key. You can get this easily through the ‘Integrations’ settings from your Workable dashboard. At the bottom of the integrations settings page, you will see the option to “generate a new token.” When you click on this button, your API key will appear at the bottom:

Once you have the token, you, or your developer, can start using the API. (You will need some programming experience.) Workable’s API documentation is available with more detailed information.

Workable’s API gives you full control over your recruiting data. You’ll be able to set up your unique careers page, integrate your existing software with Workable and extract useful information on your hiring process.

If you’re looking for ways to analyze your recruiting data, Workable also provides a suite of recruiting reports including time to hire, hiring velocity and source of hire. If you’re looking to create custom recruiting reports based on your own KPIs, talk to us to find out more.