Help build a more trustworthy employment marketplace.
The Job Application Integrity Project works to improve transparency, accountability and trust in online recruiting. Employers, recruiting firms, job boards, technology providers, researchers and other organizations can support and participate in the Project while preserving JAIP's independence.
JAIP is not anti-job-board. JAIP is pro-accountability. Legitimate distribution helps people find jobs. The goal is to make sure job identity, application destinations and delivery remain clear and verifiable.
Why support JAIP?
Make application paths easier to trust
Applicants should be able to understand who is hiring, where their information is going and whether an application reaches the intended employer or authorized representative.
Reduce confusion caused by unauthorized or misleading job representations
Copied jobs, stale listings, fake recruiters and unexpected application paths can create reputational risk for legitimate employers even when the employer did not create the experience.
Measure what happens after a candidate clicks Apply
Employers and recruiting partners benefit from clearer application delivery, accurate job status and reliable source attribution.
Preserve reach without sacrificing transparency
Search engines, job boards, aggregators and recruiting firms can expand opportunity. JAIP supports broad distribution while encouraging transparent destinations and verifiable delivery.
Separate authorized recruiting from impersonation
Responsible recruiters and platforms should be able to distinguish themselves from parties that copy jobs, misuse employer identities or collect applicant information deceptively.
Help develop open, evidence-based standards
Supporters can contribute operational knowledge, technical expertise and research assistance without controlling JAIP's findings or receiving preferential treatment.
Support does not buy favorable treatment.
JAIP's credibility depends on a clear separation between support and evaluation.
- Technical assistance, research cooperation, data access, expertise or other support does not purchase verification or certification.
- Supporters do not control research findings or testing results.
- Supporters cannot prevent publication of unfavorable findings.
- Supporters do not receive different standards or preferential treatment.
- Future verification decisions must be based on published criteria and evidence.
Three different relationships with JAIP
These labels should never be interchangeable. Supporting the mission is not the same as participating in standards work, and neither automatically means an organization has been verified.
Supports the mission
Supports JAIP through expertise, research participation, technical assistance, data access, testing cooperation, institutional collaboration or other resources that advance the public-service mission.
Participates in standards or research
Contributes expertise, data, feedback, testing access or other assistance to standards development or research activity.
JAIP Verified
Would mean a specific application path or process has undergone objective testing and met published verification criteria. JAIP verification is not currently available.
Future verification program
Verified Application Path
JAIP intends to explore a voluntary verification program under which employers, recruiting organizations, job platforms and recruiting technology providers could demonstrate conformity with published application-integrity standards.
The initial focus should be on a specific, objectively testable application path or process, not a broad endorsement of an entire company.
Who is actually hiring can be established.
The candidate can understand where Apply leads.
The application reaches the employer or authorized representative.
Reasonable controls exist for closed or expired jobs.
Distribution credit can survive without intercepting delivery.
The recipient and use of applicant information are reasonably clear.
A future verification mark should link to a public JAIP record showing what was tested, when it was tested, the applicable methodology, the verification status and a way to report a problem.
Principles for any future verification program
- Published criteria. Organizations should know exactly what is being tested.
- Reproducible testing. A third party should be able to understand how JAIP reached the result.
- Evidence-based decisions. Verification should depend on documented observations, not reputation or sponsorship.
- Periodic review. Verification should expire or require review because application paths change.
- Public status. A verification record should show whether the status is current, expired or under review.
- Separation from sponsorship. Payment, if ever charged for verification work, would pay for the work performed, not for a passing result.
Interested in supporting or participating in JAIP?
JAIP is developing its supporter, participation, governance and funding framework. Employers, recruiting organizations, job platforms, technology providers, researchers and other stakeholders can help by contributing expertise, participating in research, providing testing access, sharing operational knowledge, supplying non-sensitive data, or collaborating on transparent application-path standards.
No tax-deductible charitable contribution is being solicited or represented on this page at this time. If JAIP later establishes a formal charitable fundraising program, the applicable organizational status, registration information and contribution disclosures will be stated clearly.
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