Import & Export

Kraken Careers includes tools for exporting, backing up, transferring, and importing careers data between WordPress websites.

The available tools include:

  • Jobs ZIP export
  • Candidates ZIP export
  • Candidates CSV export
  • Selected Talent Pool CSV export
  • Jobs ZIP import
  • Candidates ZIP import

Use the ZIP format when transferring data into another Kraken Careers installation. CSV exports are intended for spreadsheets, reporting, and offline record-keeping; they cannot be imported using the Kraken Careers importer.

Before You Begin

Before exporting or importing data:

  • Confirm that Kraken Careers is installed and active.
  • Update Kraken Careers on both websites to compatible versions.
  • Confirm that you have the required WordPress permissions.
  • Create a complete website and database backup.
  • Make sure the server supports ZIP files.
  • Keep exported files secure because they may contain personal candidate information.

Job and candidate ZIP exports require the PHP ZipArchive extension. Contact your hosting provider if WordPress reports that this extension is unavailable.

Permissions

WordPress permissions control which tools a user can access.

  • Job exports require WordPress export permission.
  • Candidate and Talent Pool exports require candidate export permission.
  • Imports require WordPress import permission.
  • Users can only export selected Talent Pool records they are permitted to edit.

Administrators and Careers Admins normally have the required candidate export permissions. Available options may differ depending on the user’s assigned role.

Exporting Data

Kraken Careers export tools appear under Tools → Export in the WordPress administration area.

The Kraken Careers Exports section contains the export options available to the current user.

Jobs ZIP Export

The Jobs export creates a portable ZIP archive containing job records and their associated files.

The archive includes:

  • Job titles
  • Job descriptions
  • Duties
  • Qualifications
  • Job settings and metadata
  • Job statuses
  • Publication dates
  • Assigned taxonomies
  • Assigned company profiles
  • Assigned job locations
  • Assigned benefits
  • Associated media attachments

Company profiles, locations, and benefits are included when they are associated with an exported job. Unused records that are not attached to a job may not be included.

The archive contains a structured jobs.json file and the related media files required by the exported records.

Export Jobs

  1. Go to Tools → Export.
  2. Find Kraken Careers Exports.
  3. Locate the Jobs option.
  4. Select Export.
  5. Wait for the progress indicator to finish.
  6. Save the downloaded ZIP file.

The filename includes the export date and time.

Do not rename or edit jobs.json inside the archive. Changes to the internal files can prevent the archive from importing correctly.

Candidates ZIP Export

The Candidates export creates a portable ZIP archive containing active Candidates and Talent Pool records.

The archive includes:

  • Active candidate records
  • Talent Pool records
  • Application details
  • Contact information
  • Candidate addresses
  • Job information stored with the application
  • Hiring stages
  • Reviewer information
  • Notes and stored candidate metadata
  • Submitted screening-question answers
  • References and workflow information stored with the candidate
  • Resumes
  • Cover letters
  • Other candidate document attachments

The archive contains a structured applications.json file and the attached candidate documents.

Export Candidates

  1. Go to Tools → Export.
  2. Find Kraken Careers Exports.
  3. Locate Candidates.
  4. Select Export.
  5. Wait for the progress indicator to finish.
  6. Save the downloaded ZIP file.

Candidate exports may contain sensitive personal information. Store and transfer the archive using an appropriately secured location.

Candidates CSV Export

The Candidates CSV option creates a spreadsheet-ready export of active Candidates and Talent Pool records.

The CSV includes:

  • Date submitted
  • Job applied for
  • Job location
  • Current hiring stage
  • First name
  • Middle name
  • Last name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Street address
  • City
  • State, province, or region
  • Postal or ZIP code
  • Country
  • Links to candidate documents

The CSV contains document links rather than placing the files themselves inside the spreadsheet.

Export All Candidates to CSV

  1. Go to Tools → Export.
  2. Find Kraken Careers Exports.
  3. Locate Candidates CSV.
  4. Select Export.
  5. Save the downloaded CSV file.
  6. Open it in your preferred spreadsheet application.

The CSV is intended for reporting, review, and record-keeping. It cannot be uploaded through the Kraken Careers Candidates importer.

Export Selected Talent Pool Candidates

You can export selected Talent Pool records instead of exporting every candidate.

  1. Go to Careers → Talent Pool.
  2. Select the checkbox beside each candidate you want to export.
  3. Open the Bulk actions menu.
  4. Select Export as CSV.
  5. Select Apply.
  6. Save the downloaded CSV file.

Only the selected Talent Pool candidates that you are permitted to edit are included.

Use this option when creating a shortlist, sharing retained-candidate information with an authorized team member, or exporting a specific group for internal reporting.

Export Progress

Large ZIP exports display a progress panel while Kraken Careers prepares the archive.

The panel shows:

  • Current export status
  • Percentage completed
  • Number of records processed
  • Total records
  • Current export activity

Keep the browser page open until the export completes and the download begins.

The export is processed in batches to support larger sets of jobs or candidates.

Importing Data

Kraken Careers importers appear under Tools → Import.

The available importers are:

  • Kraken Careers Jobs
  • Kraken Careers Candidates

Only ZIP files created by the corresponding Kraken Careers export tool should be uploaded.

Do not upload a CSV file, a standard WordPress export file, or an archive created by another plugin.

Recommended Migration Order

When transferring both jobs and candidates to another website, use this order:

  1. Export Jobs from the original website.
  2. Export Candidates from the original website.
  3. Import the Jobs archive into the destination website.
  4. Review the imported jobs and related records.
  5. Import the Candidates archive.
  6. Review candidate job assignments, hiring stages, reviewers, and documents.

Importing jobs first gives the Candidates importer a better opportunity to connect candidate records to the corresponding imported jobs.

If candidates are imported before their jobs, the stored job name may remain available, but the destination website may not be able to connect the candidate to a matching job record.

Import Jobs

The Jobs importer recreates or updates:

  • Jobs
  • Assigned company profiles
  • Assigned job locations
  • Assigned benefits
  • Job taxonomies
  • Associated media

Run a Jobs Import

  1. Go to Tools → Import.
  2. Find Kraken Careers Jobs.
  3. Select Run Importer.
  4. Select the ZIP file created by the Jobs export.
  5. Select Upload and Import.
  6. Wait for the import to finish.
  7. Review the import summary and details.

The importer expects the archive to contain jobs.json. An error appears if this file is missing, damaged, or invalid.

Import Candidates

The Candidates importer recreates or updates:

  • Active candidate records
  • Talent Pool records
  • Application information
  • Candidate metadata
  • Candidate document attachments

Run a Candidates Import

  1. Go to Tools → Import.
  2. Find Kraken Careers Candidates.
  3. Select Run Importer.
  4. Select the ZIP file created by the Candidates export.
  5. Select Upload and Import.
  6. Wait for the import to finish.
  7. Review the import summary and details.

The importer expects the archive to contain applications.json.

How Existing Records Are Matched

The importer attempts to determine whether each record already exists.

Records are matched using:

  1. The original Kraken Careers record ID saved during an earlier import
  2. The record slug when an original imported ID match is unavailable

When a match is found, the existing record is updated.

When no match is found, a new record is created.

This allows an archive to be imported again to update previously imported content. However, records may be duplicated when their stored import identifiers or slugs have changed.

Importing data does not perform a general match using candidate names or email addresses. Do not assume that two candidates with the same email address will automatically be merged.

What Happens During a Job Import

Kraken Careers processes the related records before importing the job itself.

For each job, the importer:

  1. Imports or updates the assigned company profile.
  2. Imports or updates assigned locations.
  3. Imports or updates assigned benefits.
  4. Imports associated media.
  5. Creates or updates the job.
  6. Reconnects the job to the imported company, locations, benefits, and media.
  7. Recreates assigned taxonomy terms.

Original record IDs are mapped to their corresponding record IDs on the destination website. This allows relationships to be restored even when the destination website assigns different WordPress IDs.

What Happens During a Candidate Import

For each candidate, the importer:

  1. Determines whether the record belongs in Candidates or the Talent Pool.
  2. Searches for an existing imported record.
  3. Creates or updates the candidate.
  4. Imports available attachments.
  5. Reconnects stored attachment references.
  6. Restores candidate metadata.
  7. Attempts to connect the candidate to a previously imported job.

Candidate records retain their exported status. Active Candidates and Talent Pool candidates are imported into their corresponding sections.

Imported Record Status

Exports include records using their saved WordPress status. The importer restores that status when creating or updating the record.

An imported job may therefore be:

  • Published
  • Draft
  • Pending
  • Closed
  • Trashed
  • Another supported WordPress status

Always review imported jobs before making them publicly available. Confirm that dates, status, location, application settings, and job information are still appropriate for the destination website.

Import Results

After an import, Kraken Careers displays a summary of the records processed.

A Jobs import reports created and updated totals for:

  • Jobs
  • Companies
  • Locations
  • Benefits

A Candidates import reports created and updated totals for:

  • Candidates
  • Talent Pool records

The Import Details section separates newly created records from updated records.

Review any error messages before leaving the importer. An import can complete some records successfully while reporting errors for others.

Data Not Included in the Jobs ZIP

The Jobs archive is designed around jobs and the records directly assigned to those jobs.

It should not be treated as a complete export of every Kraken Careers or WordPress setting. For example, the Jobs archive does not independently export all:

  • Screening Questions sets
  • Plugin settings
  • Email templates
  • Communication templates
  • User accounts and roles
  • WordPress settings
  • Reporting history
  • Unused company profiles
  • Unused locations
  • Unused benefits

Move or recreate these items separately when preparing a complete website migration.

The Candidate archive may preserve stored values relating to these features, but that does not automatically recreate the original configuration on the destination website.

For a complete website copy, use a full WordPress migration or backup solution in addition to Kraken Careers exports.

Review Imported Jobs

After importing jobs:

  1. Go to Careers → Jobs.
  2. Check the number of imported records.
  3. Open several jobs from the import.
  4. Confirm the company profile.
  5. Confirm assigned locations.
  6. Confirm benefits.
  7. Review job dates and status.
  8. Review the description, duties, and qualifications.
  9. Confirm candidate and application settings.
  10. Review the Job Quality Grader.
  11. Confirm attached media.
  12. Test the public job page and application form.

Do not assume an imported published job is ready for the destination website without reviewing it.

Review Imported Candidates

After importing candidates:

  1. Go to Careers → Candidates.
  2. Confirm active candidate records.
  3. Go to Careers → Talent Pool.
  4. Confirm retained candidate records.
  5. Open several imported candidates.
  6. Confirm the associated job.
  7. Confirm the current hiring stage.
  8. Review contact information.
  9. Check reviewer assignments.
  10. Open resumes, cover letters, and uploaded documents.
  11. Review screening-question answers.
  12. Confirm references, notes, and communication history where applicable.

Reviewer assignments reference WordPress users. Confirm that the corresponding users and roles exist on the destination website.

Updating an Earlier Import

You can import a newer export from the original website to update records that were previously imported.

For the most reliable update:

  • Export from the same original website.
  • Import into the same destination website.
  • Do not remove imported-record identifiers.
  • Avoid changing record slugs unless necessary.
  • Import Jobs before Candidates.
  • Review the created and updated counts after each import.

The import updates matched records using the data in the latest archive. It is not a two-way synchronization service, and changes made independently on both websites are not automatically reconciled.

Troubleshooting

The Importer Is Not Available

Confirm that:

  • You are logged in with a role that has import permission.
  • Kraken Careers is active.
  • You are viewing Tools → Import.
  • The plugin and WordPress are up to date.

ZipArchive Is Required

The server does not have the required PHP ZipArchive extension.

Contact the hosting provider and ask them to enable ZipArchive for the PHP version used by WordPress.

The ZIP File Cannot Be Opened

The archive may be incomplete, corrupted, or blocked by the server.

Download the export again and retry using the newly generated file.

jobs.json Was Not Found

The uploaded archive is not a valid Kraken Careers Jobs export or its internal files were changed.

Upload the original Jobs ZIP without manually extracting or rebuilding it.

applications.json Was Not Found

The uploaded archive is not a valid Kraken Careers Candidates export.

Upload the original Candidates ZIP.

The Upload Is Too Large

The ZIP exceeds the server’s PHP or WordPress upload limits.

Ask the hosting provider to increase the applicable upload and request limits, or use a complete website migration method for very large datasets.

Some Attachments Are Missing

Confirm that:

  • The attachment existed when the export was created.
  • The export completed successfully.
  • The ZIP was not modified.
  • The destination upload directory is writable.
  • The destination server allows the file type.
  • The imported file does not exceed server limits.

Duplicate Records Were Created

Duplicates can occur when:

  • The original imported-record identifier is unavailable
  • The record slug changed
  • Similar records were created independently on the destination website
  • The archive came from a different source website

Review the import summary before running the same import repeatedly.

Candidates Are Not Connected to Jobs

Import the Jobs archive before importing Candidates.

If candidates were already imported, import the Jobs archive and then run the Candidates import again so the importer can attempt to reconnect matching original job IDs.

Privacy and Security

Candidate exports can include names, contact details, addresses, application history, resumes, cover letters, references, and other personal information.

Follow your organization’s privacy and retention requirements when handling these files.

Recommended precautions include:

  • Restrict exports to authorized users
  • Store files in an access-controlled location
  • Use encrypted transfer methods
  • Avoid sending candidate archives through unsecured email
  • Remove temporary copies when they are no longer required
  • Confirm the recipient is authorized before sharing data
  • Follow applicable privacy, employment, and records-retention laws

An exported file remains outside WordPress until it is securely deleted. Removing a candidate from Kraken Careers does not remove previously downloaded copies.