Published by WPNova.com | Updated March 2026 | Author: WPNova Editorial Team
Reading time: 30 minutes | Build time: Half a day (all steps included)
Every step tested on a live WordPress installation. All pricing verified March 2026. No coding required.
A recruitment agency website has one of the most demanding jobs in digital marketing. It must simultaneously convince two completely different audiences — employer clients who need to trust you with their most important asset (their hiring), and candidates who need to trust you with their careers — while projecting the credibility, expertise, and professionalism that justifies your placement fees.
Most recruitment agency websites fail at this. They are either glorified brochures with a token job listing page, or clunky job boards with a thin “Services” tab bolted on. Neither converts well. Neither earns trust fast enough.
This guide is different. It is the only complete, step-by-step instruction set for building a professional recruitment agency website on WordPress using WPNova — covering the technology stack, every page your site needs, the agency-specific configurations that separate serious agencies from amateur ones, and the content strategy that turns your website into your best salesperson.
What you will have by the end:
- A live, fully branded recruitment agency website that serves both clients and candidates simultaneously
- A job board with employer dashboards, candidate dashboards, AI-powered resume matching, and ATS Kanban pipeline
- All agency-essential pages: Services, Sectors, Team, Case Studies, Testimonials, Client Portal, Candidate Resources
- Google for Jobs integration generating free organic job traffic from day one
- Email workflows for every touchpoint in the agency process
- A site that positions your agency as the specialist authority in your niche
- Total cost: $162–$212 in year one — compared to £5,000–£25,000 for a bespoke agency website build
Agency website ROI: A recruitment agency website generating just two additional client placements per year at an average fee of $8,000–$15,000 produces an ROI of 4,000–10,000% on a $200 annual platform investment.
Source: SHRM Average Cost Per Hire Report, 2026
Table of Contents
- Why Recruitment Agencies Need a Different Website From a Job Board
- The Complete Technology Stack for a Recruitment Agency Website
- Step 1 — Choose Your Agency Domain Name and Hosting
- Step 2 — Install WordPress and the WPNova Theme
- Step 3 — Install and Configure the WPNova Plugin
- Step 4 — Build the Homepage That Converts Both Clients and Candidates
- Step 5 — Build Every Page a Recruitment Agency Website Needs
- Step 6 — Configure the Candidate Experience
- Step 7 — Configure the Client (Employer) Experience
- Step 8 — Activate AI Features for Agency Productivity
- Step 9 — Set Up the ATS Kanban Board for Placement Management
- Step 10 — Configure Google for Jobs
- Step 11 — Set Up Email Workflows for Every Agency Touchpoint
- Step 12 — Install the Essential Supporting Plugin Stack
- Step 13 — Optimise Your Agency Website for SEO
- Step 14 — Brand Your Agency Website Properly
- Step 15 — Test Before You Go Live
- The 16 Pages Every Recruitment Agency Website Must Have
- Agency Website Content Strategy: What to Publish and When
- Common Recruitment Agency Website Mistakes to Avoid
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Complete Agency Website Build Checklist
Why Recruitment Agencies Need a Different Website From a Job Board
Before a single line of configuration, understand this: a recruitment agency website and a job board website have fundamentally different goals.
A job board’s primary job is transaction volume — get as many jobs posted and as many candidates applying as possible. It is a marketplace.
A recruitment agency’s website is a trust machine. Its primary job is to convert two skeptical, high-stakes audiences:
Employer clients are asking: “Can I trust this agency to fill my most critical roles with qualified candidates? Are they genuine specialists in my sector? What is their track record? Will my fee be well spent?”
Candidates are asking: “Does this agency actually have roles I want? Are these consultants genuinely connected in my industry? Will they treat my CV confidentially and advocate for me properly?”
Every page, every word, every design choice on a recruitment agency website either builds or erodes answers to these questions.
The Three Jobs a Recruitment Agency Website Must Do Simultaneously
| Job | Primary Audience | Primary Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Generate client enquiries | Employer clients | Contact form submissions, phone calls |
| Build a candidate database | Job seekers | CV registrations, job applications |
| Establish sector authority | Both | Time on site, repeat visits, referrals |
WPNova is uniquely suited to this three-part mission because it is the only WordPress recruitment platform that delivers all three out of the box — public job board for candidates, client-facing services pages via standard WordPress, and a private ATS pipeline for managing placements internally.
The Complete Technology Stack for a Recruitment Agency Website
Here is the exact technology stack this guide builds on — every component selected for agency-specific requirements.
| Component | Recommended Choice | Annual Cost | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain | Namecheap | $10–$13 | Best value, free WhoisGuard privacy |
| Hosting | SiteGround GrowBig | $48–$120 | Staging environment (essential for agencies), daily backups, CDN |
| WordPress | wordpress.org | $0 | Powers 43% of all websites |
| Job Board Theme | WPNova Theme | Included with plugin | Purpose-built recruitment design |
| Job Board Plugin | WPNova PRO | $99 | AI matching, ATS Kanban, paid listings, resume management |
| SEO | Yoast SEO | $0 | Schema, sitemaps, meta management |
| Performance | WP Rocket | $59 | Best all-in-one speed plugin |
| Email delivery | WP Mail SMTP + Brevo | $0 | Reliable transactional email |
| Security | Wordfence | $0 | Firewall, malware scanning |
| GDPR | CookieYes | $0 | Cookie consent |
| Backups | UpdraftPlus | $0 | Automated daily backups |
| Analytics | Google Analytics 4 | $0 | Traffic and conversion tracking |
| Contact forms | WPForms Lite | $0 | Client enquiry forms |
| Payments | WooCommerce | $0 | For any paid candidate or client services |
Total Year 1: $162–$212 (domain + SiteGround StartUp + WPNova PRO + WP Rocket)
Why SiteGround over Hostinger for agencies? Agencies handle sensitive client and candidate data and need a staging environment to safely test updates before pushing them live. SiteGround GrowBig includes a one-click staging environment; Hostinger’s basic plans do not. For a personal job board, Hostinger’s $1.99/month plan is excellent. For a client-facing recruitment agency, the extra $3–$5/month for SiteGround is worthwhile. SiteGround’s GrowBig plan starts at ~$5.99/month introductory.
Step 1 — Choose Your Agency Domain Name and Hosting
Time required: 20 minutes
Choosing Your Agency Domain
Your domain name carries your agency’s brand. Unlike a job board (where a niche + “jobs” formula works well), a recruitment agency domain should reflect your brand identity — professional, memorable, and specialist.
Naming patterns that work for recruitment agencies:
| Pattern | Examples |
|---|---|
| Agency name + recruitment/talent/search | axisrecruitment.com · meridiantalent.com |
| Niche + recruitment/search | techexecsearch.com · healthcaresearch.co.uk |
| Founding partner name + partners/search | morrisonsearch.com · hartpartners.com |
| Aspirational brand word | elevatetalent.com · pinnaclesearch.com |
Rules:
.comis universally trusted;.co.ukfor UK-focused agencies;.iofor tech-focused agencies- Avoid hyphens and numbers
- Under 20 characters
- Check that the name is not trademarked and social media handles are available before committing
Register at: Namecheap ($10–$13/year) — enable WhoisGuard privacy protection at checkout (free).
Setting Up SiteGround Hosting
SiteGround GrowBig is the recommended hosting tier for recruitment agencies. The staging environment alone justifies the extra cost — you can test plugin updates, new pages, or configuration changes on a copy of your live site before pushing them to production.
- Go to siteground.com/wordpress-hosting.htm
- Select GrowBig (~$5.99–$7.99/month introductory, billed annually)
- Enter your domain, complete account setup and payment
- Select “Start New Website → WordPress” — SiteGround installs WordPress automatically
- Set a strong admin username (not “admin”) and unique password — save both in a password manager
- Point your Namecheap domain to SiteGround: copy SiteGround’s nameservers from Site Tools → Domains, paste them into Namecheap’s Custom DNS settings for your domain
- DNS propagation: 1–24 hours
Verify: Visit yourdomain.com/wp-admin and log in. Confirm both site URL fields in Settings → General begin with https://.
Step 2 — Install WordPress and the WPNova Theme
Time required: 15 minutes
Configure WordPress Fundamentals
Before installing the theme, set up WordPress correctly:
- Settings → Permalinks → “Post name” — creates clean URLs (
yourdomain.com/about/instead of?p=2) - Settings → Reading → “Your latest posts” — we will set a proper homepage in a later step
- Users → Your Profile — set your display name (appears in “Published by” fields and author pages)
Install the WPNova Job Board Theme
The WPNova Job Board Theme provides the purpose-built frontend for your agency’s recruitment functionality. It is included with all WPNova plugin purchases.
- Download the theme ZIP from your WPNova account at wpnova.com
- Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme → upload ZIP → Install → Activate
- When the demo import prompt appears, click Import Demo Content and wait 2–3 minutes
What the Demo Import Creates for You
| Auto-Created Page | Your Agency Use |
|---|---|
| Homepage | Redesign for dual client/candidate audience (Step 4) |
| Jobs | Public job listing page candidates browse |
| Post a Job | Employer-facing job submission form |
| Job Dashboard | Private employer dashboard |
| Candidate Dashboard | Private candidate dashboard |
| Register / Login | Dual registration/login pages |
| About | Foundation for your About page |
| Contact | Foundation for your Contact page |
| Blog | Foundation for your content strategy |
Brand Your Site Immediately
Before doing anything else, apply your agency’s branding so every subsequent step feels right:
- Appearance → Customise → Site Identity → upload your agency logo and set your tagline
- Appearance → Customise → Colors → Primary Color → enter your brand hex code
- Appearance → Customise → Typography → set your heading and body fonts
- Click Publish
Step 3 — Install and Configure the WPNova Plugin
Time required: 25 minutes
WPNova PRO ($99/year) is the right tier for recruitment agencies. The AI matching, ATS Kanban board, and resume management features are not optional for an agency — they are the core of how you manage placements and add value to clients.
Installation
- Download the plugin ZIP from your WPNova account
- Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin → upload ZIP → Install Now → Activate
- WPNova Job Board → Licence → enter your PRO licence key → Activate Licence
Agency-Specific Core Settings
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings and configure for an agency context:
General tab — Agency Configuration:
| Setting | Recommended Value | Agency Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Your primary market | Used in salary fields and any paid services |
| Job Expiry Default | 45 days | Agencies typically have longer active search periods |
| Per Page Results | 12–15 | More browsable for candidate-heavy boards |
| Google Maps API Key | Add key from console.cloud.google.com | Location search for regional/national placements |
| Date Format | Your region | Consistency across all listings |
Job Submission tab — Agency Configuration:
| Setting | Recommended Value | Agency Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Who Can Post Jobs | Admins only (initially) | Agency controls all listings; client-submitted jobs reviewed first |
| Require Admin Approval | Yes | Always review before listing goes live |
| Salary Field | Required | 47% of candidates won’t apply without salary data (Source) |
| Skills Tags | Required | Feeds AI matching — train consultants to fill this accurately |
| Job Type | Required | Critical for filtering and Google for Jobs schema |
Application tab — Agency Configuration:
| Setting | Recommended Value | Agency Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Application Method | On-site form | All applications enter your system; you own the data |
| Require Registration to Apply | Yes | Builds your candidate database |
| Notify Consultant on Application | Yes — immediate | Candidates expect fast response from agencies |
| Allow Application Withdrawal | Yes | Professional candidate experience |
User Registration tab — Agency Configuration:
| Setting | Recommended Value | Agency Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Registration | Open (with email verification) | Lower friction for candidate sign-up |
| Employer Registration | By invitation or approval only | Agencies control client relationships carefully |
| Auto-Login After Registration | Yes | Better candidate UX |
| Consultant Role | Enable | For your internal recruiters to manage their own candidate pools |
Step 4 — Build the Homepage That Converts Both Clients and Candidates
Time required: 45–60 minutes
Your homepage must simultaneously convince two very different audiences with very different needs. This is the defining design challenge of every recruitment agency website — and the thing most agency websites get wrong.
The fatal mistake: Building a homepage that tries to serve both audiences with the same message. You end up with vague copy that speaks to neither audience convincingly.
The solution: Clear visual separation and dual conversion paths — so each visitor instantly knows which route is for them, and feels that your agency understands their specific situation.
The Anatomy of a High-Converting Agency Homepage
Section 1: The Hero — 3-Second Clarity Test
A visitor landing on your homepage must understand within 3 seconds: who you are, who you serve, and what to do next.
The headline formula that works:
“[Sector] Recruitment Specialists | [Geography/Scope] | [Primary Value Proposition]”
Strong examples:
- “Technology Recruitment Specialists. Placing Software Engineers Across the UK Since 2018.”
- “Healthcare Staffing Experts. Permanent and Contract Roles for NHS and Private Sector.”
- “Executive Search for the Built Environment. Matching C-Suite Talent with Industry Leaders.”
What the hero section must contain:
- Agency name and primary sector specialisation in the headline
- One sentence sub-headline expanding on geography or specific service
- Two clearly separated CTAs — one for clients, one for candidates:
- Client: “Hire with Us” or “Find Talent” (links to For Employers page)
- Candidate: “Find Your Next Role” or “Browse [X] Jobs” (links to Jobs page)
- A live job count: “[X] active roles” — updates automatically as listings are added
- A trust number: “[X] successful placements” or “[X] clients trust us”
Configure in WPNova: Appearance → Customise → Homepage Hero — edit headline, sub-headline, and button text and links.
Section 2: Dual Pathway Panels
Immediately beneath the hero, add two visually equal panels side by side — one for clients, one for candidates:
Panel Left — For Employers/Clients:
- Headline: “Hire Exceptional [Niche] Talent”
- 3 bullet points: your fastest placement stat, your candidate vetting process, your guarantee or replacement policy
- CTA: “Tell Us Who You Need” → links to Client Enquiry form
Panel Right — For Candidates:
- Headline: “Find Your Next [Niche] Role”
- 3 bullet points: your job count, your exclusive roles, your career support services
- CTA: “Register Your CV” or “Browse [X] Jobs” → links to Jobs page or candidate registration
Section 3: Featured Live Jobs
Show 6–9 live job listings directly on the homepage. This serves candidates (immediate value — they can see what you currently have) and clients (social proof — it signals your board is active and well-stocked).
Configure: WPNova Job Board → Settings → Homepage → Featured Jobs — set to show your most recent 6–9 listings, displayed as clean cards showing: title, company, location, job type, and salary.
Section 4: Specialisms / Sectors Covered
Visual tiles for each sector or specialism your agency covers. Each tile links to a dedicated sector landing page (a crucial SEO and conversion asset — covered in Step 5).
Example for a technology agency: Software Engineering · DevOps & Cloud · Data & Analytics · Product Management · UX & Design · Cyber Security · IT Leadership
Each tile should show: sector name, an icon or illustration, a brief 1-line description, and an active role count badge.
Section 5: Social Proof — Clients and Candidates
This is the section that does the heaviest lifting for trust-building, and the section most agency websites either skip or populate with weak testimonials.
For clients (left side):
- Logo strip of client companies (even 5–8 recognisable logos dramatically improves conversion rates for new clients evaluating your agency)
- 1–2 quantified client testimonials: “Filled our VP Engineering role in 18 days — outperforming every agency we’d used before.” — not generic praise
- A placement statistic: “Average time-to-fill: 21 days”
For candidates (right side):
- 1–2 candidate testimonials with name, role placed, company name
- Your candidate success stat: “94% of our placed candidates are still with their employer after 12 months”
Section 6: How We Work (The Agency Process)
A simple 4-step visual explaining how your agency operates — one flow for clients, one for candidates:
Client process:
- Brief us on the role (discovery call)
- We search our network and advertise
- We screen and shortlist the best candidates
- You interview; we manage the offer
Candidate process:
- Register your CV and brief
- We match you to relevant opportunities
- We brief you and submit your profile to clients
- We support you through interview to offer
Section 7: Team Preview
Show 3–4 consultant photos with name, specialism, and a link to their full profile. Recruitment is a relationship business — putting human faces on the homepage immediately differentiates you from anonymous job boards and builds the personal trust that drives client and candidate calls.
Section 8: Latest Insights / Blog
3 recent blog posts or market insights. Signals that your agency is active, thinking, and expert — all trust signals for both audiences.
Step 5 — Build Every Page a Recruitment Agency Website Needs
A professional recruitment agency website requires 16 specific pages (detailed in the dedicated section below). Here is the build guidance for the most critical agency-specific pages.
Page: For Employers / Client Services
URL: yourdomain.com/employers/ or yourdomain.com/hire/
This is your primary client acquisition page — the page that converts a curious employer visiting your site into a client enquiry. It must answer every question an employer has before they pick up the phone.
Must include:
Section 1 — The value proposition:
- Why choose your agency over a competitor or direct hiring?
- What is your specific sector expertise?
- What differentiates your candidate network?
Section 2 — Service types (with separate sub-sections for each):
- Permanent Placement — end-to-end recruitment from brief to hire
- Contract / Interim Staffing — rapid deployment of contract professionals
- Executive Search — retained search for senior and C-suite roles
- Talent Mapping — market intelligence and competitor analysis
- Volume Recruitment — campaign-based hiring for multiple roles
Include: what is included in each service, typical timelines, fee structures (percentage of salary for permanent; day rate for contract), and a mini-case study or outcome stat for each.
Section 3 — The guarantee: State your replacement guarantee clearly. Most agencies offer a 3–6 month replacement guarantee — this is a major trust signal for clients. “If your placement leaves within 3 months, we replace them at no additional cost.”
Section 4 — Client testimonials (sector-specific): Show 2–3 testimonials from clients in each sector you serve. Sceptical clients are reassured by testimonials from peers in their own industry.
Section 5 — Client logos: A full logo strip of current and past clients. Even if you only have 5–10, include them all.
Section 6 — The enquiry CTA: A simple, low-friction enquiry form: Name, Company, Role to fill, Timeframe, Phone number. Keep it under 5 fields. Link to WPForms Lite embedded form.
Page: For Candidates
URL: yourdomain.com/candidates/ or yourdomain.com/job-seekers/
Must include:
- Why register with your agency (exclusive roles, your network, career support)
- How the registration process works (3-step visual)
- What happens after they register (consultant call, matching, briefing)
- Your sectors and the types of roles you fill
- Candidate resources: CV advice, interview tips, salary guides (links to your blog posts)
- CV submission form or link to registration page
- Candidate testimonials — with name, role placed, and employer
Pages: Sector / Industry Landing Pages (Crucial SEO Assets)
URL pattern: yourdomain.com/sectors/[sector-name]/
These pages are the highest-value SEO assets on your entire site. Each one targets a specific high-volume search like “technology recruitment agency”, “healthcare recruitment specialists”, or “finance recruitment London”.
Every sector page must include:
- Sector-specific headline: “Technology Recruitment Specialists — Placing Software Engineers, Data Scientists, and IT Leaders”
- Overview of the sector you cover (depth signals expertise)
- Specific role types you fill within the sector
- Live jobs in this sector (dynamic feed from WPNova filtered by category)
- Consultant profile(s) who specialise in this sector — with name, photo, LinkedIn, and direct contact
- 1–2 client case studies or testimonials from this sector
- Salary data for key roles in this sector (updated annually)
- CTA for clients: “Brief a [sector] role”
- CTA for candidates: “Register your [sector] CV”
SEO value: A sector page targeting “tech recruitment London” with genuine expert content, internal links, and live jobs can rank on page 1 within 3–6 months. Each page is a separate organic traffic channel.
Page: Meet the Team / Our Consultants
Recruitment is a people business. This page is often the deciding factor for both clients and candidates evaluating your agency.
Each consultant profile should include:
- Professional photo (not a stock image — real photos build disproportionate trust)
- Name and title (e.g., “Senior Consultant — Technology”)
- Sector specialism(s)
- Brief bio (100–150 words): background, why they specialise in this sector, what they bring
- Number of placements made or years in recruitment
- LinkedIn profile link
- Direct phone and email (not just a generic contact form)
- 1 short testimonial from a candidate they placed
Page: Case Studies
URL: yourdomain.com/case-studies/
Case studies are the most powerful trust-building content on any professional services website — including recruitment agencies. They transform abstract claims (“we’re specialists”) into concrete evidence (“here is a specific problem we solved, here is how we solved it, here is what the client said”).
The anatomy of a high-converting recruitment case study:
Client Industry + Role Type (headline)
↓
The Challenge (what the client needed and why it was difficult)
↓
Our Approach (how you sourced, screened, and managed the process)
↓
The Outcome (time-to-fill, number of candidates shortlisted, result)
↓
The Quote (quantified testimonial from the hiring manager)
↓
Related Services (with CTA to enquire)
Example structure:
Placing a VP of Engineering for a Series B SaaS Company in 14 Days
Challenge: The client had failed to fill the role after 6 months with two other agencies. They needed a hands-on engineering leader with fintech domain expertise.
Approach: We activated our pre-qualified fintech engineering network, identified 3 candidates with direct-domain experience within 48 hours, managed all briefings and debriefs.
Outcome: 3 shortlisted candidates in 5 days; offer accepted by first choice on day 14; 18 months later, the hire is still in post.
Client quote: “[Agency] found us a candidate in two weeks that two other agencies couldn’t find in six months.” — Head of People, [Company]
Aim for at least 3 case studies at launch. Build towards one per sector.
Page: Salary Guides
URL: yourdomain.com/salary-guides/ or per-sector: yourdomain.com/salary-guides/technology-salary-guide-2026/
Salary guides are the highest organic traffic content a recruitment agency can publish. Searches like “software developer salary London 2026” or “NHS nurse pay scale 2026” drive enormous, consistent search volume — and ranking for them positions your agency as a credible sector authority.
What a salary guide should contain:
- Role-by-role salary ranges (with senior/mid/junior splits) — updated annually
- Year-on-year salary change data
- Regional breakdowns (London vs national, for example)
- Commentary on supply/demand dynamics in the sector
- Data sources (even if self-reported from your own placements — transparent methodology)
- CTA: “Register a role” for employers / “Register your CV” for candidates
Page: Blog / Market Insights
A regularly updated blog generates the compounding SEO and trust benefits that turn a recruitment website into an authoritative sector resource. The best recruitment agency blogs are indistinguishable from industry trade publications.
High-performing content types:
- “[Sector] Salary Guide [Year]” — annually updated, consistently top 3 traffic
- “How to Hire [Specific Role] in [Year]” — employer-targeted
- “Interview Questions for [Role]” — candidate-targeted, high search volume
- “[Sector] Hiring Market: Q[X] [Year] Report” — quarterly
- “Why [Sector] Professionals Are Changing Jobs in [Year]” — both audiences
Step 6 — Configure the Candidate Experience
Time required: 15 minutes
The candidate experience on your agency website directly affects the quality and quantity of your registered candidate pool — which directly affects the quality of service you deliver to clients. Invest in getting it right.
Candidate Registration Flow
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → Candidate Registration:
- Registration form fields — keep it to the minimum needed for initial contact:
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number (important for agencies — you need to call candidates)
- Sector / discipline (dropdown from your defined categories)
- Current job title
- Location and willing to relocate (yes/no)
- Password
- Email verification toggle: Yes
- Post-registration redirect — send new candidates directly to the Candidate Dashboard with a prompted task: “Complete your profile to be visible to our consultants”
- Welcome email — configure at WPNova → Settings → Email → Candidate Welcome — this is the first email your agency sends a new candidate. Make it personal, specific, and action-oriented:“Welcome to [Agency Name]. Your profile has been received. One of our [Sector] consultants will be in touch within 1 business day to discuss opportunities that match your background. In the meantime, please take 5 minutes to complete your profile — it helps us match you to the right roles faster.”
Candidate Dashboard Configuration
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → Candidate Dashboard:
Widgets to enable:
- Resume completeness score (motivates profile completion — directly affects AI matching accuracy)
- Active applications with current status
- Jobs that match your profile (AI-powered — shows candidates why completing their profile matters)
- Saved jobs
- Job alerts configured
Resume Fields to Enable (Agency-Critical):
- Professional headline (“Senior Software Engineer | Python | Fintech”) — the most important field for consultant search
- Professional summary (150–300 words)
- Work experience (title, company, dates, key responsibilities, achievements — not just job description)
- Education and qualifications
- Skills (tag-based) — this field directly feeds AI matching; make it prominent
- Certifications and professional memberships
- Languages
- Current location and relocation preference
- Notice period — critical for agencies managing client timelines
- Desired salary range (and current salary for reference — optional)
- LinkedIn URL and portfolio
- CV file upload (PDF) — the master document everything else supplements
- Availability / Status: Currently employed and looking / Open to opportunities / Actively looking / Not currently looking
The Notice Period field is agency-critical. When a client needs a hire in 4 weeks, you need to know immediately which candidates can start within that timeframe. Make this a required dropdown: 0–2 weeks / 1 month / 2 months / 3 months / 3 months+ / Flexible. Configure it in WPNova → Settings → Resume Fields.
Candidate Privacy and GDPR
Recruitment agencies process highly sensitive personal data — candidates’ employment history, salary, qualifications, and contact details. GDPR compliance is not optional.
Required configurations:
- Privacy Policy linked in every registration form — specific language about how CVs are stored and used
- Right to Erasure — candidates can request account and data deletion from their dashboard
- Data Retention Policy — configure automatic flagging of candidate profiles inactive for 12+ months
- Consent checkbox on registration form: “I consent to [Agency Name] storing and using my data for job matching purposes in accordance with our [Privacy Policy]”
Step 7 — Configure the Client (Employer) Experience
Time required: 15 minutes
For recruitment agencies, “employers” are your clients — the companies paying your fees. Their dashboard experience should reinforce the professionalism and value your agency delivers.
Client Employer Account Setup
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → Employer Dashboard:
Employer dashboard widgets for agency clients:
- Active briefs / roles currently being searched
- Candidates shortlisted for each role (live ATS view)
- Applications received this month
- Consultant contact details for each live brief
Employer navigation — configure for agency workflow:
| Menu Item | Agency Configuration |
|---|---|
| Active Briefs | Shows all live roles your agency is searching |
| Shortlisted Candidates | Employer sees candidate profiles submitted for their roles |
| ATS Pipeline | Visual view of candidate stages per role (PRO) |
| Candidate Search | Employer can proactively browse your CV database (PLUS/PRO) |
| My Consultants | Contact details for their dedicated consultant |
| Company Profile | Editable company page on your job board |
| Documents | Placement confirmations, fee schedules, NDAs (future integration) |
Client Enquiry Management
For new client enquiries from your website’s contact forms, the journey into your system should be as smooth as possible:
- New client enquiry comes in via your For Employers page WPForms form
- The enquiry emails your recruitment consultant(s) immediately via WP Mail SMTP
- After the discovery call, the consultant creates a new employer account for the client company in the WPNova dashboard
- The consultant posts the job brief under that employer account
- The client can log in to their employer dashboard to see candidates shortlisted against their brief in real time
This real-time candidate transparency is a significant competitive differentiator — most agencies still email spreadsheets. Clients who can log in and see their shortlist updating in real time feel a fundamentally different level of engagement with your process.
Step 8 — Activate AI Features for Agency Productivity
Time required: 10 minutes (PRO tier required)
For a recruitment agency, the AI features in WPNova PRO directly reduce consultant time on administrative screening — the activity that consumes the most hours and adds the least value in any recruitment process.
Go to WPNova Job Board → AI Settings and connect your OpenAI API key:
AI Feature 1: Resume-to-Job Matching (Agency High-Value Feature)
Every time a candidate applies to a role, the AI scores their resume against the job requirements and produces a 0–100% match score plus a brief explanation of why they scored as they did.
For agencies, this means:
- Consultants reviewing 50 applications per role see the top 10 at a glance
- AI pre-screening reduces first-pass review time by 60–80%
- Clients see match scores on their shortlisted candidates — a tangible demonstration of your screening quality
- You can configure the score threshold: only show employer candidates scoring 60%+
Setup:
- Toggle Enable AI Resume Matching to On
- Paste your OpenAI API key
- Select GPT-4o for maximum accuracy (the quality of AI screening is a competitive differentiator — do not compromise on model)
- Match Score Visibility: “Admins and Employers” — clients can see scores; candidates cannot
- Save
AI Feature 2: AI Job Description Generator (Consultant Time-Saver)
When clients brief you on a role, consultants can use the AI to draft the job description in 30 seconds rather than 30 minutes — then refine it with the client’s specific requirements.
Setup: Toggle Enable AI Job Writer to On → use the same API key → save.
Consultant workflow: Client brief → consultant enters job title and key requirements → AI generates full description → consultant refines with client → post.
AI Feature 3: AI Resume Maker (Candidate Value-Add)
Candidates who struggle to write strong CVs can use the AI Resume Maker to build a professional, keyword-optimised resume that improves their match scores.
For agencies: This feature improves your candidate pool quality — better-written CVs produce better AI match scores, which means better-quality shortlists for clients. Enable it as a candidate benefit: “Our AI Resume Maker helps you build a consultant-ready CV in minutes.”
Setup: Toggle Enable AI Resume Maker to On → save.
Step 9 — Set Up the ATS Kanban Board for Placement Management
Time required: 15 minutes (PRO tier required)
The ATS Kanban Board is the feature that transforms your website from a job board into a genuine placement management system. Each active client role becomes a Kanban board where you manage every candidate through the full placement lifecycle.
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → ATS / Pipeline:
Configure Agency-Specific Pipeline Stages
Default stages are generic. For a recruitment agency, customise them to match your actual placement process:
New Application
↓
CV Review (consultant first pass)
↓
Longlist (meets basic criteria)
↓
Telephone Screened (consultant call completed)
↓
Shortlisted (submitted to client)
↓
Client Reviewing
↓
Interview Arranged
↓
Interviewed (awaiting client feedback)
↓
Second Interview
↓
Offer Stage
↓
Offer Accepted → PLACED ✓
End states: Rejected by Client | Candidate Withdrew | Offer Declined | On Hold
Set up each stage:
- Click Edit Stages → rename, add, or remove stages
- Assign a colour per stage (makes the board visually scannable across multiple roles)
- Save
Configure Stage-Triggered Automated Emails
The ATS becomes most powerful when stage moves trigger automatic communications — freeing consultants from manual update emails:
| Stage Move | Automated Communication | Recipient |
|---|---|---|
| Moved to CV Review | “Your CV is being reviewed” | Candidate |
| Moved to Telephone Screened | “Consultant call scheduled confirmation” | Candidate |
| Moved to Shortlisted | “Great news — you’ve been shortlisted” | Candidate |
| Moved to Submitted to Client | “Your profile has been submitted” | Candidate |
| Moved to Interview Arranged | “Interview details” with date/time/format | Candidate + Client |
| Moved to Second Interview | “Second interview arranged” | Candidate + Client |
| Moved to Offer Stage | “Offer discussion — next steps” | Candidate |
| Moved to Placed | “Congratulations — placement confirmed” | Candidate + Client |
| Moved to Rejected by Client | “Update on your application” | Candidate (tasteful language) |
| Moved to Candidate Withdrew | Internal note only | Admin |
Configure each: Click stage name → Enable Automated Email → select template → use merge tags ({candidate_name}, {job_title}, {client_company}, {consultant_name}) → Save.
Using the Kanban Board Daily
For consultants: Every morning, the ATS board shows every active role and where every candidate sits in the pipeline. Priority actions (candidates ready to shortlist, interviews to arrange, offers to manage) are immediately visible without spreadsheet trawling.
For clients: With employer dashboard access, clients log in and see their shortlist updating in real time — without emails or phone calls from their consultant. This dramatically improves perceived service quality.
Step 10 — Configure Google for Jobs
Time required: 15 minutes
Google for Jobs places your agency’s live roles at the top of Google search results — above all organic results — when candidates search for specific positions in your sectors. It is entirely free and can generate hundreds of candidate registrations per month for active agencies.
WPNova generates JobPosting structured data automatically for every listing. Your only tasks are verifying it works and submitting your sitemap.
Verify Schema Is Working
- Post a live job with: full title, description (200+ words), salary range, job type, company name, location, and application deadline
- Copy the job’s URL
- Go to Google’s Rich Results Test → paste URL → Test URL
- Confirm JobPosting with a green tick
- If errors appear: check that the Application Deadline field (
validThrough) is filled — it is the most commonly missing field
Submit to Google Search Console
- search.google.com/search-console → Add Property → your domain
- Verify ownership via HTML tag (paste in your SEO plugin’s Webmaster Tools section)
- Sitemaps → submit
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml - Within 48–72 hours, your jobs appear in Google for Jobs results
Optimise Agency Listings for Google for Jobs Performance
| Optimisation | Impact |
|---|---|
| Always include salary range | +30% more applications; better ranking — 47% of candidates won’t apply without it |
| Job title: exact match to common search terms | “Software Engineer” outperforms “Coding Wizard” every time |
| Application deadline on every listing | Completes validThrough schema — required for full eligibility |
| Description: 250–500 words with clear sections | Better keyword coverage; higher ranking |
| Remote roles: “This is a remote position” in description | Adds TELECOMMUTE schema; appears in global remote job searches |
| Company name and logo on employer profile | Adds hiringOrganization schema; displays employer logo in results |
Step 11 — Set Up Email Workflows for Every Agency Touchpoint
Time required: 20 minutes
A recruitment agency’s email communications are a direct reflection of its professionalism. Every touchpoint — from the first candidate registration email to the placement confirmation — should be branded, timely, and valuable.
Install and Configure SMTP (WP Mail SMTP + Brevo)
Install WP Mail SMTP (free) and configure it with Brevo (free — 300 emails/day, sufficient for most boutique agencies; upgrade to Brevo’s Starter plan at $25/month for higher volumes):
- Plugins → Add New → search “WP Mail SMTP” → Install → Activate
- Create free account at brevo.com → SMTP & API → SMTP → copy credentials
- In WP Mail SMTP: Other SMTP → Host:
smtp-relay.brevo.com· Port:587· TLS · your Brevo credentials - Save → Send Test Email → confirm delivery
The Complete Agency Email Calendar
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → Email Notifications and configure every template:
Candidate touchpoints:
| Trigger | Subject Line | Key Content |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Welcome to [Agency] — what happens next | Welcome, next steps, consultant contact |
| Application submitted | Application received: [Job Title] at [Client Company] | Confirmation, timeline expectation, consultant name |
| Moved to Shortlisted | Great news on your [Job Title] application | Congratulations, what happens next, what to expect |
| Moved to Interview Arranged | Interview confirmed: [Job Title] at [Client Company] | Date, time, format, prep resources link |
| Moved to Offer Stage | Offer discussion for [Job Title] | Personal call from consultant to follow up |
| Placed | Congratulations — [Job Title] placement confirmed | Well done, start date confirmation, onboarding notes |
| Rejected | Update on your [Job Title] application | Respectful, honest, what other opportunities exist |
| Profile inactive 90 days | Are you still looking for [sector] roles? | Re-engagement with recent relevant listings |
| Job alert | [X] new [sector] roles matching your brief | Filtered live listings |
Client touchpoints:
| Trigger | Subject Line | Key Content |
|---|---|---|
| New brief received | Brief received: [Role] at [Company] — next steps | Confirmation, consultant assigned, timeline |
| Candidates shortlisted | Shortlist ready: [X] candidates for [Role] | Link to their employer dashboard shortlist |
| Interview arranged | Interview confirmed: [Candidate] for [Role] | Date, time, format, candidate brief |
| Offer accepted | Offer accepted — [Candidate] placed in [Role] | Confirmation, start date, invoice to follow |
Email branding: Go to WPNova → Settings → Email → Header / Footer → add your agency logo, brand colour, and consultant signature. Every email should look like it came from a professional agency, not a generic system notification.
Step 12 — Install the Essential Supporting Plugin Stack
Time required: 20 minutes
These plugins complete your agency’s production-ready WordPress installation.
1. Yoast SEO (Free)
Controls meta titles, descriptions, XML sitemaps, and structured data for all pages and job listings. Essential for your sector landing pages and blog to rank in Google.
Install: wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo → Install → Activate → run Setup Wizard → connect to Google Search Console.
2. WP Rocket ($59/year — Recommended for Agencies)
Agencies cannot afford a slow website. Client-side, a 4-second load time signals technical incompetence — counterproductive for an agency positioning itself as a specialist partner. WP Rocket delivers the best performance improvements with the least configuration.
After install: Enable page caching, browser caching, GZIP compression, lazy load for images, and minification of CSS/JS. Target: PageSpeed mobile score 80+ at pagespeed.web.dev.
3. WPForms Lite (Free)
For client enquiry forms on your For Employers page and contact page. WPForms is the simplest drag-and-drop form builder — no coding.
Create forms for:
- Client Enquiry Form: Name, Company, Role, Timeframe, Phone, Message
- Candidate Registration Express: Name, Email, Sector, Current Role, CV upload
- Contact Form: General enquiries, with subject dropdown
4. Wordfence Security (Free)
Recruitment agencies hold highly sensitive data — candidate CVs, salary details, client personnel information. A breach is reputationally catastrophic.
Install: wordfence.com → Install → Activate → enable Firewall (Learning Mode 7 days → Full Protection), Login Security (2FA for all admin accounts), weekly malware scans.
5. CookieYes (Free — Legally Required)
CookieYes manages cookie consent for GDPR and UK GDPR compliance. Non-compliance fines from the ICO can be significant for UK agencies.
Install and configure: Run setup wizard → enable consent banner → link to Privacy Policy → categorise cookies.
6. UpdraftPlus (Free)
Daily automated backups to Google Drive or Dropbox. Losing your candidate database to a server failure without a backup is an unrecoverable disaster.
Configure: Daily database backups + weekly full site backups. Retain 30 days of backups for an agency (regulatory consideration — you may need to demonstrate data at a point in time).
7. Google Analytics 4 (Free)
Track which pages generate client enquiries, which job listings get the most views, which sectors drive the most candidate registrations, and which traffic sources are worth investing in.
Install via: Site Kit by Google (free WordPress plugin that connects GA4, Search Console, and PageSpeed in one dashboard).
Step 13 — Optimise Your Agency Website for SEO
Time required: 20 minutes
A recruitment agency’s SEO strategy is different from a generic job board’s. You are targeting three distinct audience types with different queries:
- Employers searching for recruitment agencies — “technology recruitment agency London”, “executive search firm fintech”
- Candidates searching for jobs — “software developer jobs London”, “nursing jobs NHS 2026”
- Both audiences seeking information — “average software engineer salary UK 2026”, “how to write a finance CV”
Configure Job Listing URL Structure
Go to WPNova Job Board → Settings → Permalinks:
Job listings: yourdomain.com/jobs/[job-title]-[company]-[city]/
Sectors: yourdomain.com/sectors/[sector-name]/
Companies: yourdomain.com/companies/[company-name]/
Example: yourdomain.com/jobs/senior-software-engineer-google-london/
Every listing URL contains the keywords candidates actually search — job title, employer, and location.
Configure Sector Archive Pages
Go to WPNova → Settings → Archives and enable category/sector archives. Each becomes a standalone ranking page targeting [sector] jobs queries.
Also create standalone Sector Landing Pages (full content pages, not just archive listings) at yourdomain.com/sectors/[sector]/ — these rank for broader “recruitment agency” queries targeting your specialisms.
Set SEO Meta Templates
In Yoast SEO → Search Appearance → Custom Post Types → Job Listings:
Title: %%title%% | %%cf_company_name%% | %%sitename%%
Description: %%cf_job_type%% opportunity with %%cf_company_name%% in %%cf_location%%. %%excerpt%% Placed by %%sitename%%.
The Agency SEO Content Calendar
| Month | Content | Target Query |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Sector] Salary Guide [Year] | “[sector] salary [year]” |
| 2 | How to Hire [Role Type] in [Year] | “how to hire [role]” |
| 3 | [Sector] Job Market: Q1 [Year] Report | “[sector] recruitment market [year]” |
| 4 | Interview Questions for [Key Role] | “[role] interview questions” |
| 5 | CV Guide for [Sector] Professionals | “[sector] CV guide” |
| 6 | Permanent vs Contract in [Sector]: Guide | “[sector] contract vs permanent” |
| 7 | [Sector] Hiring Challenges in [Year] | “[sector] hiring trends” |
| 8 | How to Choose a [Sector] Recruitment Agency | “[sector] recruitment agency” |
| 9 | [Sector] Salary Guide: Mid-Year Update | “[sector] salary update” |
| 10 | The [Sector] Talent Shortage: Causes and Solutions | “[sector] talent shortage” |
| 11 | Q3 [Year] [Sector] Hiring Review | “[sector] hiring [year]” |
| 12 | [Sector] Recruitment Predictions for [Next Year] | “[sector] recruitment [next year]” |
This 12-month calendar produces one authoritative piece per month — enough to compound meaningful SEO authority in 12–18 months without overwhelming your team.
Step 14 — Brand Your Agency Website Properly
Time required: 30–45 minutes
For a recruitment agency, branding is not a cosmetic exercise. It is the foundation of trust with two audiences who are both making high-stakes decisions. Unprofessional visual presentation tells clients “this agency doesn’t take quality seriously” before you have had a chance to say a word.
The 5 Branding Elements That Matter Most for Agencies
1. Logo and Visual Identity
Your agency logo appears on every page, in every email, and in every browser tab. If you do not have a professional logo, commission one before building your website. A professional logo typically costs $200–$500 from a designer on 99designs or Dribbble — worth every penny.
Upload versions in WordPress: Appearance → Customise → Site Identity
- Horizontal logo for the header (recommended: white or dark, depending on header colour)
- Square logo for the favicon (browser tab icon)
2. Colour Palette
Choose 2–3 colours that project your agency’s positioning:
- Trust and authority: Deep navy (
#1B3C6B) or charcoal (#2D3748) — reliable, experienced, professional - Energy and innovation: Teal (
#0D9488) or electric blue (#3B82F6) — modern, forward-thinking, tech-adjacent - Premium and executive: Black + gold (
#D97706) or deep burgundy + cream — exclusive, high-value, executive search
Set primary colour: Appearance → Customise → Colors → Primary Color
3. Typography
- Body text: Inter, Lato, or Source Sans — clean, highly readable at small sizes; critical for long job descriptions
- Headings: Playfair Display (premium feel), Montserrat (modern professional), or Poppins (friendly but credible)
Set fonts: Appearance → Customise → Typography
4. Consultant Photography
This is non-negotiable for a recruitment agency. Invest in professional headshots for all consultants. Consistent photography style (same background, same lighting, similar pose) signals an organised, professional team. Inconsistent or missing photos signal the opposite.
5. Tone of Voice
Define 3 words that describe how your agency communicates. Examples:
- Straight-talking. Expert. Human. — for a generalist mid-market agency
- Discreet. Strategic. Connected. — for an executive search firm
- Fast. Specialist. Transparent. — for a contractor-focused agency
Every page on your website — and every email — should sound consistent with these words.
Step 15 — Test Before You Go Live
Time required: 45–60 minutes
Use SiteGround’s staging environment (available on GrowBig) to test everything on a copy of your site before pushing to production. This is the critical advantage of SiteGround over cheaper hosting for client-facing agency websites.
The Agency Website Pre-Launch Test Protocol
Client journey:
- [ ] Land on homepage — dual CTA (For Employers / For Candidates) is immediately clear within 3 seconds
- [ ] Click “Hire with Us” → For Employers page loads; value proposition is clear; enquiry form submits and delivers email to your inbox
- [ ] All sector pages load with correct content, consultant profiles, and live jobs
- [ ] Case studies display correctly
- [ ] Team page: all consultant photos and bios correct
- [ ] Contact form submits and delivers to correct email address(es)
Candidate journey:
- [ ] Click “Find Your Next Role” → Jobs page loads with search and filters working correctly
- [ ] Search by sector/category → filtered results display correctly
- [ ] Click a job listing → full listing displays with correct schema
- [ ] Verify schema at Google Rich Results Test — green JobPosting tick
- [ ] Click “Apply” → application form loads and submits
- [ ] Confirm application confirmation email arrives to candidate test email
- [ ] Confirm consultant receives new application notification email
- [ ] Register a candidate account → email verification arrives → log in → Candidate Dashboard loads
- [ ] Build a test resume → verify resume completeness score shows in dashboard
- [ ] AI match score appears on application (PRO)
ATS pipeline:
- [ ] Log in as admin → open ATS Kanban for a test job
- [ ] Move a test candidate between pipeline stages
- [ ] Confirm automated email triggers on each stage move
- [ ] Verify client employer dashboard shows the candidate in their shortlist
Performance and security:
- [ ] Google PageSpeed Insights mobile score: 80+
- [ ] CookieYes consent banner visible to non-logged-in visitors
- [ ] All pages HTTPS — no mixed content warnings
- [ ] Privacy Policy linked in footer and all registration forms
- [ ] Wordfence firewall active with no critical alerts
The 16 Pages Every Recruitment Agency Website Must Have
| Page | URL | Primary Purpose | Primary Audience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage | / | Dual conversion — clients and candidates | Both |
| Jobs / Browse All Roles | /jobs/ | Candidate acquisition | Candidates |
| Single Job Listing | /jobs/[job-title]/ | Application conversion | Candidates |
| For Employers / Client Services | /employers/ | Client enquiry generation | Clients |
| For Candidates | /candidates/ | Candidate registration | Candidates |
| Sectors / Specialisms hub | /sectors/ | SEO, authority building | Both |
| Individual Sector Pages | /sectors/[sector]/ | Sector-specific conversion + SEO | Both |
| Meet the Team | /team/ | Trust and relationship building | Both |
| Individual Consultant Profiles | /team/[name]/ | Personal credibility, direct contact | Both |
| Case Studies | /case-studies/ | Proof of performance | Clients |
| Salary Guides | /salary-guides/ | SEO traffic, authority | Both |
| Blog / Market Insights | /insights/ | SEO, thought leadership | Both |
| Employer Dashboard | /job-dashboard/ | Client portal (live shortlists, ATS) | Clients |
| Candidate Dashboard | /candidate-dashboard/ | Candidate management | Candidates |
| About Us | /about/ | Brand story, values, credibility | Both |
| Contact | /contact/ | Direct enquiries | Both |
Agency Website Content Strategy: What to Publish and When
The most successful recruitment agencies in 2026 treat their website as a media channel, not a brochure. They publish sector intelligence that attracts both the clients who need to hire and the candidates who need to be hired.
The Editorial Hierarchy
Tier 1 — Evergreen authority pieces (publish once, update annually):
- Salary guides (by sector, role, and level)
- Hiring guides (“How to Hire a [Role]: The Complete Guide”)
- Career guides (“How to Progress from [Junior] to [Senior] in [Sector]”)
Tier 2 — Quarterly market reports:
- “[Sector] Hiring Market: Q[X] [Year]” — your perspective on supply/demand, salary movements, in-demand skills
- Positions you as a genuine market authority, not just a CV-matching service
Tier 3 — Weekly tactical content:
- Interview guides for specific roles
- CV templates and advice for your key placement types
- “What to expect when working with a [sector] recruitment agency”