Reed Getting Started: Integrate UK Job Listings (2026)

Getting started overview

Integrating with the Reed API allows developers to access job listings and job seeker data primarily within the UK market. The API is designed for businesses and developers looking to incorporate recruitment functionalities into their applications or platforms.

The core process for getting started involves:

1. Account Creation: Registering on the Reed developer portal to gain access to API resources.
2. API Key Acquisition: Obtaining the necessary credentials, specifically an API key, for authenticated requests.
3. First API Request: Constructing and executing a basic API call to verify connectivity and authentication.
4. Understanding Data Models: Reviewing the structure of job listings and job seeker profiles.

Reed supports various programming languages for API interaction, including C#, PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, and Node.js. The API's architecture typically follows RESTful principles, allowing for standard HTTP methods and JSON responses. For detailed endpoint specifications, refer to the Reed Jobseeker API reference.

Quick Reference Table

Create an account and get keys

To begin using the Reed API, you must first register for a developer account. This account provides access to the necessary tools and credentials for API integration.

Steps to Create an Account

1. Navigate to the Reed Developer site.
2. Look for a "Register" or "Sign Up" option.
3. Provide the required information, which typically includes your name, email address, and company details.
4. Complete any verification steps, such as email confirmation.

Obtaining Your API Key

Once your developer account is active, your API key will be accessible through your developer dashboard. This key is a unique identifier that authenticates your requests to the Reed API. It acts as a token that verifies your identity and permissions.

Follow these steps to retrieve your API key:

1. Log in to your newly created developer account on the Reed Developer site.
2. Locate a section labeled "API Keys," "Credentials," or "My Applications."
3. Your API key should be displayed there. It is a long alphanumeric string.
4. Copy this key securely. It should be treated as sensitive information, similar to a password.

The API key is typically passed in the request header or as a query parameter, depending on the specific API endpoint. Consult the Reed developer documentation for the exact method for API key inclusion.

Your first request

Making your first API request verifies that your account is set up correctly and your API key is valid. The Reed API offers endpoints for searching jobs and accessing job seeker data. For a first request, a simple job search endpoint is generally recommended.

Example API Endpoint

A typical Reed API endpoint for searching jobs might look like this (consult the Reed Jobseeker API documentation for the exact current endpoint and parameters):

GET https://www.reed.co.uk/api/1.0/search?keywords=developer&location=london

Constructing the Request with Your API Key

Your API key needs to be included with each request for authentication. Reed typically uses HTTP Basic Authentication, where the API key is passed as the username and an empty string or 'null' as the password. This is encoded in Base64 and included in the Authorization header.

Example using cURL

Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key.

curl -u YOUR_API_KEY: \
     "https://www.reed.co.uk/api/1.0/search?keywords=developer&location=london"

This command instructs cURL to use Basic Authentication. The -u YOUR_API_KEY: part means "username:password", where the password is an empty string. cURL will handle the Base64 encoding for you.

Example using Python

The following Python example uses the requests library to make an authenticated call:

import requests

api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"
base_url = "https://www.reed.co.uk/api/1.0/search"

params = {
    "keywords": "developer",
    "location": "london"
}

try:
    response = requests.get(base_url, params=params, auth=(api_key, ''))
    response.raise_for_status()  # Raise HTTPError for bad responses (4xx or 5xx)
    data = response.json()
    print(data)
except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as http_err:
    print(f"HTTP error occurred: {http_err}")
except Exception as err:
    print(f"An error occurred: {err}")

In this Python example, auth=(api_key, '') handles the Basic Authentication, passing your API key as the username and an empty string as the password, as required by Reed's API for this authentication method.

Expected Response

A successful response for a job search will typically return a JSON object containing a list of job postings, each with details such as job title, company, location, and a link to the full job description. An example (truncated for brevity) might look like this:

{
  "results": [
    {
      "jobId": 12345678,
      "employerId": 98765,
      "employerName": "Tech Solutions Ltd",
      "jobTitle": "Software Developer",
      "locationName": "London",
      "minimumSalary": 50000,
      "maximumSalary": 65000,
      "currency": "GBP",
      "jobDescription": "Developing backend services...",
      "jobUrl": "https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/software-developer-jobs-in-london/12345678"
    },
    // ... more job results
  ]
}

This JSON structure indicates a successful query and provides the initial data for integration.

Common next steps

After successfully making your first request, consider these common next steps to further your integration:

1. Explore More Endpoints: Review the Reed API reference documentation to identify other relevant endpoints for job posting, job application, or accessing detailed job seeker profiles.
2. Implement Error Handling: Develop robust error handling routines to gracefully manage API rate limits, invalid requests, and other potential issues. Understanding HTTP status codes (e.g., 401 for unauthorized, 404 for not found, 500 for server errors) is crucial. General guidance on HTTP response status codes can be found on MDN Web Docs.
3. Pagination and Filtering: For job search results, implement pagination to handle large datasets and utilize filtering parameters (e.g., salary range, job type, date posted) to refine search queries.
4. Secure API Key Management: Ensure your API key is stored securely and not exposed in client-side code or public repositories. Environment variables or secure configuration management systems are preferred.
5. Rate Limit Awareness: Familiarize yourself with Reed's API rate limits to prevent your application from being temporarily blocked. Plan your requests to stay within these limits, potentially using caching strategies.
6. Data Privacy and GDPR: As Reed operates within the UK and handles personal data, ensure your integration complies with GDPR regulations. For information, refer to the official GDPR info website.
7. Webhooks (if available): Check if Reed offers webhooks for real-time notifications (e.g., new job applications, job status changes). Webhooks can reduce the need for constant polling and improve application responsiveness.

Troubleshooting the first call

When your first API call doesn't return the expected results, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

• Check API Key: Double-verify that your API key is correct and has been included in the request exactly as specified in the Reed documentation (e.g., in the correct header or as the username in Basic Auth).
• Authentication Method: Confirm you are using the correct authentication method. Reed primarily uses HTTP Basic Authentication with the API key as the username.
• Endpoint URL: Ensure the API endpoint URL is accurate and matches the one provided in the Reed API reference documentation, including any version numbers.
• Request Parameters: Verify that all required parameters are present and correctly formatted. Check for typos in parameter names or values.
• HTTP Status Codes: Examine the HTTP status code returned in the API response. Common errors include:
  • 401 Unauthorized: Indicates an issue with your API key or authentication.
  • 403 Forbidden: Your API key might not have the necessary permissions for the requested resource.
  • 400 Bad Request: Often due to incorrect or missing parameters.
  • 404 Not Found: The endpoint URL might be incorrect or the resource you're requesting does not exist.
  • 5xx Server Error: An issue on Reed's server side.
• Response Body: If an error occurs, the API response body often contains a detailed error message that can help diagnose the problem. Parse the JSON response for specific error codes or descriptions.
• Rate Limits: If you're making many requests in a short period, you might be hitting rate limits. Refer to Reed's documentation for specific limits and cooldown periods.
• Developer Console/Logs: Use your programming language's debugging tools or browser developer consoles to inspect the exact request being sent and the raw response received.
• Contact Support: If you've exhausted all troubleshooting options, reach out to Reed's developer support with your request details, API key (if safe to share as a truncated version), and any error messages received.