Troubleshoot Job Update API errors

Common Job Update API errors and how to resolve them.

 

How to detect errors

The Job Update API returns errors in GraphQL responses. Most errors return HTTP 200, with error details in the response body.

Always check the errors array, even when the HTTP status is 200:

{
  "data": null,
  "errors": [{
    "message": "Error description",
    "extensions": {
      "code": "FORBIDDEN"
    }
  }]
}

Use extensions.code to identify the error type, such as FORBIDDEN, BAD_USER_INPUT, or NOT_FOUND.

FORBIDDEN error

FORBIDDEN error

code	FORBIDDEN
Summary	The access token does not have permission for the requested operation. Check the message field for the specific cause.

Advertiser is in a restricted moderation status

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "FORBIDDEN",
      "message": "Advertiser is in a restricted moderation status"
    }
  }]
}

The advertiser associated with the OAuth token is restricted as a spam-protection measure.

To resolve:

1. Contact your partner manager to remove the restriction.

You are missing permissions for this action

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "FORBIDDEN",
      "message": "You are missing permissions for this action. Ask your administrator for the permissions [Hosted_Job Create, Hosted_Job Update, Hosted_Job Read]"
    }
  }]
}

The user associated with the OAuth token does not have permission to update jobs.

To resolve:

1. Verify that the OAuth client was created with an admin user.
2. Grant Hosted_Job Create, Hosted_Job Update, and Hosted_Job Read to the user associated with the OAuth client. Any admin user can grant these permissions. See Indeed account settings.

Advertiser is requesting an update to a job claimed by a different advertiser

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "FORBIDDEN",
      "message": "Advertiser is requesting an update to EJ (id=<EJID>), but the job is claimed by a different advertiser."
    }
  }]
}

Another advertiser already updated this job. Only one advertiser can update a job at a time.

To resolve:

1. Verify that the OAuth token was requested for the correct advertiser.
2. If another advertiser updated the job, use the clear job posting updates mutation.

This error can occur when:

• The agency can access the job through more than one advertiser.
• The employer edited the job in the UI and must undo those edits before the agency can update the job through the API.

UNAUTHENTICATED error

UNAUTHENTICATED error

code	UNAUTHENTICATED
Summary	The OAuth token is expired or malformed.

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "UNAUTHENTICATED"
    }
  }]
}

To resolve:

1. Verify that the OAuth token has not expired. Tokens are valid for 1 hour.
2. Request a new access token.
3. See Troubleshoot OAuth errors.

BAD_USER_INPUT error

BAD_USER_INPUT error

code	BAD_USER_INPUT
Summary	The request is malformed. Check the message field for details.

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "BAD_USER_INPUT"
    }
  }]
}

To resolve:

1. Check the message field to identify the invalid field.
2. Verify that the request fields are correctly formatted.
3. See these API references for request examples:
   • findEmployerJobsPartner
   • updateSourcedJobPostings
   • clearSourcedJobPostingUpdates

NOT_FOUND error

NOT_FOUND error

code	NOT_FOUND
Summary	The job was not found.

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "NOT_FOUND"
    }
  }]
}

To resolve:

1. Verify that sourcedPostingId is correct.
2. Verify that the OAuth token was requested for the correct advertiser.

This error can also occur if the requesting advertiser does not have permission to view the job.

DOWNSTREAM_SERVICE_ERROR or INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR

DOWNSTREAM_SERVICE_ERROR

code	DOWNSTREAM_SERVICE_ERROR or INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR
Summary	An internal server error occurred.

{
  "errors": [{
    "extensions": {
      "code": "DOWNSTREAM_SERVICE_ERROR"
    }
  }]
}

To resolve:

1. Retry the request later.
2. If the error continues, contact your partner manager.

Retry strategy

Retryable errors

Error	Retryable?	Strategy
DOWNSTREAM_SERVICE_ERROR	Yes	Use exponential backoff
INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR	Yes	Use exponential backoff
UNAUTHENTICATED (expired token)	Yes	Refresh the token, then retry once
FORBIDDEN	No	Fix the permission issue
BAD_USER_INPUT	No	Fix the request
NOT_FOUND	No	Verify sourcedPostingId and the advertiser

Get support

If the issue is not covered here:

1. Check the GraphQL message and extensions fields.
2. Verify that all required fields are present and correctly formatted.
3. Test with minimal input first, then add fields incrementally.
4. Contact your Indeed representative.

See also:

• Troubleshoot GraphQL errors
• Troubleshoot OAuth errors
• Error reference

 

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