Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden: What It Means and How to Fix It Fast

Seeing the message “Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden” can be confusing, especially when your main website works perfectly. This error usually appears when users, search engines, or HR systems try to access a company’s career page but fail to find the required subdomain.

In simple terms, it means the career subdomain does not exist, is misconfigured, or is unreachable. Because career pages are critical for recruitment and employer branding, this issue can negatively affect SEO, user trust, and hiring performance if left unresolved.

This guide explains exactly what Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden means, why it happens, and how to fix it quickly and correctly.

What Does “Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden” Mean?

Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden translates to “No career subdomain found.” It indicates that a website attempted to load a career-related subdomain such as:

• careers.example.com
• jobs.example.com
• karriere.example.com

but the system could not locate it.

From a technical perspective, this usually means the DNS server cannot resolve the subdomain or the server behind it is not responding. Search engines treat this as a network or DNS error, which can stop crawling and indexing entirely.

According to Google’s documentation, unresolved DNS or unreachable hosts can result in persistent crawling failures and loss of search visibility (developers.google.com).

Why Career Subdomains Are So Important

Many companies separate their career pages from their main website. This is common when using applicant tracking systems like Personio, Softgarden, Greenhouse, or Workday.

These platforms typically require a dedicated career subdomain connected via DNS. If that connection breaks, visitors and search engines will see the Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden message instead of job listings.

Main Causes of the “Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden” Error

Missing or incorrect DNS records

The most common cause is a missing or incorrect DNS record. If the subdomain does not have a valid A record or CNAME, the browser cannot resolve it.

For example, many ATS providers require a CNAME pointing to their platform. Softgarden explicitly documents this setup requirement (support.softgarden.de).

Subdomain not created at all

Sometimes the career subdomain was never created. The main domain may work, but the careers hostname simply does not exist in DNS.

This often happens during website launches when the focus is only on the homepage and marketing pages.

Broken SSL or HTTPS configuration

If the subdomain exists but lacks a valid SSL certificate, browsers may block access. HTTPS misconfigurations are a common trigger for errors that appear as “not found” to users.

Google confirms that HTTPS errors can prevent indexing and ranking (developers.google.com).

Migration or rebranding issues

During rebrands or domain migrations, career subdomains are frequently forgotten. Old links continue pointing to the previous subdomain, resulting in the Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden message.

Incorrect redirects or proxy settings

Some companies route career pages through reverse proxies or load balancers. A single misconfigured rule can break the connection between the subdomain and the ATS.

How to Fix “Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden” Fast

Step 1: Check DNS configuration

Use a DNS lookup tool to verify whether the career subdomain resolves correctly. If it returns no record or NXDOMAIN, you need to create or fix the DNS entry.

Most ATS platforms provide exact DNS values that must be used.

Step 2: Verify the subdomain exists

Ensure the career subdomain is explicitly created in your DNS zone. Do not assume it exists because the main domain works.

Step 3: Confirm SSL certificate coverage

Make sure the SSL certificate includes the career subdomain. Wildcard certificates often solve this issue, but only if properly installed.

Step 4: Test redirects and proxy rules

If the career page is forwarded or proxied, test the routing carefully. Temporary misconfigurations can lead to downtime that search engines quickly detect.

Step 5: Validate with Google Search Console

Use Google Search Console to inspect the career URL. DNS or server errors will appear under “Pages” or “Settings → Crawl stats.”

Real-World Example Scenario

A mid-sized tech company migrated from karriere.company.de to careers.company.com. The DNS record was removed, but dozens of internal links still pointed to the old address.

Users saw Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden, and Google dropped the old URLs within weeks. Once a redirect and DNS record were restored, traffic recovered — but only after several months.

How to Prevent This Error in the Future

Regular DNS audits, documented ATS configurations, and crawl monitoring can prevent this issue entirely. Any domain migration checklist should explicitly include career subdomains.

According to Cloudflare, DNS misconfigurations remain one of the most common causes of website outages (cloudflare.com).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is “Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden” a server error?

No. It is usually a DNS or routing issue, not an application server failure.

Can this error affect SEO?

Yes. Prolonged DNS or network errors can cause pages to drop from Google’s index.

Does this only affect German websites?

No. The message is German, but the issue applies globally to any career subdomain.

Conclusion

The Keine Karriere-Subdomain Gefunden error is a clear signal that your career subdomain is missing, broken, or misconfigured. While the message may seem harmless, it can seriously impact SEO, recruitment, and brand trust.

By fixing DNS records, verifying SSL, and properly connecting your ATS, you can resolve the issue quickly and prevent it from happening again. Career pages are too valuable to leave inaccessible — make sure your subdomain works as reliably as your main site.