Getting Started
Candidate stages represent where a candidate is in your recruitment process. In talentATS, stages are organised within Workflows - customisable pipelines unique to your organisation. When you create a vacancy, you select which workflow to use, and that workflow defines the stages candidates move through and the automated emails sent to them.
Core Stages & Custom Stages
Every workflow is built on six core stages:
New – Application received, initial review needed
Shortlist – Meets criteria, under consideration
Interview – Interview process underway
Offer – Offer made, awaiting response
Hired – Candidate accepted, ready to start
Rejected – Not proceeding with candidate
Custom Stages Within Core Stages
You can create unlimited custom stages within each core stage. This gives you detailed tracking at your granular level whilst maintaining powerful reporting capabilities.
Example custom stages:
Interview core stage could contain: First Interview, Second Interview, Technical Assessment, Final Interview
Offer core stage could contain: Conditional Offer, References Requested, Waiting on Contract Signing, Offer Accepted
Hired core stage could contain: Pre-boarding, Onboarding, Probation
Why This Matters for Reporting
The core stage hierarchy is powerful for reporting and analysis:
Filter by Interview to see all candidates in interview stage, regardless of whether they're at "First Interview" or "Final Interview"
Generate reports on how long candidates spend in Offer stage without worrying about the custom variants
Track pipeline health by core stage across your entire organisation
Maintain both detailed and high-level visibility
What Are Workflows?
A Workflow is an organisation-specific recruitment pipeline. When you create a vacancy, you select which workflow to use. This workflow defines:
The custom stages within each core stage
Custom emails sent to candidates at each stage
Whether emails are sent automatically or manually
Creating Multiple Workflows
Create different workflows for different scenarios:
Technical Roles
Sales Positions
Support Team
Executive Hiring
Each workflow is reusable across multiple vacancies.
How Stage Emails Work
Configuring Stage Emails
When you set up a custom stage within your workflow, you can:
Write a custom email for that stage
Set it to send automatically when candidates move to that stage
Leave it blank if no email is needed
Mark as optional so you choose per candidate
When You Move a Candidate
When moving a candidate to a new stage, you decide:
Send the configured email – Candidate is notified
Skip the email – Move stage without notifying
Override – Send a different message if needed
You're always in control.
Interview Stage Emails
Interview stage emails don't need to include date, time, or location. Instead:
Interview invitations handle logistics separately
Stage emails can include: what to bring, interview format, preparation tips, interviewer names, or pre-interview instructions
This keeps stage communications focused on context, not scheduling
How to Use Stages Effectively
Moving Candidates Forward
Progress candidates through your pipeline:
New → Shortlist → Interview → Offer → Hired
Use custom stages as needed for your process.
Moving Candidates Backward
Reassess candidates at earlier stages if needed. Maintain flexibility.
Skipping Stages
Move candidates directly forward when appropriate (e.g., referrals going straight to interview).
Stage History & Tracking
talentATS records:
Every stage change – Complete audit trail
When it happened – Timestamps for each movement
Duration in stage – How long candidates spent at each stage
Who made the change – User information for accountability
Visual timeline – See the candidate's progression at a glance
Use this data to:
Identify bottlenecks in your recruitment process
Calculate average time-to-hire by stage
Spot trends in your pipeline
Improve your process over time
Troubleshooting
I can't find a workflow when creating a vacancy
Your organisation admin may need to create workflows
Verify you have permission to access it
Contact your administrator for help
Which workflow should I use?
Check your organisation's guidelines for similar roles
Ask your team colleagues
Contact your administrator if unsure
A candidate didn't receive their stage email
Verify the stage email was configured to send
Check you selected "send email" when moving the candidate
Confirm the candidate's email address is correct
Check their spam folder
Contact support if the issue persists
I need a custom stage that doesn't exist
Contact your organisation administrator
Describe the stage and which core stage it belongs to
They'll add it to your workflow
I want to customise our workflow
Contact your organisation administrator
Describe your process and desired stages
They can create or modify workflows for your organisation
How do I see stage history?
Open the candidate's details
Look for "Stage History" or "Timeline"
You'll see all stage changes with timestamps and who made them
Need more help? Click "Need Help?" in your profile dropdown or contact our support team.