Getting Started
Communication with candidates is essential throughout the recruitment process. All messages to candidates are stored in a dedicated Messages tab, giving you a complete conversation history for each candidate on each vacancy.
Where to Find Messages
To view candidate messages:
Open a vacancy and find the candidate in the candidate list
Click View Details to open the candidate flyout
Click the Messages tab
You'll see all messages sent to this candidate for this specific vacancy
How Email Works Without SMTP Configured
Even without SMTP configured, you can still send emails to candidates:
Stage change emails are sent from talentATS with your email set as the reply-to address
Interview invitations are sent from talentATS with your email set as the reply-to address
Candidates reply to your email address
You see their replies in your normal email inbox
All messages appear in the Messages tab
When SMTP Setup Is Needed
Configure SMTP if you want to:
Send stage change emails from your email account instead of talentATS
Send custom one-off messages directly to candidates from the Messages tab
Interview invitations always come from talentATS, regardless of whether SMTP is configured. The reply-to address remains your email.
For detailed SMTP setup instructions, see our SMTP configuration guide.
Once SMTP is configured:
Stage change emails are sent from your email account
You can send custom messages from the Messages tab
Custom messages appear in your email inbox as sent messages
All messages appear in the Messages tab
Types of Messages
Custom Stage Emails
When you move a candidate to a new stage and select "Yes, notify candidate", the system sends the custom email template configured for that stage.
Without SMTP:
Emails are sent from talentATS
Your email address is in the reply-to header
Candidates reply to you
You receive replies in your normal email inbox
With SMTP configured:
Emails are sent from your email account
Candidates see your email as the sender
These emails automatically appear in the Messages tab, so you have a complete record of all stage notifications sent.
Example:
Candidate moves to "Shortlist" stage → custom Shortlist email sent and logged
Candidate moves to "Interview" stage → custom Interview email sent and logged
Candidate moves to "Offer" stage → custom Offer email sent and logged
Manual Messages
You can send custom one-off messages directly to candidates. SMTP must be configured for this feature.
To send a manual message:
Open the candidate's Messages tab
Click Send new Message
Compose your email
Click Send
The message is sent via your configured SMTP email account and appears in the Messages tab.
If SMTP is not configured, you won't see the "Send new Message" button.
Important: Messages Are Vacancy-Specific
Messages sent to a candidate on one vacancy will NOT appear if that same candidate applies to a different vacancy.
Each vacancy has its own message history. This keeps candidate communications organised by job:
Candidate applies for "Senior Developer" role → messages for that application are separate
Same candidate applies for "Junior Developer" role → messages start fresh for this application
Each job has its own message thread with that candidate
This is intentional and helps maintain clear communication context for each application.
Message History
The Messages tab shows:
From Address – Who sent the message (usually your email)
To Address – Candidate's email address
Message Content – Full email body
Subject – Email subject line
Date & Time – When the message was sent
Messages are displayed newest first, so your most recent communications appear at the top.
Troubleshooting
I can't send messages
Verify your SMTP configuration is complete
Check that your email account is properly connected
See the SMTP configuration guide if you need help setting it up
Contact support if problems persist
Messages aren't showing in my email
Check your sent folder and spam folder
Verify the candidate's email address is correct
Ensure your SMTP settings are correct
Contact support if issues continue
I need to resend a message
You'll need to compose and send a new message
The original message will remain in the Messages tab
Both messages will be logged in the communication history
A candidate says they didn't receive an email
Check the Messages tab to confirm the message was sent
Verify the email address is correct
Ask the candidate to check their spam folder
Resend the message if needed
Messages from a previous candidate application don't show
This is expected – messages are separate for each vacancy
If the candidate applied to multiple roles, each application has its own message history
This keeps communications organised by job
I want to see all messages for a candidate across all vacancies
Messages are stored separately per vacancy by design
To review all interactions with a candidate, you may need to check each vacancy's message history individually
Need more help? Click "Need Help?" in your profile dropdown or contact our support team.