Guide to using Automation Workflows to communicate with candidates

Once you've set up your automation workflow, use it to send emails at the right moment at every stage — application confirmation, interview invitations, result notifications, offer delivery, and polite rejections. This article provides practical templates you can apply immediately.

The Setting Up Automation Workflows article covers how to build a flow. This article focuses on the content - which emails to send, when, and how to write them so candidates have a great experience.

Note: First principle: don't let candidates "disappear"

The thing that frustrates candidates most isn't rejection - it's receiving no response at all. Automation solves exactly this problem by ensuring every candidate receives an update, regardless of the outcome.

When adding a candidate, you can assign a language to each person (English or Vietnamese). The system will automatically select the appropriate template:

• Vietnamese candidates → automation sends the Vietnamese template
• English candidates → automation sends the English template

When building your automation workflow, you should create two parallel versions for each task — one in Vietnamese, one in English. Or create two separate flows with the same structure but different languages.

Notice: No matching template = no email sent

If a candidate is set to Vietnamese but you only have an English template, the automation may skip sending that candidate an email. Always prepare both languages if your company has multilingual candidates.

Below are the 5 most common email touchpoints in the hiring cycle. You can apply all of them or select based on your company's process.

Trigger: Candidate moves to the first stage of the pipeline (usually "Applied") 

Start: Immediately

Action: Send notification

Suggested template

Subject: Your application for {{job.name}} has been received

Hi {{candidate.first_name}},

Thank you for your interest in the {{job.name}} position at {{company.name}}. Our recruitment team has received your application and will review it within 5–7 business days.

If your profile matches our requirements, we'll reach out to discuss further. In the meantime, feel free to learn more about us on our company website.

Best regards, {{company.name}}

Recruitment Team

When you schedule an interview, the system already automatically sends an invitation email with an Accept/Decline link — that's handled by the interview module and doesn't need separate automation.

However, automation is useful for pre-interview reminder emails:

Task configuration for interview reminders

• Trigger: Candidate moves to "Interview Scheduled" (or equivalent stage in your pipeline)
• Start: Choose a time - delay until the appropriate moment (e.g., 1 hour before the interview)
• Action: Send notification

Suggested template

Subject: Interview reminder - 1 hour to go

Hi {{candidate.first_name}},

Just a reminder that your interview for the {{job.name}} position at {{company.name}} is in about 1 hour.

The meeting link and interview details are in your original invitation email. If you need to access them again, please open the original invitation or reply to this email.

Good luck with your interview!

Best regards, {{company.name}}

Recruitment Team

After the interview, the recruiter moves the candidate to a stage reflecting the outcome (e.g., "Passed Round 1 Interview," "Moving to Round 2"). The system automatically sends a notification email right away.

When passed — moving to the next round

• Trigger: "Passed Interview" / "Next Round" status
• Start: Immediately

Suggested template

Subject: You've passed the interview — next steps

Hi {{candidate.first_name}},

Thank you for taking the time to speak with the {{company.name}} team. We were very impressed and would like to invite you to the next round for the {{job.name}} position.

A team member will reach out within 2 business days to coordinate scheduling. If you have any questions in the meantime, don't hesitate to reply to this email.

Best regards, {{company.name}}

Recruitment Team

This is the hardest email to write - and the one most companies skip, leaving candidates with a poor impression. Automation solves exactly this: write it once, deliver it with the right tone every time.

• Trigger: Stage indicating the candidate is not moving forward (e.g., "Failed Screening," "Failed Interview")
• Start: 1-day delay (avoid sending immediately after the recruiter clicks - allows time to reconsider if needed)

Suggested template

Subject: Update on your application for {{job.name}}

Hi {{candidate.first_name}},

Thank you for your interest in the {{job.name}} position at {{company.name}} and for taking the time to speak with our team.

After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we are unable to move forward with your application at this time. This was a difficult decision as we met many talented candidates.

We will keep your profile on file and reach out if a more suitable opportunity arises in the future. We wish you all the best in finding the right opportunity.

Best regards, {{company.name}}

Recruitment Team

Notice: Don't disclose specific reasons in a generic template

Keep rejection emails short and respectful. If you want to give personalized feedback, do it manually - don't put it into a mass automated system.

The offer is the most important moment - the candidate is both excited and possibly weighing other offers. A quick, warm email will help tip the scales in your favor.

• Trigger: "Offer" status
• Start: Immediately
• Second action: Add a status-change task with a 2-hour delay, switching to "Offer Sent" — so the team knows the offer has been communicated

Suggested template

Subject: Congratulations! Offer for the {{job.name}} position

Hi {{candidate.first_name}},

We are thrilled to inform you that {{company.name}} would like to invite you to join our team as {{job.name}}.

The formal offer details (compensation, start date, benefits) will be sent in a separate email within the next 24 hours. If you have any questions before then, please reply to this email.

We look forward to working with you!

Best regards, {{company.name}}

Recruitment Team

Every automation workflow has a run log — a list of all task executions, with status (PASS/FAILED) and the associated candidate.

1. Open Automation Workflows
2. Click the Run Log tab (or equivalent)
3. View the list of recent runs. Click a row to see details.

If a task shows Failed, click it to view the error message. Common errors: email bounced (candidate entered wrong email), template references a variable that doesn't exist, or the target stage was deleted.

• Consistent tone — write all templates in the same voice (formal / friendly / neutral). Candidates will receive multiple emails from your company over several weeks; inconsistent tone looks unprofessional.
• Shorter is better — candidates read emails on their phones. Three short paragraphs are more effective than ten long ones.
• Always include an escape route — a line like "Reply to this email if you have questions" turns an automated message into a two-way conversation.
• Don't over-email — if a candidate already received an email when moving to Stage A, don't send another one immediately when they move to Stage B. Space automated emails at least 1 day apart.
• Review periodically — every 3 months, revisit all templates. Has your company's marketing language changed? Are the company name, URL, and signature still accurate?
• A/B test at scale — if your company hires hundreds of people per month, try two different rejection email versions for a month and measure the rate of "candidates who apply again later" — the difference can sometimes be surprising.