Evaluating candidate communication features

Evaluate ATS communication by checking what sends a message, who receives it, where replies go and how the team handles a mistake. A stage change inside the system does not establish that a candidate received an email. Templates are useful only when their triggers and exceptions fit the hiring process.

List the messages candidates need

Identify messages for application receipt, interview scheduling, a delay, a decision and withdrawal. Decide which can use a standard template and which need a person to review the wording. For each, specify the sender, trigger, intended recipient, timing and owner of any reply. Keep internal hiring-team alerts separate from candidate-facing messages.

Include people who apply online and people added by a recruiter. Those routes may activate different automations.

Check the documented trigger limits

Workable documents emails from the candidate profile and automated email or text actions. Its automatic application confirmation applies to applications and cannot be disabled. A separate thank-you automation does not trigger for uploaded or sourced candidates. Its stage-move message-template automation is triggered when a user moves a candidate to a pipeline stage.

Automated self-scheduling requires a connected Gmail or Outlook calendar. Ask the supplier to show the proposed package, sender and reply route. Workable says candidate replies to emails sent through its standard email functionality are routed back to the Workable account and can be viewed and answered from the candidate profile or an external email account.

Greenhouse Recruiting documents stage transition rules that can send a candidate email when someone moves a candidate to a specified stage or when the candidate enters a stage. Its guide specifically says rules for the Application Review stage also trigger when a candidate is added directly to that stage.

The rules page lists availability for new Core, Plus and Pro subscriptions and specifies creation permissions. Confirm the subscription and the rules proposed for each job.

Greenhouse limits its self-schedule stage rule to an interview stage with one interview.

Test the routes candidates actually take: an online application, a recruiter-added candidate and a direct addition to a stage. For each route, check which message is triggered and when it is sent.

ATS Communication Features: Workable vs Greenhouse Recruiting

Follow a message and its reply

Give each supplier the same synthetic cases: an online applicant, a sourced candidate, someone without a usable email address, a candidate moved into the wrong stage and someone who withdraws before a delayed message. Ask to see pending actions, sent activity and any failure notice. Send a reply and check who receives it and where the conversation appears.

For a mistaken rejection message, establish who can cancel a pending send and who contacts the candidate once a message has gone out. Changing an internal stage does not recall an email. Record the owner of the correction and the accurate next step given to the candidate.

Review the personal information included in forms and messages. Where the Australian Privacy Principles apply, the OAIC advises limiting collection to what is reasonably necessary. Have the organisation's privacy adviser assess the actual forms, messages and data flows.

In the demonstration, check which message states and exceptions the team can see, including pending, sent and cancelled actions. Check how it can identify and resolve a failed send.

Further reading: Stage transition rules overview (support.greenhouse.io).