How to Manage Job Applications in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the Recruitment add-on module to be enabled for your account. Recruitment is a paid module, not part of the core feature set.
Availability: All editions. Requires the Recruitment add-on module to be enabled for your account. Recruitment is a paid module, not part of the core feature set.
Overview
An application is a candidate's record against one job opening. CrmLeaf holds the candidate's resume and files, their answers to the job's custom questions, the source they came from, internal notes and follow-ups. Applications move through a status pipeline your organisation configures, so the same shortlisting process is followed for every opening.
How It Works
Applications enter either from the public careers page or from your candidate database. Recruiters review them, record notes and follow-ups, and move each application along the configured status pipeline until the candidate is rejected or progresses to interviews and an offer.
Application received → Screen → Move status → Interview → Offer or reject
- Candidates apply from the front end, or are added to the Candidate Database and put forward by your team.
- The application status pipeline is configurable, so the stage names match your own hiring process.
- Application sources record where the candidate came from, which supports funnel reporting.
- Resume and other files are attached to the application, and answers to the job's custom questions are stored with it.
- Notes and follow-ups keep the recruiting conversation on the record, and interviews are scheduled from the application.
- Record visibility follows the ownership-based permission model, so a recruiter may see only their own applications while a manager sees all.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Configure the application status pipeline and the list of sources.
- Grant recruitment access and set the record visibility scope per role.
- Review the recruitment funnel across all openings.
User
- Review applications for the openings they recruit for.
- Add notes, follow-ups and files to an application.
- Move an application to the next status, and schedule interviews from it.
- Add a candidate to the Candidate Database and put them forward for an opening.
Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.
Prerequisites
- The Recruitment add-on module is enabled for your account.
- At least one job opening exists, and it is published if you expect applications from the careers page.
- The application status pipeline and sources are configured.
For Administrators
Step 1: Configure the application status pipeline
What to do: Open the recruitment settings and define the application statuses in the order candidates should progress through them. Keep the list short enough that recruiters use it consistently.
What to verify: The statuses you defined are offered when a recruiter changes the status of an application.
Step 2: Configure sources and role access
What to do: Maintain the list of application sources, then set the recruitment permission scope for each role so recruiters see the applications they are responsible for.
What to verify: A recruiter signing in sees only the applications their scope allows.
For Users
Step 1: Open the applications list
Use Filter to narrow the list to a job opening or a status, and open the application you want to work on.
Step 2: Review the candidate
Read the resume and any attached files, and check the candidate's answers to the job's custom questions. Confirm the source recorded on the application is correct.
Step 3: Record notes and follow-ups
Add a note for every meaningful contact with the candidate, and set a follow-up so the next action has an owner and a date. Use Upload to attach any further documents the candidate sends.
Step 4: Move the application forward
Change the application status to the next stage in the pipeline. When the candidate is ready to be assessed, schedule an interview from the application.
Step 5: Add a candidate manually where needed
Select Add to create a candidate who did not apply through the careers page, attach their resume, and put them forward for the relevant opening.
Field and Option Reference
| Field / Option | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Job opening | The job the application belongs to. | Yes |
| Status | The stage of the configurable application pipeline the candidate is at. | Yes |
| Source | Where the application came from. | No |
| Resume and files | Documents attached to the application. | No |
| Custom answers | The candidate's answers to the job's custom questions. | No |
| Notes | Internal notes recorded by the recruiting team. | No |
| Follow-up | The next scheduled recruiting action on the application. | No |
Expected Result
The application is saved at its new status in Job Applications, with the notes, files and follow-ups attached to the candidate's record for the opening.
Service Organisation Context
Service firms rarely hire once. Demand arrives with a signed engagement, so the Candidate Database is typically run as a standing talent pool that can be searched by skill when a project needs a role filled sooner than a full hiring cycle allows. Application sources then show which channels actually produce candidates good enough to put in front of a client. Ownership-scoped visibility lets a recruiter working one practice area see their own applications while a delivery head sees the whole pipeline. None of this is specific to services; the same pipeline serves any hiring team.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Recruitment is a paid add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
- Recruitment notifications sent by email also arrive as push notifications on the CrmLeaf mobile app, because mobile push follows the email notification channel.
- Notes are internal. Do not use them for messages intended for the candidate.
Common Scenarios
Example: sourcing from your talent pool. A new opening resembles one you closed last quarter. Search the Candidate Database for candidates with the required skills, put the strongest ones forward against the new opening, and set the source so your funnel report separates sourced candidates from inbound applications.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| A recruiter cannot see an application. | Their role's recruitment visibility scope does not include that record. | Ask an Administrator to widen the scope or reassign the opening. |
| The required status is not available. | The status is not part of the configured application pipeline. | Ask an Administrator to add it in the recruitment settings. |
| No custom answers are shown. | The job opening had no custom questions when the candidate applied. | Add the questions to the opening for future applications. |
| No applications arrive from the careers page. | The job is not published, or the careers site is not configured. | Publish the opening and check the careers site and job board settings. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the application statuses to match our own process?
Yes. The application status pipeline is configurable by an Administrator.
Can the same candidate apply for more than one opening?
Yes. Each application is held against a single job opening, so a candidate can have separate applications for different roles.
Where do interviews appear once scheduled?
Under Interview Schedule, linked to the application and the interview stage selected.
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