Emailing Candidates in SmoothHiring

SmoothHiring lets you send emails to candidates directly from within the platform — no need to switch to your email client, copy-paste addresses, or lose track of communication history. Whether you are sending a follow-up, requesting additional information, or communicating a decision, the Email Candidate dialog gives you everything you need.

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Accessing the Email Feature
3. Composing an Email
4. Choosing Your "From" Address
5. CC and BCC
6. Writing the Email Body (Rich Text Editor)
7. Send a Copy to Yourself
8. Viewing Sent Emails
9. Connected Email Accounts
10. Common Use Cases
11. Best Practices
12. Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

The Email Candidate feature provides a full-featured email composer right inside SmoothHiring. Key capabilities include:

• Send emails using your connected Gmail or Outlook account, or the default SmoothHiring address.
• Full rich text editing with formatting options (bold, italic, lists, links, etc.).
• CC and BCC fields for including additional recipients.
• Option to send a copy to yourself for record-keeping.
• All emails are logged in the candidate's Applicant Inbox for reference.

Accessing the Email Feature

You can email a candidate from their Applicant Profile:

1. Navigate to the applicant list for a job.
2. Click on a candidate's name to open their profile.
3. Look for the Email action button or option in the profile toolbar.
4. The Email Candidate dialog opens.

Composing an Email

The Email Candidate dialog provides the following fields:

From (Sender)

Select which email address to send from:

Each option shows the corresponding icon (Default, Gmail, or Outlook) so you can quickly identify which account you're sending from.

To (Recipient)

Pre-populated with the candidate's email address. You can edit this field if needed. The system validates that a properly formatted email address is entered.

Cc (Carbon Copy)

Add email addresses of other people who should receive a copy of the email. Separate multiple addresses with commas.

Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy)

Add email addresses of people who should receive a copy without other recipients knowing. Separate multiple addresses with commas.

Subject

Enter the email subject line. This field is required — you must provide a subject before sending.

Email Body

A rich text editor powered by a full-featured WYSIWYG editor. You can format your email with:

• Bold, italic, and underline text
• Bulleted and numbered lists
• Links
• Text alignment
• Headers and subheaders
• Block quotes

Choosing Your "From" Address

The "From" dropdown determines which email address appears as the sender when the candidate receives your email.

Default (do-not-reply@smoothhiring.com)

• Always available, no setup required.
• Emails come from SmoothHiring's system address.
• Candidates cannot reply directly to this address.
• Best for: Automated notifications, rejection emails, or one-way communications.

Gmail

• Available when you have connected your Gmail account.
• Emails appear to come from your personal Gmail address.
• Candidates can reply directly to you.
• Shows your Gmail address in the dropdown (e.g., Gmail (yourname@gmail.com)).
• Best for: Personal communications where you want a direct reply.

Outlook

• Available when you have connected your Outlook account.
• Emails appear to come from your Outlook/Microsoft address.
• Candidates can reply directly to you.
• Shows your Outlook address in the dropdown (e.g., Outlook (yourname@company.com)).
• Best for: Professional communications using your company email.

Tip: We strongly recommend connecting your Gmail or Outlook account under Connected Apps so candidates can reply to your emails directly. The default do-not-reply address does not allow responses.

Auto-Selection Logic

When the dialog opens:

1. If Gmail is connected, it is selected by default.
2. If only Outlook is connected, Outlook is selected.
3. If neither is connected, the Default option is used.

CC and BCC

CC (Carbon Copy)

Use CC to include additional recipients who should be visible to the candidate:

• Hiring managers who need to be in the loop.
• Recruiters who are coordinating the process.
• Team members involved in the decision.

BCC (Blind Carbon Copy)

Use BCC to include recipients that the candidate should not see:

• HR administrators for record-keeping.
• Your own email as an alternative to the "Send copy to me" option.
• External stakeholders who need to be informed.

Multiple Recipients

Both CC and BCC fields support multiple email addresses separated by commas:

person1@company.com, person2@company.com, person3@company.com

The system validates each email address and shows an error message if any are invalid.

Writing the Email Body (Rich Text Editor)

The email body uses a rich text editor that gives you full formatting control:

Formatting Options

• Text styling: Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough
• Lists: Ordered (numbered) and unordered (bulleted) lists
• Alignment: Left, center, right, justify
• Links: Insert clickable URLs
• Headers: H1, H2, H3 for structured content
• Block quotes: For highlighting important information
• Clean formatting: Remove all formatting from selected text

Writing Tips

• Keep emails concise and professional.
• Use bullet points for action items or multiple pieces of information.
• Include a clear call-to-action (e.g., "Please reply by Friday" or "Click here to schedule your interview").
• Proofread before sending — emails cannot be recalled.

Send a Copy to Yourself

The Send copy to me toggle lets you receive a copy of every email you send:

• Located below the email body editor.
• Toggle on to receive a copy, off to skip.
• Useful for maintaining your own records of candidate communications.

Viewing Sent Emails

All emails sent through SmoothHiring are logged in the candidate's Applicant Inbox:

1. Open the candidate's profile.
2. Navigate to the Inbox tab.
3. View all sent and received emails in chronological order.

This creates a complete communication history for every candidate, making it easy to:

• Review what was communicated to a candidate.
• Pick up where a colleague left off.
• Maintain an audit trail of all candidate communications.

Connected Email Accounts

To send emails from your personal address (rather than the default do-not-reply address), connect your email account:

1. Go to Settings > Connected Apps.
2. Connect your Gmail and/or Outlook account.
3. Follow the authentication prompts to grant SmoothHiring permission to send on your behalf.
4. Once connected, your personal email options appear in the From dropdown.

For detailed instructions, see Connected Apps.

Common Use Cases

Requesting Additional Information

"We'd like to learn more about your experience with project management tools. Could you provide some examples?"

Interview Scheduling

"Congratulations! We'd like to invite you for an interview. Please let us know your availability for next week."

Status Updates

"Thank you for your patience. We are still reviewing applications and will be in touch within the next two weeks."

Rejection Communication

While SmoothHiring has a dedicated rejection email feature, you can also use the general email dialog for personalized rejection messages.

Sending Offers

"We are pleased to extend an offer for the [Position] role. Please find the details below…"

Best Practices

Use Your Connected Email

Connect Gmail or Outlook so candidates can reply directly. This creates a better candidate experience and ensures you receive responses.

Maintain Professional Tone

Every email represents your company brand. Use proper grammar, appropriate formatting, and a professional tone.

Be Timely

Candidates appreciate prompt communication. Try to respond or follow up within 24–48 hours.

Use CC Strategically

CC relevant team members to keep everyone informed without requiring separate forwarding.

Keep Records

Enable "Send copy to me" for important communications so you have a personal record in addition to the Applicant Inbox log.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use email templates? SmoothHiring provides email templates for common scenarios like rejection emails and interview invitations. These can be configured in your Settings.

Can I send emails to multiple candidates at once? The Email Candidate dialog is designed for individual candidate communication. For bulk actions, consider using the rejection email feature which supports batch operations, or the email sharing feature from the applicant list footer.

Are email attachments supported? The current email dialog focuses on text-based communications. For sending documents, include links to shared files or use your connected email client directly.

Can candidates reply to SmoothHiring emails? If you send from your connected Gmail or Outlook account, yes. If you send from the default do-not-reply address, candidates cannot reply directly.

Can I schedule emails to be sent later? Currently, emails are sent immediately when you click Send. There is no scheduled send option.

Is there an email sending limit? Standard usage limits apply. If you're sending high volumes, consider using your connected email account which uses your email provider's sending infrastructure.

What happens if the email fails to send? If sending fails, you'll see an error notification. Check the email address and try again. If the problem persists, verify your connected email account status in Connected Apps.

Related Articles

• Email Templates
• Connected Apps
• Managing Candidates
• Notifications