# Candidate Portal Overview## Overview The **Candidate Portal** is SmoothHiring's dedicated self-service space for job seekers. It provides candidates with a single, personalized hub where they can manage their job applications, complete assessments, view reports, explore career development tools, and set up job notifications — all without needing to contact the hiring team directly. The portal creates a professional, transparent candidate experience that reflects well on your employer brand while reducing administrative overhead for your hiring team. --- ## How Candidates Access the Portal ![Careers page](/files/flow-careers-paged94002.png) ### First-Time Access Candidates gain access to the portal when they: 1. **Apply for a job** — After submitting an application through your careers page, candidates are prompted to create a portal account 2. **Receive an invitation** — Hiring teams can send direct invitations to candidates to access the portal 3. **Complete an assessment** — Candidates who receive assessment links are guided to create an account ### Logging In Candidates can log in via: - **Email and password** — Standard credentials created during registration - **Magic link** — A one-time login link sent to their email - **Social login** — Sign in with Google or LinkedIn (if enabled by the employer) ### Portal URL The candidate portal is accessible at your organization's branded URL (e.g., `careers.yourcompany.com/portal` or via the SmoothHiring platform directly). --- ## Portal Home Page When candidates log into the portal, they see a personalized home page that provides an at-a-glance view of their hiring journey. ### Home Page Sections - **Welcome Message** — Personalized greeting with the candidate's name - **Active Applications** — Summary cards showing current applications and their status - **Pending Actions** — Tasks requiring attention (incomplete assessments, requested documents, etc.) - **Recent Updates** — Timeline of recent activity on their applications - **Quick Links** — Navigation to key portal sections ### Status Indicators Candidates can see the status of each application: | Status | Meaning | |--------|--------| | **Submitted** | Application received and being reviewed | | **Under Review** | Hiring team is evaluating the application | | **Assessment Pending** | Assessments need to be completed | | **Interview Scheduled** | An interview has been arranged | | **Offer Extended** | An offer has been made | | **Not Selected** | Application was not successful | > **Note:** Employers can configure which statuses are visible to candidates. Some organizations choose to show fewer intermediate states. --- ## Candidate Profile The **Profile** section allows candidates to maintain their professional information, which is used across all applications. ### Profile Components - **Personal Information** — Name, email, phone, location - **Professional Summary** — A brief bio or headline - **Resume/CV** — Upload and manage resume files - **Work Experience** — Employment history with dates and descriptions - **Education** — Academic credentials and certifications - **Skills** — Self-reported skills and competencies - **Social Links** — LinkedIn, portfolio, personal website - **Profile Photo** — Optional professional photo ### Keeping Profiles Updated Candidates are encouraged to keep their profiles current because: - Updated information is automatically used for new applications - Employers may revisit profiles for future opportunities - Some career tools use profile data for personalized recommendations --- ## Application History The **History** section provides a comprehensive record of all applications a candidate has submitted through SmoothHiring. ### What Candidates Can See - **Complete application list** — All past and current applications - **Application dates** — When each application was submitted - **Company and role** — Which position at which organization - **Current status** — Where each application stands - **Timeline** — Key dates and milestones for each application ### Filtering and Search Candidates can filter their history by: - Status (active, closed, all) - Date range - Company name - Job title --- ## Career Tools The **Career Tools** section provides candidates with resources to support their job search and professional development. ### Available Tools #### Resume Analysis - AI-powered review of the candidate's uploaded resume - Suggestions for improvement - Keyword optimization recommendations - Formatting feedback #### Skills Assessment - Self-guided skills evaluations - Skill gap identification - Recommendations for skill development #### Interview Preparation - Tips and resources for upcoming interviews - Common question databases by industry/role - Practice tools and frameworks #### Career Path Explorer - Based on the candidate's background, suggests potential career paths - Shows what skills or experience might be needed for advancement - Connects to relevant job opportunities > **Note:** Available career tools vary by employer configuration. Some tools may not be enabled for all organizations. --- ## Assessments The **My Assessments** page is where candidates manage all assessments assigned to them during the hiring process. ### Assessment Dashboard Candidates see: - **Pending Assessments** — Tests that need to be completed, with deadlines - **In Progress** — Assessments started but not yet finished - **Completed** — Finished assessments with completion dates - **Assessment Type** — What kind of assessment (personality, cognitive, skills, etc.) - **Associated Job** — Which application the assessment relates to ### Taking Assessments 1. Click on a pending assessment to begin 2. Review the instructions and estimated completion time 3. Complete the assessment (most are 10-30 minutes) 4. Submit and receive confirmation ### Assessment Policies - Candidates typically have a deadline to complete assessments - Some assessments are timed once started - Results are shared with the hiring team automatically - Candidates may or may not see their own results (configurable by employer) --- ## Reports & Results The **Reports** section allows candidates to view assessment results and feedback that employers have chosen to share. ### What Candidates Can View - **Personality Profile** — Visual representation of their personality traits - **Skills Scores** — Results from skills-based assessments - **Culture Alignment** — How well they matched the organization's culture (if shared) - **Feedback** — Any written feedback provided by the hiring team ### Report Visibility Employers control what candidates can see: - **Full Report** — Complete assessment results with detailed breakdowns - **Summary Only** — High-level results without detailed scoring - **No Access** — Results are not shared with the candidate > **Tip for employers:** Sharing results with candidates, even unsuccessful ones, creates goodwill and enhances your employer brand. --- ## Job Notifications The **Job Notifications** feature lets candidates set up alerts for new opportunities that match their interests. ### Setting Up Notifications 1. Navigate to **Job Notifications** in the portal 2. Define your preferences: - **Job titles/keywords** — Roles you're interested in - **Location preferences** — Where you want to work (including remote) - **Job type** — Full-time, part-time, contract, etc. - **Industry** — Preferred industries or sectors - **Salary range** — Minimum compensation expectations 3. Choose notification frequency: - **Immediate** — Get notified as soon as matching jobs are posted - **Daily digest** — One email per day with all new matches - **Weekly digest** — A weekly summary of matching opportunities 4. Save your preferences ### Managing Notifications - Candidates can create multiple notification profiles with different criteria - Notifications can be paused or deleted at any time - Each notification email includes a direct link to apply --- ## Customizing the Candidate Experience Employers have significant control over what candidates see and experience in the portal. ### Configuration Options | Setting | Options | |---------|---------| | Portal branding | Logo, colors, custom welcome message | | Visible statuses | Which application stages are shown | | Report sharing | Full, summary, or no access to results | | Career tools | Enable/disable specific tools | | Job notifications | Enable/disable notification feature | | Social login | Enable/disable Google/LinkedIn login | | Profile fields | Required vs. optional profile sections | ### Branding the Portal To customize the portal's appearance: 1. Go to **Settings → Careers & Branding** 2. Upload your company logo 3. Set your brand colors 4. Write a custom welcome message 5. Configure which sections are visible --- ## Privacy & Data The candidate portal respects data privacy: - Candidates can download their data at any time - Candidates can request account deletion - Data retention follows configured privacy policies - Candidates control their notification preferences - Personal information is only shared with employers they've applied to --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: Can candidates apply to multiple companies through one portal account?** A: Yes. If multiple employers use SmoothHiring, candidates maintain one account and can apply to all of them. **Q: What happens to the portal account if the candidate is hired?** A: The account remains active. Candidates can still access their history and use career tools. **Q: Can employers message candidates through the portal?** A: Yes. Employers can send messages and candidates will see them in their portal as well as via email. **Q: Is the portal mobile-friendly?** A: Yes. The candidate portal is fully responsive and works on all devices. **Q: Can candidates withdraw an application through the portal?** A: Yes. Candidates can withdraw active applications from their application history page.