Understanding the Bullhorn Hiring Workflow

Bullhorn's standard hiring process moves a candidate from an initial submission to a successful placement in four core stages. Each stage has a corresponding submission status that updates automatically as the candidate progresses.

The Four Stages

Submission statuses give a quick, detailed view of a candidate's position in the hiring workflow, and reflect the level of interest from both the candidate and the client. For the full list of statuses and how to update them, see Updating a Candidate's Submission Status.

1: Submission

When a user submits a candidate to a job, Bullhorn adds an internal submission for the job owner to review. Bullhorn automatically updates the candidate's status to Submitted. From here, you can move the candidate forward, or change their status to Sales Rep Rejected if they're not a fit.

For steps, see Submitting a Candidate to a Job (Internal Submission).

2: Client Submission

After the internal review, the user submits the candidate's information to the client contact. Bullhorn automatically updates the candidate's status to Client Submission. If the client rejects the candidate, change their status to Client Rejected.

For steps, see Submitting a Candidate to a Contact (Client Submission).

3: Interview

Once the client expresses interest, the user schedules an interview in Bullhorn, which creates a calendar entry with the relevant details. Bullhorn automatically updates the candidate's status to Interview Scheduled. Update the status further to reflect the outcome, such as Candidate Interested, Client Rejected, or Offer Extended.

For steps, see Scheduling an Interview Between a Candidate and a Contact

4: Placement

After the candidate accepts the job offer, the user creates a placement record. Bullhorn automatically sets the candidate's submission status to Placed. At this point, the process is complete.

For steps, see Placing a Candidate in a Job.

View a Candidate's Status in the Workflow

You can check where a candidate stands in the hiring process using either the workflow icons or the Submissions tab.

  • Workflow Icons: Located at the top of every candidate, contact, company, and job record, these icons give a high-level snapshot of a candidate's progress across the four stages. As a user completes each step, the corresponding icon shades in, and a number below it shows how many times that step has occurred.

  • Submissions Tab: For a more detailed view, use the Submissions tab on a candidate or job record. This is the primary place to review and update a candidate's status. Expand a submission to see the candidate's name, current status, submission date, and who submitted them.

Customize the Hiring Workflow

As a Bullhorn administrator, you can modify the default hiring workflow to match your company's terminology and processes. See Customizing Your Hiring Workflow