What you'll need

• Your new applicant submission status value — the label varies by firm (common values include New Applicant, Applied, or CV Received)
• A candidate-facing autoresponder email template, written and approved before you activate
• Optional: a recruiter notification template to prompt follow-up if no activity occurs within a set window

Build it

1. 1

   Create a submission-based standard automation

   In the Automations tab, click + Add Automation and select Blank Automation. Choose Submission as the entity type and select Standard. Give the automation a name and save.

2. 2

   Build an Always Updated list

   Set the list to Always Updated. Add condition: Submission Status = your new applicant status value. Add a second condition: Date Added is after the date you plan to activate this automation.

3. 3

   Add a Send Email step for the candidate

   Send your autoresponder email to the candidate. Use merge tags for their first name and the job title to personalize the message.

4. 4

   Optional: add a recruiter notification step

   Alert the record owner that a new application has come in. Include merge tags for candidate name and the job they applied for.

5. 5

   Optional: add an Update step

   Set the candidate status to your active or in-progress value so the record reflects where they are in the process.

6. 6

   Set your send window

   Restrict sending to business hours so the autoresponder arrives when candidates are likely to see it.

How to measure it

• Coverage rate: percentage of new applicants who receive the autoresponder. Should trend toward 100% once active.
• Email open rate: how many candidates open the confirmation. A low rate may indicate deliverability issues or a subject line that needs work.
• Time to first recruiter contact: average hours from application to the first recruiter note or activity on the record. Should decrease after activation.
• Submission-to-interview conversion rate: percentage of new applications that progress to an interview. Improved candidate experience from day one can lift this metric over time.

Sample autoresponder email