Automation Use Cases: Talent Engagement

Engaging active and passive candidates is key to building a strong, responsive talent pipeline. With Bullhorn Automation you can keep candidates warm, personalize their experience, and stay top-of-mind, without adding to your team’s workload.

Below are some practical, high-impact use cases that help you stay connected to both passive and active talent throughout the candidate lifecycle.

Need help getting started? Check out our guide to Building a Talent Engagement Automation

Keep Talent Engaged with Opportunities

Use Case: Top 10 Candidate Alerts

When a new job is added, automatically identify the top 10 matching candidates using the Match Candidates Step and email the list to the job’s recruiter. This helps them start straight away with a shortlist.

BlueprintClosed A prebuilt template in Bullhorn Automation for commonly used automations.: AI Auto MatchClosed Uses AI to match Candidates to Jobs Pt. 1 - Match Candidates to Jobs (Amplify or Enterprise edition only)

Use Case: Promote New Jobs to Your Database

Send out new job announcements to a wide group of candidates with actionable buttons (e.g., “I’m Interested” or “Not Right for Me”). This way, you can gather interest before any calls are made, speeding up the shortlist process.

Use Case: “Abandoned Cart” for Job Browsers

Use an automation to reach out to candidates who viewed a job on your site but didn’t apply. Suggest similar or better-matched roles using semantic job matching to encourage re-engagement.

Blueprint: Connect with Engaged Candidates

Maximize Contractor Retention

Use Case: Contractor Redeployment

When a contractor is approaching the end of their assignment, trigger an automation to:

  • Send a check-in email to the contractor

  • Notify the owning consultant to initiate a follow-up conversation

This helps ensure a smooth transition and improves your chances of retaining both the candidate and the client.

Blueprints:

  • Redeploy Candidates via Text

  • Redeployment Notifications

Stay Top-of-Mind with Regular Check-ins

Use Case: Candidate & Contact Touchpoints

Automate regular, light-touch messages to nurture relationships, such as:

These small touches help build long-term loyalty and a stronger brand connection.

Blueprint: Happy Birthday!

Gauge Candidate Availability

Use Case: Open-to-Work Survey

Send a short survey to candidates you've previously spoken with, asking if they’re open to new opportunities. If they respond "Yes":

  • Automatically notify the assigned consultant

  • Update the candidate’s record in Bullhorn with their new availability

Collect and Act on Client Feedback

Use Case: Client NPS Survey

After a placement, send a two-question NPS survey to the sales contact associated with the job.

  • If they don’t respond, schedule an automated reminder email after 7 days

  • Update Bullhorn with their NPS score and comments

  • Send an internal notification to the record owner when feedback is received, helping to quickly identify Promoters, Passives, or Detractors

Re-engage Lapsed Candidates

Use Case: 6-Month Check-In Survey

Reach out to candidates you haven’t spoken to in 6+ months. Use a brief survey to:

  • Confirm their job-seeking status

  • Update their contact details

  • Request an updated CV

This keeps your database current and your talent pool ready for action.

Blueprint: Re-engage Passive Candidates

Surface Leads to Recruiters

Use Case: Lead Notification for Consultants

When a marketing lead is added to Bullhorn, trigger a notification to the appropriate consultant and set a task to follow up and check whether the contact is looking for work or actively hiring. This helps connect marketing efforts directly with recruitment actions.