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Application stage

In this article, you'll learn what an application stage is in JOIN, how it relates to your hiring pipeline and how to manage application progress effectively. Available on desktop only.

In JOIN, an application stage reflects the current step reached by a candidate's application in your hiring process, for example pre-screening, interview, offer or hire. This stage is part of the custom pipeline you define for each job. It helps your team track progress, coordinate next actions and communicate effectively with candidates.

Every time a candidate applies to a job via JOIN, a separate application is created and added to your company account. If a candidate applies to several jobs, you'll see several applications. Each is tracked separately, with its own stage, notes and outcome.

Application

In JOIN, an application corresponds to a single submission made by a candidate to one of your job postings. Each application includes:

  • The candidate's information

  • The CV and any attachments

  • The source and application date

  • The current pipeline stage

  • The GDPR status

You can view all of a candidate's applications on their profile. They are displayed at the top of the right-hand panel in the Candidate profile view.

Application stage

The application stage represents the current step of the hiring process for a given application. These stages reflect your pipeline configuration. You can fully customise them for each job. Examples: Pre-screening, Phone interview, Offer, Hired.

Hiring status

The hiring status is a system-level summary of where the application sits in your hiring process. JOIN uses fixed labels to help you filter and organise your applications:

  • Pre-screening: the application is in the early evaluation stages

  • Offer: the candidate has received an offer or is being considered for one

  • Hired: the application has been marked as hired

Viewing and managing application stages

You can view and manage application stages in three key areas:

  1. Applications overview: go to Applications > Active. The Stage column shows the current stage. Click the stage to update it.

  2. Applications per job: go to Jobs > select a job > Applications. Cards view or table view.

  3. Candidate profile: open a candidate's profile and view all their applications in the right-hand panel.

Editing the application stage

  • Table view: go to the Stage column, click the current stage, select a new stage.

  • Candidate profile: click Advance to move to the next stage, or use the dropdown arrow to select a specific stage.

  • Cards view: drag the application card to another stage column.

Applications must be updated individually, even if they come from the same candidate.

Rejecting an application

To reject an application:

  1. Change the stage to a rejection stage

  2. The application's status changes to Rejected

  3. The application is removed from the active hiring pipeline

  4. You can manually send a rejection message, or use an automatic message if configured

Rejections apply only to the relevant application, not to the candidate. Other applications remain active unless they are rejected individually.

One candidate – several applications

JOIN allows the same candidate to apply to several roles. Each application:

  • Has its own tags, notes and assessments

  • Moves independently through the pipeline

  • Can result in different outcomes

Best practices

  • Regularly update application stages to reflect actual progress

  • Use the Job and Hiring status filters to review applications at similar stages

  • Add tags, notes or assessments to each application individually

  • Regularly review applications in Pre-screening to avoid missing opportunities

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