Setting Up Invites and Reminders

Overview

Setting up candidate notifications is the last step in creating a job position. You’ll find them in the Candidate notifications section of the position. These messages — emails, SMS, or WhatsApp — are sent to candidates automatically by Hireflix. You just need to pick which ones go out.

SMS and WhatsApp work differently from email: they’re sent from a US phone number, candidates can’t reply to them, they usually carry an extra cost, and WhatsApp templates can’t be changed. Read How SMS and WhatsApp work before using them.

Set up notifications before inviting candidates

Any change you make to a position, including its candidate notifications, only applies to candidates you invite after the change. Candidates invited before keep the settings they were invited with. For example, if you enable SMS after inviting someone, that candidate won’t receive SMS. Set up your notifications before you start inviting.

If you already invited candidates and want them to receive the new notifications, you can delete their invitations and invite them again, or copy each candidate’s interview link and send it to them yourself.

Hireflix doesn’t let you send an email or SMS manually at any time: messages are only sent automatically on invitation or as reminders, as configured here.

Default messages

Three messages are enabled by default:

1. An email inviting the candidate to the interview, with their unique interview URL.
2. An email reminder if there’s no response within 24 hours.
3. An email thanking the candidate once they complete the interview.

Customizing your messages

Don’t like the defaults? You can send custom messages instead, like an SMS or WhatsApp reminder.

1. Choose the message type

   Select Email, SMS, or WhatsApp.

2. Pick a template

   Choose a message template. Want to build your own? Learn how to create custom templates or jump straight there by clicking Edit templates from the Candidate Notifications pane.

   
3. Set a trigger

   Choose when the message should be sent:

   • On invitation
   • If no response in 24h
   • If no response in 48h
   • If no response in X hours (set your own duration)
4. Preview your message

   Click the eye icon to preview the message before it goes live.

There’s a maximum of 6 touch points per candidate.

How SMS and WhatsApp work

Hireflix sends SMS and WhatsApp messages through Twilio. Use them as an extra way to invite or remind candidates, on top of email.

Phone numbers need the country code

SMS and WhatsApp are only sent if the candidate’s phone number includes the country code (for example +1 for the US, +61 for Australia, +34 for Spain). Without it, the message won’t be sent.

Messages come from a US number, and candidates can’t reply

All SMS and WhatsApp messages are sent from a Hireflix US phone number, not from your company. This is a 10DLC number (a standard 10-digit US phone number registered for business texting), and it’s used for candidates in every country, so candidates outside the US will receive a message from a US number. Candidates can’t reply: if they do, you won’t receive their response.

Make sure candidates have another way to reach you if they have questions, such as replying to the invitation email. If most of your candidates are outside the US, consider mentioning in your invitation email that they may also get a message from a US number.

Costs and registration

In most cases, SMS and WhatsApp messages carry an extra cost that depends on the candidate’s country.

SMS:

Candidate’s phone number	Cost	Registration
US	No extra cost	A2P SMS registration required before you can send SMS
Canada	No extra cost	Not needed
Any other country	A fee per SMS, which depends on the country	Not needed

WhatsApp: messages usually carry an extra cost, which also depends on the country.

You can’t send SMS to US numbers until your A2P registration is complete. Verifying your business usually takes 1-2 weeks, so start early.

Keep SMS messages short

You can edit SMS templates, but keep them short. One SMS holds up to 160 characters, or 70 characters if it contains emoji or certain special characters. Longer messages are split into several SMS, and each one is charged separately.

Variables like the candidate’s name and the interview URL add characters once they’re filled in. Leave room for them when writing your SMS template.

WhatsApp templates can’t be changed

You can’t edit WhatsApp templates, and Hireflix support can’t change them for you on request. Preview the available WhatsApp templates (click the eye icon) and check that they work for you before you choose WhatsApp.

Checking which messages were sent

Open the position and go to the Invited stage. On the right of each candidate you’ll see the latest event (for example “Opened: Invitation”). Hover over it to see the full history: emails sent, delivered and opened, and SMS sent.

Learn next?

Learn how to create and customize your own message templates.