Learn how to set up recruiting stages and categories to map your company recruiting processes in Personio. Think about which steps your candidates usually go through, and combine these as you wish for each category.
Predefined stages
You can find the predefined stages under Settings > Recruiting > Recruiting > Stages. The stages Unassigned, Rejected, Withdrawn, Offer, and Hired are set by default. You cannot edit them, as they trigger further processes in Personio.
Due to GDPR, you must anonymize a candidate's personal data when it is no longer needed. To do so, go to Settings > Recruiting > Recruiting > General. You can anonymize data automatically for candidates sent to the Rejected or Withdrawn stages. We also recommend adding this information to your data privacy statement. Learn more about anonymizing candidate data.
| Predefined Recruiting Stage | Note |
| Unassigned |
Candidates who have not been assigned to a stage will automatically be assigned to this one. For example, if you delete a stage with candidates, they will be sent there. |
| Rejected |
Candidates you have rejected are assigned to this stage. For example, candidates who are not suitable for the job. |
| Withdrawn |
Candidates who have withdrawn their application are assigned to this stage. For example, candidates who are no longer interested in the job. |
| Offer |
Candidates for whom you created (and sent) an offer are assigned to this stage. Learn more about creating an offer in Personio. |
| Accepted |
Candidates who have accepted your offer are assigned to this stage. They are automatically added to Personio as new hires. The information from the offer tab and the documents are transferred to the new employee profile. |
Create custom stages
You can also create your own stages for candidates to complete during the hiring process. To create custom recruiting stages, follow these steps:
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Go to Settings > Recruiting > Recruiting > Stages.
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Click on Add new recruiting stage.
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Insert the name of the stage in the text field Stage name, and click Save.
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Define the duration of the stage:
▶︎ Unlimited: There is no limit on the number of days candidates can remain in this stage.
▶︎ Limited: Specify the maximum number of days candidates should remain in this stage. If a candidate exceeds this number, you will see their name flagged in the Applications list. You can also filter this list for candidates who have already been in a particular stage for too long. Learn more about application list functions.
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Select the color of the stage and click Apply changes. This will help differentiate it from other stages and have a clearer structure.
You will find further information on recruiting stages in the following articles:
Create recruiting categories
Recruiting categories help you map your different application processes. You can also organize and display your open jobs clearly. For example, create categories by employment type (full-time, part-time), seniority or department.
To create a category, follow these steps:
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Go to Settings > Recruiting > Recruiting > Categories.
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Click on Add new recruiting category.
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Insert the name of the category in the text field, Category name, and click Save.
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From the drop-down menu, select the recruiting stages that you want to add to this category. You can adjust their order via drag-and-drop. If you do not assign any stages to a category, all stages will be applied by default.
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Under Autoresponder, define if candidates should receive an email confirmation when they apply to a job.
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Select the email template candidates should receive as the autoresponder template. You must also choose an employee as the signature for the autoresponder. Find more information on sending autoresponders.
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Click on Apply changes to complete the process.