Candidates should not have to guess whether an application reached the team. They also should not see your internal notes, client discussions or every private pipeline label.
What does a candidate status link show?
Yena’s documented candidate status link is a private address included in the confirmation email. It shows the role, company, applied date, last update and a four-step rail: Applied, Reviewing, Interview and Decision.
Internal stage names are not exposed; an unmapped stage appears as Reviewing. A decision is described neutrally rather than exposing an internal rejection label.
The link answers “where am I?” It does not replace a direct conversation when the team needs more information or has a decision to discuss.
Explain the link before you send it
Tell the candidate what the private page does and what it does not do.
Include the link in the confirmation email and explain that it shows the latest broad step in the process. Keep internal notes, tasks and client conversations out of the candidate-facing explanation.
A status rail is useful because it removes a narrow uncertainty. It is not a promise about timing, an assessment result or an automated decision.
If a candidate replies with a question that the rail cannot answer, route it to the recruiter rather than hiding behind the status page.
Keep internal stages private
A candidate-facing view should use broad, comprehensible labels rather than exposing every internal workflow state.
The documented view uses Applied, Reviewing, Interview and Decision. An internal stage that does not map to one of these broad stages appears as Reviewing.
This keeps client discussions, internal notes and operational labels out of the candidate-facing explanation. It also gives recruiters room to work without turning every internal transition into a public promise.
Move the applicant on the board only after the team has made the corresponding decision, then check the last update before answering a direct email.
Treat the URL as private
A private link is still a credential-like route to personal process information.
The support documentation says the exact secret address is required; altered links show a generic error, and Yena stores a cryptographic fingerprint rather than the raw link. That describes a product control, not a reason to paste the URL into a client report or shared spreadsheet.
Ask the candidate to use their own link and avoid forwarding it. If the link is exposed, follow the agency’s account and candidate-support process.
Do not claim that a private link removes the need for clear notices, appropriate retention or human review.
Use a neutral update message
A short explanation sets expectations without exposing private reasons or internal labels.
“Your private status link shows the latest broad step in our process. It does not replace a direct conversation if we need more information or have a decision to discuss.”
If the process pauses, update the candidate in plain language where your process requires it. Do not invent a reason, promise a date the team has not agreed, or turn an internal rejection label into a public judgement.
The recruiter remains responsible for respectful communication when a decision needs context.
Review the workflow end to end
Test the candidate-facing page alongside the public role and the recruiter’s private board.
Confirm that the role shown is the role the candidate applied for, the applied date is sensible and the broad stage matches the current board decision.
Pair the status-link workflow with a candidate-safe job description, screening questions and a withdrawal process. These are separate controls with different owners.
A useful review asks what a candidate can see, what the recruiter can correct and who answers when the broad rail is not enough.
Candidate status link review
A small review keeps the public view useful without exposing internal work.
| Check | Candidate sees | Recruiter confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Role | The applied role and company | Correct job and public description |
| Progress | Four broad stages | Board decision maps correctly |
| Privacy | No internal notes or labels | Private URL is not shared elsewhere |
| Update | Last update date | Date is current and understood |
| Conversation | A route for questions | Owner can answer directly |
What the link cannot decide
A status link does not decide whether someone advances, explain every internal discussion or replace a nuanced email or call.
The documented product behavior does not remove the recruiter’s responsibility for accuracy, communication and appropriate handling of candidate data.
Candidate status link questions
Does the link expose internal stage names?
No. The documented four-step view is deliberately generic, and an unmapped internal stage appears as Reviewing.
Is the link a substitute for an email or call?
No. It answers “where am I?” but does not deliver a nuanced decision or consent conversation.
What if a candidate forwards the link?
Treat it as private and follow your candidate-support process. Do not include it in client reports or shared spreadsheets.
Can the recruiter rely on the rail alone?
No. Check the underlying role, stage and latest update, then communicate directly when context matters.
Product documentation
The workflow is based on the documented candidate status-link behavior.