Executive Summary
PyjamaHR allows you to collaborate with external recruiters and agencies while maintaining strict control over what they can see and do. By carefully configuring the "External Recruiter" access type, you ensure that external partners only view jobs and candidates relevant to them—protecting sensitive data and streamlining your hiring process. This guide details exactly how external recruiter access works, how to set it up, common pitfalls, and best practices for secure, efficient collaboration.
Detailed Overview
What Is External Recruiter Access?
External Recruiter is a non-billable user role in PyjamaHR, designed for third-party recruiters, staffing agencies, or vendors who help source candidates for your open positions. This role is intentionally limited to:
- Only the jobs they are explicitly assigned to
- Only the candidates they themselves have added to those jobs
Key Points:
- External recruiters cannot see all jobs or candidates in your account.
- They cannot access your Talent Pool, company-wide candidate data, or jobs they are not assigned to.
- They cannot create jobs, edit job postings, or access admin-level features.
Why Use It?
- Data Security: Prevents external partners from viewing confidential company or candidate information.
- Process Control: Keeps your hiring pipeline organized and prevents unauthorized changes.
- Cost Efficiency: External recruiter seats are free and unlimited.
Integration with Other Features:
- Assign external recruiters to jobs via the "Manage Hiring" section.
- Track which recruiter sourced each candidate in the candidate timeline.
- Use Chrome Extension for recruiters to import candidates directly.
Step-by-Step Guide: Setting and Limiting External Recruiter Access
Prerequisites
You must be a Super Admin or Admin to manage user roles and job assignments.
The external recruiter must have a valid email address (can be Gmail or any domain).
1. Invite an External Recruiter
Go to Settings > Team Members.
Click Send Invitation.
Enter the recruiter's email address.
Select External Recruiter as the access type.
Send the invitation.
Screenshot: Team Members page with "Invite User" and "External Recruiter" highlighted.
2. Assign External Recruiter to Specific Jobs
Navigate to the relevant job posting.
Click Manage Hiring Team (may appear as "Manage Hiring" or "Hiring Team").
Add the external recruiter to the job.
Save changes.
Screenshot: Job details page with "Manage Hiring Team" button and user assignment modal.
Note: External recruiters will only see jobs they are assigned to. If they report "no jobs visible," check their assignments.
3. External Recruiter Adds Candidates
External recruiters can only add candidates to jobs they are assigned to.
They can import resumes via the Chrome Extension or manual upload.
They can only view and manage candidates they have personally added.
4. Monitoring and Auditing
As an Admin, you can see which recruiter added each candidate in the candidate's timeline.
External recruiters cannot see candidates added by others, nor those who applied via job boards or your career page.
Advanced Usage & Best Practices
Power User Tips
Unlimited External Recruiters: There is no cap or cost—invite as many as needed.
Vendor Segmentation: Assign each external recruiter only to the jobs they are working on (e.g., US jobs vs. India jobs).
Source Tracking: Ask recruiters to set a "Source" field when adding candidates for easier filtering and reporting.
Temporary Access: Remove external recruiters from jobs once their engagement ends to instantly revoke access.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Double-check job assignments for each external recruiter.
- Regularly audit recruiter access, especially after project completion.
- Use the candidate timeline to track sourcing and activity.
Don’t:
- Don’t assign external recruiters to jobs they shouldn’t see.
- Don’t expect external recruiters to see candidates they didn’t add.
- Don’t use the External Recruiter role for internal staff who need broader access.
Integration with Other Workflows
Hiring Managers: For internal users who need access to only certain jobs and all candidates in those jobs, use the "Hiring Manager" role (billable).
Talent Pool: Only internal roles can access the full Talent Pool; external recruiters cannot.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
1. External Recruiter Sees No Jobs
Cause: Not assigned to any jobs.
Solution: Admin must add them to the relevant jobs via "Manage Hiring Team."
2. External Recruiter Cannot See Any Candidates
Cause: They have not added any candidates themselves.
Solution: External recruiters can only see candidates they personally add, not those from job boards, career page, or other recruiters.
3. External Recruiter Wants to See All Applicants
Limitation: Not possible. Only internal roles (Recruiter, Admin, Hiring Manager) can see all applicants to a job.
4. External Recruiter Accidentally Assigned as Super Admin/Admin
Solution: Change their access type in Team Members. Only Super Admins can do this.
5. External Recruiter Can Change Candidate Stages or Schedule Interviews
Current Limitation: External recruiters can move their own candidates through stages and schedule interviews for them. There is currently no granular permission to restrict this further.
Workaround: If you only want vendors to upload profiles and not interact further, consider uploading profiles yourself or removing them from the job after upload.
6. External Recruiter Cannot Be Added (Already in Another Company)
Solution: The user must be removed from their previous company (especially if Super Admin) before being invited as an external recruiter to your company.
Comprehensive FAQ
Q1: Can external recruiters see all jobs in my company?
A: No. They only see jobs they are specifically assigned to.
Q2: Can external recruiters see all candidates in a job?
A: No. They only see candidates they have personally added to that job.
Q3: Can external recruiters see candidates who applied via job boards or the career page?
A: No. Only internal users (Recruiter, Admin, Hiring Manager) can see those candidates.
Q4: Can I limit an external recruiter to only upload profiles and not move candidates or schedule interviews?
A: Not currently. External recruiters can move their own candidates through stages and schedule interviews. For stricter control, upload profiles yourself.
Q5: Are external recruiters billable users?
A: No. External recruiter access is free and unlimited.
Q6: Can I assign an external recruiter to multiple jobs?
A: Yes. Assign them to as many jobs as needed; they will only see those jobs.
Q7: How do I track which recruiter added a candidate?
A: Check the candidate’s timeline in their profile.
Q8: Can external recruiters access the Talent Pool or company-wide candidate data?
A: No. They only see their own candidates in assigned jobs.
Q9: What if an external recruiter needs to be removed?
A: Remove them from the job(s) in "Manage Hiring Team" or delete their user account.
Q10: Can I invite external recruiters with Gmail or personal email addresses?
A: Yes.
Q11: What happens if an external recruiter is also a Super Admin in another company?
A: They must be removed from the other company before being added as an external recruiter to yours.
Q12: Can external recruiters create jobs?
A: No. Only internal users with appropriate permissions can create jobs.
Related Features & Next Steps
Hiring Manager Role: For internal users who need job-specific but broader access (billable).
Recruiter/Admin Roles: For team members who need access to all jobs and candidates (billable).
Candidate Timeline: Track candidate source and recruiter activity.
Chrome Extension: Allow external recruiters to import candidates directly.
Team Members Management: For changing user roles and removing access.
Recommended Articles:
- Understanding Access Types in PyjamaHR
- How to Assign Users to Jobs
- Importing Candidates via Resume
- Managing the Hiring Team
Summary Table: External Recruiter Access vs. Other Roles
Feature/Action | External Recruiter | Hiring Manager | Recruiter/Admin |
See all jobs | No | No (only assigned) | Yes |
See all candidates in job | No (only own) | Yes | Yes |
Add candidates | Yes (assigned jobs) | Yes | Yes |
Move candidates through stages | Yes (own only) | Yes | Yes |
Schedule interviews | Yes (own only) | Yes | Yes |
Access Talent Pool | No | No | Yes |
Billable | No | Yes | Yes |
Final Notes
Limiting external recruiter access in PyjamaHR is essential for secure, efficient, and compliant hiring. By following the steps and best practices in this guide, you can confidently collaborate with external partners while maintaining full control over your data and process.
If you encounter any issues not covered here, please contact PyjamaHR Support with details and screenshots for prompt assistance.