Executive Summary
PyjamaHR provides granular control over candidate visibility for internal and external recruiters, ensuring sensitive candidate data is only accessible to authorized users. This article explains how candidate privacy levels work, how to configure them, and best practices for managing recruiter access—helping you stay compliant and secure while collaborating efficiently with both internal teams and external partners.
Detailed Overview
What Are Candidate Privacy Levels?
In PyjamaHR, candidate privacy levels determine which users can view and manage candidate profiles within a job. The platform distinguishes between internal recruiters (your organization’s team members) and external recruiters (third-party agencies or partners). This separation ensures that sensitive candidate data is only visible to those who need it, protecting both your company and candidate privacy.
Key Principles
Internal Recruiters: Can view all candidates for jobs they have access to, regardless of who added the candidate.
External Recruiters: Can only view candidates they have personally added to a job. They cannot see candidates added by internal users or other external recruiters.
Why Use Candidate Privacy Levels?
Data Security: Prevents external recruiters from accessing your full candidate database.
Compliance: Supports GDPR and other privacy regulations by limiting unnecessary data exposure.
Collaboration: Enables you to work with multiple recruiters on the same job without cross-contamination of candidate pools.
Integration with Other PyjamaHR Features
User Roles & Access Types: Privacy levels are enforced based on user roles (Admin, Recruiter, External Recruiter).
Candidate Timeline: Track who added each candidate for full auditability.
Job Assignment: Control which jobs external recruiters can access.
Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide
Prerequisites
You must be an Admin or have permission to manage users and jobs.
External recruiters must be invited and assigned to specific jobs.
1. Assigning Jobs to External Recruiters
Navigate to the Job: Go to the “Jobs” section and select the relevant job.
Manage Recruiters: Click on “Recruiters” or “Team” tab within the job.
Add External Recruiter: Click “Add Recruiter” and select the external recruiter from your user list.
- Screenshot suggestion: Show the “Add Recruiter” button and user selection dialog.
2. Understanding Candidate Visibility
Internal Recruiters: See all candidates in the job.
External Recruiters: See only candidates they have added.
Screenshot suggestion: Candidate list view for internal vs. external recruiter.
3. Adding Candidates as an External Recruiter
Log in as External Recruiter.
Go to Assigned Job.
Click “Add Candidate” and upload the resume or fill in candidate details.
- Only these candidates will be visible to the external recruiter.
4. Tracking Candidate Source
Timeline Audit: Open a candidate profile and check the “Timeline” or “Activity” section to see who added the candidate.
Screenshot suggestion: Candidate profile with timeline highlighted.
5. Identifying Candidate Ownership
There is currently no visual badge or mark in the candidate list indicating who added the candidate.
Use the Timeline in the candidate profile for this information.
Advanced Usage & Best Practices
Power User Tips
Audit Regularly: Periodically review candidate timelines to ensure correct sourcing and privacy.
Limit Job Access: Only assign external recruiters to jobs where their involvement is necessary.
Educate Your Team: Make sure internal users understand that external recruiters cannot see all candidates.
Optimization Strategies
Bulk Assignments: For high-volume hiring, use bulk assignment tools to efficiently manage recruiter access.
Integration: Use the “User Access” article (link) to clarify permissions for your team.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do: Assign jobs to external recruiters only when needed.
Do: Use the candidate timeline to track sourcing.
Don’t: Expect external recruiters to see candidates added by others.
Don’t: Share sensitive candidate data outside your organization.
Troubleshooting & Common Issues
Issue: External Recruiter Cannot See Any Candidates
Cause: They have not added any candidates themselves.
Solution: Instruct them to use “Add Candidate” to upload their sourced profiles.
Issue: Admin Cannot Identify Who Added a Candidate
Solution: Open the candidate profile and check the “Timeline” for sourcing details.
Issue: Want External Recruiter to See All Candidates in a Job
Limitation: Not possible—external recruiters can only see candidates they personally add.
Issue: No Visual Indicator of Candidate Owner
Solution: Use the candidate profile’s timeline for this information.
When to Contact Support
If candidate visibility does not match the expected behavior above.
If you need to change access for multiple recruiters at once.
Comprehensive FAQ
Q1: Can external recruiters see all candidates in a job?
A: No. They can only see candidates they have personally added.
Q2: Can I assign a candidate to an external recruiter?
A: No. Candidates are linked to the recruiter who adds them. You cannot reassign ownership.
Q3: How do I know which recruiter added a candidate?
A: Open the candidate profile and check the “Timeline” section.
Q4: Can internal recruiters see all candidates?
A: Yes, for jobs they have access to.
Q5: Can external recruiters see candidates added by other external recruiters?
A: No. They only see their own candidates.
Q6: Is there a way to mark candidate ownership in the list view?
A: Not currently. Use the timeline in the candidate profile.
Q7: Can I change a candidate’s owner after they are added?
A: No. Ownership is set at the time of addition.
Q8: Can external recruiters see jobs they are not assigned to?
A: No. They only see jobs they are explicitly assigned.
Q9: Are there extra charges for recruiter access?
A: Yes, recruiter user access is billable.
Q10: What happens if an external recruiter tries to view other candidates?
A: They will not see any profiles except those they have added.
Q11: Can I bulk upload candidates as an external recruiter?
A: Yes, but only those you upload will be visible to you.
Q12: Can I restrict internal recruiters from seeing certain candidates?
A: Not via the external recruiter privacy feature—internal recruiters see all candidates for their jobs.
Related Features & Next Steps
User Access Types: Understanding Access Types
Candidate Timeline: Use for auditing candidate sourcing.
Job Assignment: Control recruiter access at the job level.
Recommended Next Steps:
Review your current recruiter assignments and candidate privacy settings.
Train your team on privacy best practices.
Explore additional user access controls for more granular permissions.
Still have questions?
If you encounter unexpected behavior or need help configuring privacy settings, contact PyjamaHR Support.
This article is based on real customer conversations and reflects the current capabilities and best practices for managing candidate privacy levels for internal and external recruiters in PyjamaHR as of June 2024.