Custom fields for candidate profiles

 

By default, Workable organizes candidate profile information into different segments for each piece of information, e.g., summary, education, skills, contact details, etc.

Custom fields enable you to modify the application form and candidate profile so you can collect and organize the exact information you need. Fields can be added to application forms for candidates to fill in or used internally by the hiring team.

Common custom fields include salary information, available start date, and reference check information. Each field can be adjusted to keep the details confidential. Fields with restricted visibility will appear with next to them. 

Example use cases:

• I want to record the candidate's expected salary in a specific spot on the profile after I talk to them on a phone screen, and I don't want everyone to see this information.
• I want to modify the default application form to include an option for candidates to select their highest level of completed education.

 

Creating sections & custom fields 

You can create and edit sections and custom fields on your candidate profile and application form via the Workflow section of your account. For example, a section called 'Salary information' would include custom fields like 'Current salary', 'Expected salary', etc. 

Create a new section

To create a new section (under which you will create custom fields) and start collecting the candidate details you need, follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to the Workflow section of your account
2. Locate the 'Candidate custom fields' section
3. Click Create new section and add the section title

That's it! You are now ready to create your custom fields under this section. 

Add a new custom field

Custom fields can be added to any section (existing or new) by following the below steps: 

1. Hover over the section under which you need to add a new custom field
2. Click the green + icon
   
3. Fill out the custom field details; you can use the table below as a guide
4. Click the Preview button for the Candidate profile or Application form sections to see what the fields will look like in practice
5. If you are happy with the result, click Save changes to publish all your updates at once

Field setting	Description	Example
Custom field title	Field name describing the information to be filled in. Names should be at most 35 characters long.	Expected Salary
Field type	The type of data used for the field. E.g. paragraph, multiple-choice, number, date... See below for a complete list of field types.	Dropdown
Hint (if user-provided)	A brief description of what the field is for.	"Select the candidate's location preference"
Provider	Choose if the field is completed/provided by: Candidates (during application) Internal candidate (during internal application) Workable Users (during the hiring process)	Candidate
Location in Application form (if candidate-provided)	Choose where you want this field to be placed in the application form	Details
Default setting for new & existing jobs	Select if a custom field should be mandatory, optional or off by default for new and existing jobs. Can be adjusted for individual jobs.	Mandatory
Visibility	Choose which Workable user types should be able to see the field. For example, visible to: Everyone Hiring Managers & Admins Standard Members & up	Hiring Managers & Admins

Provide custom field translations (if you use Language kits)

If you have Language Kits enabled, you can provide the translations for each of your candidate-provided fields (and the multiple-choice options if applicable) under the relevant language tab. You can also provide the translation at a later point; until then, the system will use the default account language for these fields.

Edit sections & custom fields

After being added, sections and custom fields can be edited via the same page (Workflow section).

Fields are shown in two categories: Candidate Profile and Application Form. All fields will appear under Candidate Profile and are editable only from there. Candidate-provided fields will also appear under the Application Form category for reordering on the form.

When creating a new field, select its location on the Candidate Profile and Application Form. For example, an "Expected Salary" field—which the candidate will fill in—could be placed in the "Summary" section of the profile and in the "Application Details" section of the application form.

Drag and drop sections or fields to change the order in which they appear. Order fields so that the most important information appears at the top.

Hover on a specific field and click Edit to make changes.

All fields that are not greyed out are editable. You can also change or disable the available answers for multiple-choice and drop-down questions. It is not currently possible to change provider details or type.

If a field is in use, you cannot delete it. You can disable the field instead. 

 

Custom field types

Field	Explanation
Paragraph	Are designed to be answered in the form of a sentence or paragraph. Common uses include: assessment questions or open-ended essay-style questions, requesting links to work samples.
Short text	Limited to 128 characters, short answer fields are best suited for cases where multiple-choice options might be too lengthy or where you would like a concise, free response. Uses could include: “What is your strongest skill?”, “What is your favorite movie?”, “Describe yourself in 100 characters”.
Boolean (Yes/No)	Ask candidates/users to provide a yes or no response.
Numeric	This field type will only allow applicants/users to input numbers. Uses include: asking about current salary or years of experience.
Date	Ask applicants/users to select a date from a calendar menu. Common uses include: requesting a potential start date, determining a date when licensing/certification was received.
File	Ask the applicant/user to attach a file. This is useful for collecting portfolios or other documentation that would not be included in a resume or cover letter. The maximum file size is 20MB. Supported file types for upload are: .doc, .docx, .gif, .html,.jpeg, .jpg, .odt, .pdf, .png, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .tiff, .txt, .xls, .xlsx, .zip.
Dropdown	Enable the applicant/user to select an answer from a dropdown menu. Use this option if there are multiple brief answers to a question which would take up too much room on the page as a standard multiple-choice question.
Multiple Choice	This field type will allow you to add multiple answer options, and the applicant/user can select multiple answers.
Multiple Choice (single select)	This field type will allow only one answer selected by the applicant/user.

 

Viewing and using custom fields during recruitment

Custom fields (both candidate and user) will appear on candidate profiles. The location of each field is set under the Workflow Settings page. If you have disabled a field or turned it off for a given job, then it won't appear in the candidate profile. You can enable/turn the field on at any time to have it appear.

Candidate-provided fields will appear when you create the application form for a job. Set them to mandatory, optional, or off per job as required. 

When a candidate applies, you will see these fields included on their candidate profile. To edit a candidate-provided field, you will need to edit the candidate and click the pencil icon next to the field. 

User-provided fields can be toggled for a specific job in the Team Members section of the job editor. You can enable or disable fields depending on their relevance to the job.

With inline editing, you can quickly update or add user-provided custom fields. Simply click on an empty or filled custom field to edit or add information.

 

Reporting on custom fields

Data from custom fields can be viewed and exported via the Candidate Breakdown report. Under the Customize data list, select which custom fields you would like to see and export to CSV for further analysis.

For example, if you track Expected Salary with a custom field, you could filter the Candidate Breakdown for specific jobs to see if candidates' expectations align with your budget for the role.