This guide walks through Augusta's recommended workflow for processing applicants—from application to hire.

Whether you're onboarding with Augusta or refining your recruiting process, this article provides a practical framework you can adapt to your agency's hiring process.

Important: This is a best-practice foundation—not a rigid rulebook. Every agency hires differently. The goal is to maintain clean data, consistent processing, and a workflow that fits your team.

The Big Picture: How Applicants Move Through Augusta

Think of Augusta as a structured hiring funnel.

Apply → Qualified → Hiring Stages → Hired (or Not Hired)

Depending on your agency's workflow, your Hiring Stages may include:

• Screening
• Interview
• Orientation

Every agency's process is different, but the objective remains the same:

• Move qualified applicants through your hiring process quickly.
• Keep applicant statuses up to date.
• Maintain accurate reporting and hiring data.

Step 1: The Applicant Applies

Applicants can apply through:

• Augusta Smart Posts
• Your Augusta Application
• Augusta QR Codes
• Other connected recruiting sources

Once an application is submitted, Augusta automatically evaluates the applicant using your Qualification Criteria.

Applicants are automatically placed into one of three categories:

• Qualified
• Needs Further Review
• Disqualified

This classification is based entirely on the qualification rules you've configured.

If the Applicant Is Qualified

Qualified applicants automatically move into your hiring process based on your Hiring Stage configuration.

Depending on your workflow, Augusta may automatically invite applicants to book:

• A Screening
• An Interview

For most agencies, we recommend inviting qualified applicants directly to an Interview whenever possible. Moving strong applicants through your hiring process quickly helps reduce drop-off and increases your chances of making a hire.

If your agency prefers an initial Screening before an Interview, Augusta fully supports that workflow as well. Learn more about managing automated meeting bookings here. 

Regardless of your workflow, the goal is the same:

Move qualified applicants through your hiring process as quickly as possible.

If They Don't Book

Applicants remain in your Qualified tab until they move forward.

Rather than repeatedly texting applicants, we recommend personally calling them. Augusta has already handled the automated outreach—your phone call provides the personal touch that often leads to a booked meeting.

As you follow up, you can use statuses such as:

• Contacted
• Contacted Twice
• Contacted Three Times

If you're unable to reach the applicant, you can continue following up later or archive them based on your agency's process.

If the Applicant Needs Further Review

Needs Further Review applicants require a recruiter's judgment.

Depending on your Hiring Stage configuration, these applicants may:

• Automatically receive a meeting invitation
• Wait for manual review before moving forward

After reviewing the applicant, you can:

• Invite them to their next meeting
• Contact them for additional information
• Move them to Qualified
• Disqualify them
• Archive them for future consideration

If you frequently move Needs Further Review applicants to Qualified, consider adjusting your Qualification Criteria so Augusta can make that decision automatically. Learn more here.

If the Applicant Is Disqualified

Disqualified applicants do not meet your minimum hiring requirements.

Occasionally, recruiters may override a Disqualified applicant if additional information becomes available.

However, if you're regularly overriding Disqualified applicants, it's often a sign that your Qualification Criteria should be updated rather than relying on manual review.

The more Augusta can accurately qualify applicants automatically, the less manual work your recruiting team has to perform.

Candidate Pool vs. Rejected

Understanding the difference between these statuses helps keep your recruiting pipeline organized.

Candidate Pool

Use Candidate Pool for applicants you would hire under different circumstances.

Examples include:

• Looking for full-time instead of part-time
• Unavailable for weekends
• Waiting for a schedule that better matches your needs

Whenever possible, leave notes about:

• Availability
• Certifications
• Preferred schedule
• Service area
• Other important details

This makes it much easier to revisit strong applicants when your hiring needs change.

Rejected

Use Rejected for applicants you do not intend to hire.

Examples include:

• Professional concerns
• Policy violations
• Major hiring red flags

Rejected applicants cannot rebook meetings for up to three years from their most recent application. Learn more here. 

Once an Applicant Books a Meeting

Once an applicant books their next meeting:

• Their status updates automatically.
• The meeting appears on the assigned recruiter's calendar.
• Augusta sends reminder emails and text messages leading up to the meeting.

Applicants with upcoming meetings should become one of your highest recruiting priorities.

At this stage, your focus shifts from finding applicants to helping this individual successfully move through your hiring process and become a hire.

After the Meeting

Following a Screening or Interview, continue updating the applicant's status as they move through your hiring process.

Common post-meeting statuses include:

• Interviewed
• Job Offer Sent
• Job Offer Declined
• Reference Check
• Onboarding

If your agency uses multiple Hiring Stages, simply schedule the applicant's next meeting inside Augusta and continue moving them through your process.

If You Schedule Orientations in Augusta

If your agency schedules Orientations through Augusta, continue updating applicant statuses as candidates progress through the final stage of hiring.

Common Orientation statuses include:

• Orientation Booked
• Orientation Completed
• Orientation No-Show

After Orientation, determine whether the applicant successfully completed your hiring process.

If they did, update their status to Hired according to your agency's internal definition.

Keeping Orientation statuses up to date helps your team stay aligned and keeps your hiring reports accurate.

Interview & Orientation No-Shows

If an applicant misses a scheduled meeting, update their status accordingly.

Depending on your agency's policy, you may choose to:

• Reschedule the meeting
• Reject the applicant
• Move them to Candidate Pool
• End the hiring process

The important thing is to remain consistent so your reporting accurately reflects your hiring process.

When Should You Mark Someone as Hired?

Every agency defines "Hired" differently.

Some agencies consider an applicant hired when:

• They accept a job offer.
• They complete onboarding.
• They complete Orientation.
• They work their first shift.

There is no single correct definition.

However, once your agency establishes its definition, be consistent.

Consistency leads to:

• More accurate hiring reports
• Better conversion metrics
• Cleaner recruiting data

Reporting & Funnel Metrics

Your Reporting dashboard tracks the progress of applicants throughout your hiring funnel, along with providing insights on your meeting outcomes. 

Learn more about Augusta reporting here. 

Good data in leads to good reporting out.

The more consistently your team updates applicant statuses, the more valuable your reporting becomes.

Leave Notes

Applicant notes are one of the most valuable tools inside Augusta.

As applicants move through your hiring process, record information such as:

• Availability
• Certifications
• Service areas
• Pay expectations
• Hiring concerns
• Interview feedback

Well-documented applicants make future hiring decisions faster and keep everyone on your recruiting team aligned.

Integrations & Workflow Automation

Many Augusta integrations can automatically move applicant information into your ATS or other connected systems.

Some integrations happen automatically, while others are manually triggered based on your workflow.

Your specific setup may vary depending on the integrations your agency uses.

Final Thoughts

Augusta is designed to automate repetitive recruiting tasks while giving your team flexibility to make hiring decisions.

As you process applicants, remember these best practices:

• Move qualified applicants through your hiring process quickly.
• Keep applicant statuses up to date.
• Use Candidate Pool strategically.
• Leave detailed notes for your team.
• Be consistent with your definition of "Hired."
• Let Augusta automate as much of your recruiting process as possible.

If you'd like help optimizing your hiring workflow, our team is always happy to help. Please contact hello@augusta.care.