> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.confirm.global/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.confirm.global/_mcp/server.

# Messaging Candidates

You message one candidate from the **Messages** tab on their profile, and many candidates at once from the bulk actions bar on the Candidates page. Every message and reply is kept on the candidate's Messages tab and shows up in the [Inbox](/communication/inbox).

## Channels

| Channel   | What it needs                                                                                                                                                       |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **SMS**   | A phone number on the candidate. Texts go out from your organization's number.                                                                                      |
| **Email** | A connected Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 mailbox (see [Calendar & Email Integration](/interviews/calendar-integration)) and an email address on the candidate. |

## One candidate: the Messages tab

Open the candidate and choose the **Messages** tab. There's no separate "send message" button; this tab is where you write. Switch between **SMS** and **Email** at the top. The SMS switch shows the number of unread texts.

### SMS

The SMS view is a chat thread grouped under date headings ("Today", "Yesterday", then the full date). Your messages are on the right, the candidate's on the left. Each text you sent shows a small status icon: queued, sent, delivered, or failed.

Type in the **Type a message...** box and click the send button, or press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter on a Mac).

You can't text from here when:

* The candidate has no phone number. The tab says **No phone number**. Add one to the candidate first.
* The candidate opted out. The tab shows **SMS Opted Out** and the box is disabled.

### Email

The Email view lists each email as a card with sender, subject, and body. Then:

* Click **Compose** (or **Compose Email** when there are no emails yet) to start a **New Email**.
* Click **Reply** on an email from the candidate to open **Reply to Email**. The subject is filled in as "Re: …".

The composer shows **To** and **From**, a **Subject** field, and the message body. On a new email there's also a **Template** picker: choosing a template fills in the subject and body with this candidate's details, and you can edit both before sending. Click **Send**, or press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter).

If you haven't connected a mailbox, the tab says **Connect your email to send messages** with a **Set up email** button. If the candidate has no email address, it says **No email address**.

## Many candidates: bulk messages

On the Candidates page, select candidates and use **Send Email** or **Send SMS** in the bulk actions bar.

#### Choose template or custom

Pick **Use Template** to send a saved template, or **Custom Message** to write it here. Email needs a subject and a body; SMS needs a body. When you write a custom SMS, a counter shows characters and the number of SMS segments.

#### Personalize

`{{first_name}}`, `{{last_name}}`, `{{job_title}}`, and `{{company_name}}` are replaced with each candidate's details.

#### Check who will be skipped

The dialog tells you how many selected candidates will be skipped and why: no email address or phone number, opted out of SMS, or marked "do not contact".

#### Send

Click **Send to N Candidates**. The messages are sent in the background; the dialog confirms they're on their way and closes.

> **Note**
>
> Bulk email is sent from your organization's connected Gmail or Outlook mailbox. The same goes for the rejection email when you fill a job and the email sent when you hire a candidate. See [Connect Email & Calendar](/settings/integrations).

## Opt-outs

The first text a candidate gets from your organization ends with "Reply STOP to opt out." A candidate who replies **STOP**, **UNSUBSCRIBE**, **CANCEL**, **END**, or **QUIT** is opted out of SMS. After that:

* You can't text them from the Messages tab.
* Bulk SMS skips them.
* Automated texts from your Communication Rules aren't sent to them.

Email is not affected by an SMS opt-out. You don't need to keep your own suppression list.

## Automated messages

Many messages go out without anyone writing them: booking links, interview confirmations and reminders, follow-ups, and rejection emails. You set those up in **Settings → Communications**. See [Templates & Automation](/communication/templates-and-automation).