How to Create a Multi-Stage Candidate Nurture Sequence in Make.com Using Your CRM
In today’s competitive talent landscape, merely collecting candidate applications isn’t enough. Building a strong talent pipeline requires continuous engagement, providing value, and keeping your organization top-of-mind. A multi-stage nurture sequence automates this critical process, ensuring candidates feel valued and informed, even if they’re not a fit for an immediate opening. This guide will walk you through leveraging Make.com to seamlessly integrate with your CRM and automate a sophisticated candidate nurture journey.
Step 1: Define Your Nurture Stages and Content Strategy
Before touching Make.com, meticulously plan the journey you want candidates to experience. How many stages will there be? What specific action or status change in your CRM will trigger progression to the next stage? Map out the purpose of each stage – is it an initial welcome, an educational phase, a re-engagement attempt, or an invitation to an event? For each stage, define the content: email templates, SMS messages, or even internal tasks. Consider the messaging, tone, and call-to-action for each communication. This foundational strategy ensures your automation serves a clear, purposeful engagement goal, avoiding generic communication that lacks impact. Documenting this structure is crucial for accurate Make.com module setup.
Step 2: Prepare Your CRM for Automation
Your CRM will serve as the central source of truth and the trigger for your nurture sequences. Ensure your CRM is configured to support the logic you defined in Step 1. This typically involves setting up specific custom fields or tags that indicate a candidate’s current nurture stage, their status (e.g., “Nurturing – Stage 1”, “Nurturing – Engaged”, “Nurturing – Opt-out”), or a specific action they’ve taken (e.g., “Attended Webinar”). These fields will be read and updated by Make.com. A dedicated “Nurture Status” dropdown or a series of checkboxes allows Make.com to precisely control and track where each candidate is in their journey. Consistency in CRM data is paramount for reliable automation.
Step 3: Set Up the Initial Trigger in Make.com
In Make.com, start a new scenario by choosing the module that connects to your CRM and serves as the trigger. This could be a “Watch Records” module for new candidates added to a specific list, a “Watch Events” module for a status change, or even a webhook if your CRM supports sending data upon a specific event. For example, if a candidate’s status changes to “Nurture Eligible,” Make.com can instantly pick up this change. Configure the trigger to filter for the specific conditions that initiate the multi-stage sequence. This first module is the gateway, ensuring only the intended candidates enter your automated nurture flow, preventing irrelevant or premature engagement.
Step 4: Design Your First Nurture Stage
Following the trigger, design the first stage of your nurture sequence. This typically involves sending an initial communication. Use your CRM’s email module or an integrated email marketing tool (like Mailchimp, SendGrid) to send your first message. Immediately after the email, add a “Delay” module in Make.com. This delay determines how long before the next action or stage is considered, allowing time for the candidate to digest the information or take a desired action. After the delay, incorporate a module to update the candidate’s nurture stage in your CRM, marking them as having completed Stage 1 and ready for evaluation for Stage 2. This crucial update maintains synchronization between Make.com and your CRM.
Step 5: Implement Conditional Logic for Progression
After the delay and CRM update, the sequence needs to intelligently decide the next step. This is where conditional logic shines. Use Make.com’s “Router” module to create multiple paths, and “Filter” modules on each path. For example, after Stage 1, you might check if the candidate has opened the email or visited a specific link. If they have, they might go down an “Engaged” path (e.g., to Stage 2A). If not, they might go down a “Re-engagement” path (e.g., to Stage 2B) or even an “Opt-out” path. This dynamic decision-making ensures the nurture sequence adapts to individual candidate behavior, maximizing relevance and effectiveness, preventing generic “spray and pray” communication.
Step 6: Build Out Subsequent Nurture Stages
With the conditional logic in place, you can now replicate and adapt the structure for subsequent stages. For each path from your router, you’ll likely have another sequence of: CRM update (e.g., “Nurture – Stage 2A”), an action (like sending another email or SMS), another delay, and then potentially more conditional logic leading to further stages or an “end of nurture” status. Re-use modules and templates where possible to maintain consistency and efficiency. Remember to always update the candidate’s CRM status at the end of each stage, providing a clear audit trail and allowing for manual intervention if needed. This systematic approach ensures all candidate journeys are accounted for.
Step 7: Test, Monitor, and Refine Your Sequence
Before activating your scenario, thoroughly test it with various dummy candidates and scenarios to ensure every path and condition functions as expected. Pay close attention to delays, CRM updates, and email delivery. Once live, continuously monitor the performance of your nurture sequence. Track key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates (e.g., applications submitted, event registrations). Use this data to identify bottlenecks or areas for improvement. Periodically review and refine your content, delays, and conditional logic to optimize engagement and achieve your talent acquisition goals. An iterative approach ensures long-term success and adaptability.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: The Automated Recruiter: 10 Make Campaigns for Strategic Talent Acquisition
