Candidates don't always write from the address you have on file. They switch jobs, move to a personal account, or reply from a second inbox. When an email arrives from an address that isn't in your candidate database, Recruitee can't match it to a profile, so the conversation lands in Mailbox > Non-candidates instead of on the candidate's profile.
There are two parts to fixing that, and it's worth doing both. Pinning moves the conversation you're looking at onto the right candidate profile. Adding the address to the profile makes sure their next email lands there on its own.
Note: You need the View mailbox permission to open the mailbox, and the Manage candidates permission to pin a conversation or edit a profile. Check your role in Settings > Roles.
Find the email in Non-candidates
Go to Mailbox in the left menu and click Non-candidates.
This folder holds your team's correspondence with people who aren't in your candidate database — anyone Recruitee couldn't match to a profile by email address. You'll see conversations you took part in, plus conversations sent to your company inbox that no team member has picked up yet.
Note: You can pin from any folder, not just Non-candidates. The Pin to candidate button appears on any conversation that isn't already linked to a candidate profile.
Pin the conversation to a candidate
Pinning links the whole conversation — every message in the thread, and any attachments — to the candidate profile you choose.
Open the conversation you want to move.
Click Pin to candidate above the message.
Type the candidate's name in the search field. Candidates who are already hired are labeled as such in the results.
Click the candidate you want.
Read the confirmation, then click Yes, pin.
The conversation leaves Non-candidates and moves to Candidates. It also appears on the candidate's profile, under the Messages tab, alongside the rest of your correspondence with them.
Important: You can't undo this. There's no unpin button, and the Pin to candidate button disappears once a conversation is linked. Check the name in the confirmation before you click Yes, pin.
Tip: If the person isn't in your database at all, don't pin — click Convert to candidate instead, next to Pin to candidate. That creates a new profile from the email.
Add the new address to the candidate's profile
Pinning handles the conversation in front of you. It doesn't add the sender's address to the candidate's profile, so the next email from that address will land in Non-candidates again. Add the address to the profile to stop that happening.
A candidate profile can hold more than one email address, and Recruitee matches incoming mail against all of them.
Open the candidate's profile and stay on the Overview tab.
Find the Email row in the details panel on the left.
Point at the row and click the pencil icon that appears.
Click + Add.
Type the new address in the empty field.
Click Save.
Note: Recruitee blocks an address that one of your team members already uses as their own login, and addresses on domains your account has blocked for candidates. This keeps private team email out of candidate profiles. If you enter one, you'll see a message telling you to use a different address.
Here are some ways to use the Pin feature
A candidate replies from their personal account
You email Jamie at jamie.lee@oldcompany.com about a second interview. Jamie replies from jamie.lee@gmail.com, and the reply shows up in Non-candidates. Pin it to Jamie's profile so the full conversation stays in one place, then add the Gmail address to their profile so their next reply matches on its own.
An agency forwards a CV for someone you already know
A recruiter sends you a CV for a candidate who applied to a different job six months ago. The email is from the agency's address, so it lands in Non-candidates. Pin it to the existing profile to keep their history together, rather than converting it and creating a duplicate. Leave the agency address off the profile — it belongs to the recruiter, not the candidate.
A candidate uses two addresses at once
Someone applies with a work address, then emails from a personal one. Add both to their profile, and every message from either address matches automatically from then on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I unpin a conversation, or pin it to a different candidate?
Can I unpin a conversation, or pin it to a different candidate?
No. Pinning is permanent, and the confirmation warns you before you commit. If you pin to the wrong candidate, contact our support team.
Does pinning add the sender's email address to the candidate's profile?
Does pinning add the sender's email address to the candidate's profile?
No. Pinning links the conversation only. Add the address to the profile separately if you want future emails to match automatically.
Where does the conversation go after I pin it?
Where does the conversation go after I pin it?
To the Candidates folder in the mailbox, and to the Messages tab on the candidate's profile.
Can I pin a single message instead of the whole conversation?
Can I pin a single message instead of the whole conversation?
No. Pinning applies to the whole thread, including earlier messages and attachments.
I created a duplicate profile by mistake instead of pinning. What now?
I created a duplicate profile by mistake instead of pinning. What now?
Merge the two profiles. See "Merging duplicate candidates" in the related articles below.
Why is a conversation in Non-candidates when I know the person is a candidate?
Why is a conversation in Non-candidates when I know the person is a candidate?
Recruitee matches incoming email by address. If the sender's address isn't on their profile, there's nothing to match, so the conversation is treated as a non-candidate thread.