Smart Auto Tagging: AI-Powered Candidate Tagging
Automatically apply tags to candidates during scoring with AI-powered rules for better talent organization and rediscovery.
"We know tagging helps, but no one actually does it consistently."
This was the feedback we heard repeatedly from talent teams. Manual tagging is powerful for organizing and rediscovering candidates, but it rarely happens in practice—tags get applied inconsistently, only by power users, and usually as an afterthought.
Today, we're launching Smart Auto Tagging—AI-powered candidate tagging that happens automatically during Nova's scoring process.
The Problem: Great Intent, Poor Execution
The feedback was consistent across our customer base:
- Talent teams knew tagging would help with candidate rediscovery but couldn't get consistent adoption
- Recruiters were too busy screening candidates to remember manual tagging steps
- Hiring managers had no visibility into tagging systems or conventions
- Everyone ended up with fragmented, unreliable candidate data that was hard to search
The result? Valuable candidates buried in unstructured databases, with no reliable way to rediscover relevant talent for new roles.
Our Solution: Automatic AI-Powered Tagging
Nova's Smart Auto Tagging applies tags automatically during candidate scoring, using AI to understand resume content and apply predefined rules consistently.
How It Works
1. Define Tagging Rules Create tags with AI instructions that explain when to apply them:
- "Scale-up experience" → Apply to candidates who worked at companies during high-growth phases (50-500 employees)
- "Client-facing roles" → Apply to candidates with customer interaction experience across sales, support, or account management
Or use Auto-Generate AI Instructions to let Nova suggest tagging logic based on your tag name—perfect for getting started quickly.
2. Automatic Application During Scoring As Nova processes candidates, it simultaneously evaluates tagging rules and applies relevant tags based on resume content and scoring results.
3. Native ATS Integration Tags appear in your ATS exactly like manually applied tags—no separate system to manage or learn.
4. Consistent Team-Wide Application Every candidate gets evaluated against the same tagging logic, ensuring consistent organization across your entire talent database.
Supported ATS Platforms
Smart Auto Tagging is currently available for:
- Teamtailor - Uses custom field options for structured tag management
- Ashby - Direct tag application through feedback forms
- Lever - Native tag integration with opportunity tagging
- Greenhouse - Native candidate tagging with full tag management capabilities
Additional ATS integrations coming soon based on customer demand.
Example Tagging Rules
| Tag Name | AI Instruction |
|---|---|
Scale-up experience | Apply to candidates who worked at companies during high-growth phases (50-500 employees) |
Client-facing roles | Apply to candidates with customer interaction experience across sales, support, or account management |
Technical leadership | Apply to candidates who led technical projects or mentored teams without "manager" titles |
Product launch experience | Apply to candidates who shipped products from concept to market launch |
Key Benefits
Team-Wide Standards
- Same tagging logic applied to every candidate
- No more inconsistent manual tagging
- Reliable data for filtering and search
- Clear audit trail of tagging decisions
Zero Additional Work
- Tags applied automatically during scoring
- No extra steps for recruiters or hiring managers
- Builds structured talent database passively
- Integrates seamlessly with existing workflows
Better Talent Search
- Structured tags enable powerful filtering
- Find candidates with specific experience patterns
- Identify top performers across historical data
- Support future smart search capabilities
Getting Started
Smart Auto Tagging is available now for supported ATS platforms:
- Enable the Feature - Contact your account manager to activate Smart Auto Tagging
- Define Your Tags - Create tags with custom or auto-generated AI instructions
- Automatic Application - Tags apply automatically as Nova processes candidates
- Monitor Results - View tagged candidates in your ATS using standard filtering
Smart Auto Tagging transforms candidate organization from a manual afterthought into an automatic, consistent process that builds valuable talent intelligence over time.
Ready to get started? Contact your account manager to enable Smart Auto Tagging for your organization.