Use the dashboard·4 min read

Set up Gmail for HiringFunnel: dedicated job-search inbox + OAuth

Make a fresh Gmail for job search only, then connect it on /dashboard/profile. AI surfaces only interviews and offers.

Set up Gmail

Two steps, in order:

  1. Create a brand-new Gmail just for job search.
  2. Connect that Gmail to HiringFunnel from your profile page.

The order matters. Don't connect your personal or work Gmail. Read step 1 first.

Step 1 — Create a dedicated job-search Gmail

During onboarding, your coach will ask you to sit down and create a brand new Gmail account for job-search communications only.

Rules:

  • No private data ever lives in this inbox. Don't forward personal mail to it. Don't sign up for newsletters with it. It exists for recruiter replies, interview requests, and offers — nothing else.
  • Use a password you don't reuse anywhere. Treat this like a fresh account on a fresh device. If a recruiter's reply gets phished, the blast radius stops at this one inbox.
  • Pick a professional-looking address. firstname.lastname.jobs@gmail.com works. Don't get cute — recruiters see this on every application.

Once the account is created, stay logged into it in your browser so the next step is one click.

Step 2 — Connect it to HiringFunnel

You can only do this once you're inside the dashboard (after signup + checkout + your first magic-link login).

  1. Go to /dashboard/profile and scroll to the orange Connect your Gmail card.
  2. Click Connect Gmail. You'll bounce to Google's consent screen.
  3. Pick the new job-search Gmail you just created — not your personal account.
  4. Approve the permissions. Google sends you back to your profile with a green "Gmail connected" banner.
  5. Within 5 minutes, the Inbox tab starts populating with classified messages.

Why a dedicated inbox

  • Your VA submits applications using this email. Every job we apply to lists this address. Recruiter replies land in the inbox we're already watching.
  • AI classifies every incoming message into one of three buckets: interview request, recruiter reply, offer. Everything else stays out of your dashboard.
  • Cold pitches and spam get archived so the job-search inbox stays clean.
  • You can hand it off later. A career coach, recruiter, or new VA can be granted access without exposing your personal mail.

What HiringFunnel does with your inbox

  • Reads incoming messages so we can classify them.
  • Applies labels so your inbox stays organized.
  • Archives spam and cold pitches on your behalf.
  • We never send email as you. We never delete.

Expand What we'll do with your inbox on the profile card any time to see the same list.

After you're connected

The Profile card switches to a calm green panel showing:

  • The Gmail address we're watching.
  • The same address listed as your Application email — your VA uses this when filling out application forms.
  • A Disconnect button.

Disconnect

Click Disconnect on the Profile card. Two things happen:

  1. We immediately stop polling your Gmail. The Inbox tab will show a "Sync paused" banner.
  2. We tell Google to revoke the grant, so the connection disappears from your Google account settings too.

Already-classified emails stay visible in your dashboard inbox after disconnecting. To wipe them, ask your coach.

Troubleshooting

"Connection cancelled" banner. You backed out of Google's consent screen. Nothing was saved. Click Connect Gmail again when you're ready.

"The connection link expired." The signed handoff between HiringFunnel and Google timed out. Click Connect Gmail to start a fresh attempt.

"Google declined the connection." Google rejected the OAuth exchange. Most common cause: you tried to connect a Google Workspace account where the admin blocks third-party apps. Use the personal Gmail you created in Step 1 instead.

"We couldn't save the connection." A rare backend error. Retry once. If it keeps failing, message your coach — support is auto-notified but a nudge helps.

Inbox tab still empty after 10 minutes. Open the Profile card and confirm you see the green "Connected" pill. If yes, your inbox may simply have nothing classified yet — only interview requests, recruiter replies, and offers show. If no, reconnect.

I revoked access in my Google account by mistake. Reconnect from /dashboard/profile. Existing classified emails are preserved.

I connected my personal Gmail by mistake. Disconnect from the Profile card, create the dedicated account in Step 1, then reconnect with the new address. Your VA will automatically switch to the new email on the next application batch.

Privacy

We classify with Claude Haiku. The classifier sees the email subject plus the first 2KB of the body. Full message bodies are stored encrypted in our database; only you and your coach can read them. Emails outside the three visible classes never appear in your dashboard.

Stuck? Ask your coach.