Communication breakdown can decrease your chances of a fast time-to-hire. But juggling multiple candidates (who may be at different places in their candidate journey) is easier said than done. Texting applicants can help streamline the process and increase candidate engagement. Bring your recruitment process into the modern era by connecting to applicants via text.
Unsure of best practices? Read on.
Why Should You Be Texting Applicants?
97% of Americans use a cell phone (which is even greater than the 93% who have access to wifi). Texting applicants can help boost candidate engagement by reaching candidates wherever they are. Your responsiveness through text will make you standout. 75% of applicants don’t hear back from the place where they applied, so people will notice that you’re keeping them in the loop.
Best Practices for Texting Applicants
It can be daunting to text applicants if you haven’t done it before. After all, it’s a far more informal channel than email. But when used correctly, texting can make your recruiting process quicker, more personal, and more candidate-friendly.
Here’s your one-stop guide to texting best practices, so you can increase engagement and save yourself time.
Keep it Short, Sweet, and Professional
Texts are generally far shorter than email. Long text messages can be unwieldy or even overwhelming. Think about how your messages will be read on a screen. It’s easy to lose sight of the brevity needed for text messaging when you’re typing on a computer. At the same time, remember that you’re on a personal channel. That makes it more important than ever to keep your tone professional (though friendly).
Make Use of Texting Templates
Using templates while texting applicants can shave valuable time off of your recruitment process. Prepare a template for each stage of the application process. That way, you can easily automate your responses: just set up workflow automation to instantly message candidates after they submit an application, before an interview, and during any other important moments.
Some messages, like requests for information or interview scheduling, probably don’t need to be reviewed every time you send them. This is when templates come in. With templates, any member of your recruiting team can send out important messages while maintaining a consistent tone.
Text During Pre-Set Hours
While it can be convenient to text applicants at any time, it can also be jarring for them to receive texts at strange hours. Make sure you pre-set times when candidates can receive text messages. Texting during business hours is best, and research shows that most candidates prefer to be texted from 8AM to 12PM.
When texting applicants, you can also confirm the best times to receive text messages with a simple survey option early in the process. Some people may not want text messages from a new job coming in while they’re at their current place of employment. Others may not want to be bothered when they’re at home with their families. Respecting their boundaries shows that you value their time.
Automation Saves Time
Texting applicants might feel like one more thing to manage, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Automation is an enormous time-saver for any type of communication, including candidate texting. Once you set up your templates, automation can take the rest out of your hands. Automation takes care of repetitive tasks so you can better direct your energy. Curious about the difference between AI and automation? Check out our eBook for tips on utilizing automation for the best results.
Use an Encrypted Platform
The work phone is now a thing of the past. With texting, your applicant is usually trusting you with their personal phone number. Security has become increasingly important in our digital age. Make sure your messages are encrypted with a platform like Apploi so you and your applicant can both maintain privacy.
Better Hiring With Apploi
Apploi can help you automate text messages and communicate quickly with candidates. Interested in learning more about how you can recruit, hire, and onboard healthcare staff quickly? Contact us today for a free demo of our software solution.
