In my recruitment strategies, can I really text a candidate?

Last Updated on January 20, 2023 / Recruitment

Question:

Sometimes, in my recruitment strategies, I have such a hard time getting candidates to respond to my calls and emails.  A colleague asked if I had tried texting?  Can I really do this?  It seems intrusive.

Answer:

In a word, yes.  Especially if a good candidate is not responding to other means.  Texting is a ubiquitous part of our everyday life, why not use it in your recruitment strategies?  The fact is that many people are more likely to check messages on their mobile phone and keep it nearby.  A text may get their attention when a voice message may not.  If you do so, I would offer some parameters:

• Make sure and identify yourself.
• Keep it brief but professional.
• Your goal should be to engage in a dialog/conversation; craft your message carefully to gain the best response.
• Consider the right time of day to text someone; where texting is more immediate, is it appropriate to text a candidate in the evening or early morning?
• There are also web-based phone options that will also allow you to text, which can avoid using your personal cell phone.

It’s a very tight job market, and a recruiter must use every tool available to reach candidates. The world has changed and our recruiting tactics to keep up.

With today’s high unemployment there are lots of job seekers, but only one is going to be the right “fit” for your job opening.  It takes a targeted approach using the right message, the best resources and lots of follow up to find that “needle in a haystack”.  It can be expensive when not well thought-out, but when done correctly doesn’t have to break the budget.  Strategic HR knows what it takes to attract, hire and retain the best employees.  Whether you need a complete recruitment solution or just help with pieces of your process, we can assist you.  Visit our Recruitment page to learn how we can provide you with top notch recruitment assistance.