When staffing agencies in the late 90s and early 2000s began embracing email, the industry changed. Reaching out to potential candidates and quickly receiving applications streamlined a time-consuming part of the process. Today, the industry continues to evolve, and now texting is becoming routine for communication between recruiters and candidates. But how can you effectively recruit via text? Here are some tips, tricks, shortcuts, and what you should never do.
Use a Business Texting App
Don’t use your personal cell phone to text applicants. It’s best to use a business texting app to send SMS messages, so you have all the information in one place. It also helps the candidates see one point of contact and not receive notifications from unknown numbers.
Identify Yourself
Always include your name, company, and role when texting new candidates. That way, they can see the information as legit and not just spam. For example, “Hi, this is Sally, the HR Director of City Hospital.” Then provide additional details about why you’re reaching out.
Get To the Point
For texting, the message needs to remain short and get to the point right away. After your greeting, let them know right away why you’re contacting them. “I have an opportunity for an RN in our neonatal department, and I wanted to talk to you more.”
Stay Professional
It’s best to avoid overly casual language, text abbreviations, and emojis in recruiting messages. Maintain your professional image, even once you’ve gotten to know a candidate, by keeping the tone friendly but staying away from these overly informal forms of communication.
Personalize It
Always make sure you personalize the message you are sending. Too often, people receive texts without any form of personalization and write them off as spam. Your SMS messaging app can help you populate this information even if you need to send a mass message.
Reply Promptly
When a candidate replies to your text, make sure you respond promptly. If you let texts pile up, it not only creates more work for you, but your applicants may begin to lose confidence in the process and choose other opportunities over yours.
Never Ghost a Candidate
Another subject that’s essential when it comes to texting is not to ghost your recipient. Even if you make a hiring decision, always return their text to let them know. Even if candidates have ghosted you in the past, always respond to messages to keep the relationship cordial.
Do you want to know more about top hiring trends? Contact the team at Fortus Healthcare Resources today.
