Texting for Recruiting: A Great New Way to Bring in Top Talent

Recruiters compete for top talent, and sometimes, getting creative impresses the best applicants. Text messaging is an effective and creative way for recruiters to communicate with candidates. 

Can you text job applicants?

Recruiters may text job applicants so long as they’ve opted-in to receive messages from them. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) outlines strict requirements about unsolicited contact via phone and text. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) enforces these standards and imposes financial penalties on companies that violate them. 

Do recruiters reach out by text?

Recruiters increasingly reach out to candidates via text. Text messaging is a simple and efficient method of communication. 

Instead of waiting to receive an email or spending forever on the phone, recruiters quickly text candidates. These texts provide updates on a position, ask for more information, or schedule interviews. 

As a result, candidates should be prepared to respond quickly and professionally via text. 

What’s the best texting tool for recruiting?

TextSanity is a text marketing application that helps recruiters communicate with applicants and leads. Here are some additional ways recruiters can effectively use TextSanity for SMS campaigns.

Text message keyword campaigns

If you’re looking for new recruiting leads, consider a text message keyword campaign. A text message keyword campaign provides a keyword for potential candidates to text. First, they opt-in to receive recruiting messages. Then, you start sending messages. This method of text message marketing brings the leads to you. 

However, this approach involves keyword and number promotion. Post the information virtually on your social media or physically on flyers, billboards, and other printed materials. 

Choose a relevant keyword. For example, use the keyword “JOBS” or “RECRUITMENT.” However, if you’re recruiting for specific positions, it might make sense to have different keywords for people working in different industries, including “BUSINESS,” “HEALTHCARE,” and “TECH.”

To set up a text keyword campaign in TextSanity, start by logging into your account or creating one if you haven’t already. From there, click the “Keywords” tab and select the “+ New campaign” button in the top right-hand corner. Next, add the name of the campaign, your chosen keyword, and compose your return message. 

Finally, save your campaign and make sure it’s active. 

Opt-in text messaging webforms

Interested candidates input their information into a customized webform. By inputting their information, they consent to receive job updates and information from you. 

To create an opt-in text messaging webform in TextSanity, enter your TextSanity account and click on “More Tools” at the top of the account page. Next, click the “+ New Webform” button at the top right-hand corner of the screen. 

From there, add the name of your webform and the webform’s URL in addition to a title and a subheader for potential leads.

Upload an eye-catching and relevant image to the webpage to drive people to sign up and choose which details you want to collect from people, for example, names, phone numbers, and email addresses. 

Save the page and check it out for yourself once the link is live. 

Mass text messaging campaigns

Once you establish a recruiting network, switch gears from gathering leads to working them. A great way to work potential leads is with a mass text messaging campaign. This method involves sending out a mass text to an audience of your choosing. 

TextSanity makes it easy for you to tag and segment your audiences to select appropriate recipients. 

For example, you may want to text people currently working in IT about a new system administrator position. Or you may want to send out a text to people currently working in healthcare about a new travel nursing position. The possibilities are endless. 

To launch your first mass text messaging campaign with TextSanity, navigate to your TextSanity account and click on the “Broadcasts” tab. Next, click the “+ New Message” button in the top right-hand corner of the screen. 

After that, it’s time to name the message, choose your recipients, and write the content of the message. Finally, you can schedule the date and time of the message in advance. 

Text message drip campaigns

You can use TextSanity for recruiting by creating a text message drip campaign. This type of campaign follows the main premise of a broadcast campaign, but with one main difference. 

Drip campaigns involve sending several different messages instead of just one. These messages are arranged in a specific order to slowly convince the recipient to take a specific action. 

In recruitment, use drip campaigns to help guide applicants through the recruitment process. For example, your first message could ask them to submit their resume for review. Your second message could remind them of their scheduled interview. Your third message could ask them to provide documentation for onboarding. 

To set up a text message drip campaign with TextSanity, find the “More Tools” button on the top menu in your TextSanity account and select “Drip Campaigns” from the drop-down menu. From there, select “+ New Drip,” add a name for your campaign, and click the “Create” button. 

After that, you can begin adding different messages to your drip campaign by clicking the “+ Message” button. The key with drip campaigns is timing, so make sure you leave enough time between your messages — ideally a few days for the best results. 

Tips for texting job candidates

Now you know how to set up texting campaigns to reach job candidates. Here’s some texting tips and best practices.

Tip 1: Make sure you have consent

To avoid painful financial penalties for violating the TCPA, make sure job candidates opt-in before sending them text messages. As you now know, it’s easy to get opt-ins from potential job candidates using opt-in webforms and keyword campaigns. 

Tip 2: Utilize two-way texting

To build rapport with job candidates, utilize two-way texting. That way, you’re not just talking at them — you’re talking with them. Provide them with information about current openings. Let them provide you information about the types of positions they’re currently looking for, salary, and start date. 

Tip 3: Send your texts at the right time

The TCPA also states that texts can only be sent during certain times — specifically between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. However, make sure to send your texts at convenient times when the recipient is likely to access their phone. 

Tip 4: Send the right amount of texts

It can be difficult to find the right balance of texting as a recruiter. On the one hand, you don’t want to come off as too aggressive. On the other hand, sometimes you need to be aggressive to get the best candidates. In most cases, a few texts per week is ideal. 

Tip 5: Personalize your texts

Another way to build rapport as a recruiter is to personalize your texts with the recipient’s name and information. For example, you could text John Doe and mention that you’re impressed by his prior experience at XYZ company. 

Or you could text Jane Doe to tell her that her education at ABC University is what your client is looking for. Overall, the goal is to make each applicant feel important and listened to. 

Tip 6: Avoid group messages

Finally, always avoid group messaging as a recruiter. Group messaging is a major texting faux pas. Help applicants feel like they’re more than just a number.

What to do next

Start texting your applicants today by signing up for a TextSanity account. With several pricing plans to choose from, one’s bound to meet your needs. 

If you’re not ready to sign up, learn more about TextSanity by scheduling a demo or speaking with a customer service representative.