Candidates ignoring your emails and InMail messages? Here’s how SMS/text messaging can help you hire faster.
Emails and Inmails can be great for engaging high-demand candidates…at least, if you know how to write them.
But even for the wordsmiths among us, there are times when it just feels impossible to reach a lead. Maybe you got them to reply to your InMail, only to lose contact for weeks. And when you’re under pressure to make your quotas, there’s nothing more demotivating than watching your pipeline go from warm to cold. 😔
That’s where text can help.
People today are busier than ever — especially, passive millennial candidates. If top candidates are ignoring your emails and InMail messages, and you’re sure it’s not due to a lack of creativity, chances are it probably has something to do with the other 120 emails that hit their inbox the same day. Reaching out via SMS can help you break through the noise and make it easy for potential candidates to take the next step.
Here are 6 simple ways to use text messages to make better hires.
1. Ask candidates for a callback
Believe it or not, in this day and age, sometimes a phone call actually be more efficient than an email. Especially, when you’re chasing passive leads who may not be able to find a time and place for a private conversation while working 9–5.
If it’s a case of email overwhelm, your leads might actually be thrilled at the chance to have a quick convo with a living breathing human. As with email and Inmail, the trick is to keep your text short, sweet and fun enough that it’s hard to ignore.
2. Engage leads faster with a quick SMS
Speed matters. In a competitive talent market, your success hinges on how quickly you can secure the talent you need to keep the business moving.
73% of US millennials and Gen Z’ers interact with each other digitally more than they do in real life. If you want a fast answer, text is the language to learn. Remember to keep it relevant. Don’t send a 3-paragraph description of the open role. Focus on moving the lead to the next step in the journey.
If the candidate was just looking at your email, ask for a call. If they haven’t responded to your offer, let them know (in a casual, friendly way) that the clock is ticking.
3. Schedule interviews via text
Nobody — and we mean nobody — likes never ending email chains. Especially, when the topic is as dull as ‘whether or not you’re available Tuesday afternoon between 3 to 5pm.’
Sending your candidate a link to your favorite scheduling client (we 💘Calendly) via SMS puts an end to group-email fatigue and gets the interview on the books in a matter of minutes.
4. Send a quick reminder
There’s nothing worse than showing up late or missing an interview. 😬
A quick text message is a perfect way to give your leads a quick heads-up, give them an extra tip, a quick pat on the back and send them in ready to win. Plus, nobody likes tardiness and no-shows. A quick reminder makes sure everyone’s on the same page.
5. Be more relevant
If generic messages are the reasons candidates are ignoring you (and they definitely are to blame), text messages offer up an awesome remedy. Unlike a phone call, text messages give you extra time to think about what you want to say and when is the best time to say it.
The right tool will let you time delay your SMS so it never interrupts (read: annoys) your lead while they’re in the middle of dinner.
6. Accelerate the hiring process
Text messages also make the candidate experience way more awesome by simply shortening the hiring process. Emails, scheduling and sooo much admin. A great SMS can make hiring human again, not to mention faster.
When used alongside other awesome tools, such as a chatbot, text messaging could even help qualify leads more quickly and immediately put you in touch with the best candidates.
Text messages can help breathe life back into your candidate pipeline. But with everything else on your plate, it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s where Breezy can help! Automated text messaging that syncs with your other messages makes it simple to get started.
