In a survey conducted by Sense and Talent Board, the majority of talent leaders said text messaging is now the most effective channel for engaging talent. But given that it’s such a new communication channel, many staffing professionals aren’t aware of all the different ways it can help them accomplish their recruiting and business goals.
A Talent Engagement Platform like Sense integrates with your database and provides a centralized hub for managing all your text communications. In this blog post, we’ll highlight the different text messages you can send to the candidates in your database, plus additional use cases for engaging on-assignment employees and sales prospects on their phones.
Sourcing and communicating with candidates through text message generates more responses than phone and email, helping staffing firms make more placements and decrease time-to-hire. Let’s explore all the different ways to leverage text messaging in your recruiting efforts.
Reaching out to groups of qualified candidates with mass texting campaigns is a great way to source talent for a newly open role. It’s faster and more efficient than calling candidates individually and messages can be personalized to feel as if they were written specifically for each individual recipient.
You can bring 2-3 times more qualified candidates into your hiring funnel with mass texting campaigns, without relying on costly job boards.
Candidate outreach text message example
Hi [candidate name], my name is [recruiter name] and I’m a recruiter for [staffing firm name]. We’re hiring for a [job title] role that I think you’d be a great fit for. Are you interested in learning more?
You can also include past candidates in your database in mass texting campaigns. Using Search and Match AI, you can instantly discover candidates in your ATS/CRM who are the right fit for a new role and share the opportunity with them via text.
By re-engaging past candidates, you can reactivate up to 70% of your talent database and reduce cost-per-hire by as much as 30%.
Past candidate re-engagement text message example
Hi [candidate name], my name is [recruiter name] and I’m a recruiter for [staffing firm name]. You previously applied for a [job title] role with us and I wanted to reconnect to find out if you’re interested in a new opportunity.
After sourcing a candidate, you can keep the hiring process moving forward in the same text message conversation. When a candidate replies to your initial message and expresses interest in your role, an AI Chatbot will instantly respond and ask questions to verify that they’re qualified. If they are, the chatbot will then share available dates/times for an interview that they can select from.
Screening candidates and instantly scheduling interviews through text decreases time-to-hire by up to 80% and increases recruiter productivity by as greatly as 50%.
Candidate screening text message example
Hi [candidate name]! Thanks for applying for the [job title] role. Let’s start with a few questions about this role. Do you have a reliable mode of transportation?
Great! Can you work weekends?
Interview scheduling text message example
Hi [candidate name], thanks for your interest in the [job title] position. We would like to schedule a 30-minute introductory call with you. Please let me know which of these dates/times work best for you.
Nothing derails the hiring process quite like an interview no-show. Using a Talent Engagement Platform, you can send automated text message reminders to candidates as their interview date approaches. If they ask to reschedule, the AI Chatbot will again respond and share new dates/times they can select from.
Sending automated text message reminders reduces interview drop-off by as much as 74%.
Interview reminder text message example
Hi [candidate name], I wanted to check in and make sure you’re all set for your interview tomorrow at 2 pm.
Many recruiters lose touch with candidates between the time they accept an offer and their start date. Sending a short text message during this time is a great way to keep up their excitement and remind them of any important onboarding tasks they need to complete.
Onboarding text message example
Hi [candidate name]! Your first day at [comany name] is right around the corner. Please complete your I-9 form before Friday. Thanks!
A quick check-in text message before or shortly after a new hire’s start date can resolve any lingering issues they’re facing and drastically improve their candidate experience. It’s an easy way to show that you want them to be comfortable and set up for success in their new role.
Staffing firms that make an effort to improve candidate experience through consistent communication enjoy a 2.5X increase in NPS.
New hire check-in text message example
Hey [candidate name], we’re excited for your first day at [comany name] on Friday. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any last-minute questions or concerns, Thanks!
While automated text messages are primarily used to engage candidates, there are different text messages you can send to on-assignment employees to reduce turnover and boost their satisfaction. Here are a couple of examples.
A nice happy birthday text to an employee goes a long way in promoting an organizational culture that truly values its people. A Talent Engagement Platform can pull birthdays from your ATS/CRM and send an automated text to each employee on their special day.
Happy birthday text message example
Happy birthday [employee name]! On behalf of the entire team here at [staffing firm name], we hope you have a wonderful day.
You can also send “thank you” text messages to your on-assignment employees from time to time to show that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. This simple gesture of appreciation significantly boosts employee engagement – and is a nice thing to do.
“Thank you” text message example
Hey [employee name], the team here at [staffing firm name] wanted to let you know that we appreciate everything you do. We're proud to work with you.
And lastly, you can send automated text messages to prospects to build relationships and progress them through the sales cycle. Let’s conclude with a few examples of sales prospects engagement texts.
Innovative sales teams are leveraging automated text messages to connect with prospects. Since email has become overly saturated with sales and marketing messages, text messaging is a solid alternative for getting a prospect’s attention.
Prospect outreach text example
Hi [prospect name], this is [sales rep name] from [staffing firm name]. Are you free for a quick call this week to discuss how we can help your business meet its hiring needs?
Sharing a promotional offer with a prospect through text message helps drive new business. Again, text has a higher response rate than email, increasing the likelihood that the prospect takes advantage of the offer.
Promotional offer text message example
Hi [prospect name], I wanted to let you know that [staffing firm name] is running a special promotion this month for new clients. Are you interested in scheduling a call to discuss how you can take advantage of it?
By utilizing the text messaging features in a Talent Engagement Platform, modern staffing firms are better engaging candidates, employees, and prospects. If you want to learn more best practices for mastering candidate text messaging, check out our ebook “Texting for Talent: How Text Messaging is Transforming Candidate Engagement”.
