Embracing technology can be nerve wracking, particularly for staffing firms. Some technology comes and goes, while other, more tried-and-true technologies remain. Jumping in on new tech too early can leave you high and dry when the tech (or the company) goes belly up. That’s why so many companies choose “legacy” technologies to play it safe.
In some ways, you could call phone calls, voice messages and even emails “legacy” technologies. They’ve been around for decades, and most staffing firms are pretty satisfied using those communication methods to reach candidates.
But here’s the thing: Candidates WANT you to reach out to them with updated technology. Yes, that means they want you to text them!
This statement may make you nervous. After all, mobile phones are for searching the Internet, texting friends and reading review on Yelp or Amazon. Do candidates really want to hear from recruiters on their phones too?
In short: Yes. Yes, they do. And those staffing firms that are embracing technologies that make short, actionable and personable text messaging to candidates simple (and the ROI measurable) are reaping the rewards.
Don’t get left out in the cold. Candidates want to hear from you via text. Need more proof? Here is just a sampling:
When you look at the bigger picture, most people simply prefer to communicate on their mobile devices. According to data from Pew Research, 95% of adults own a cell phone and 77% own a smartphone. In the 18-49 age group, 89% own a smartphone.
And according to the same research, 1 in 5 adults use a smartphone only and do not have home broadband internet access. About a quarter of US adults say they are “constantly online.” The list goes on and on.
We’re addicted to our phones. We’re looking at them constantly (80 times a day, in fact), and half of us don’t even believe phones are primarily used to make phone calls.
You’re not just increasing the likelihood of reaching candidates when you text them, you’re making their lives easier and reaching them where they spend most of their time anyway.
Talent is looking for jobs on their mobile devices, so it’s a foregone conclusion that they expect you to contact them using the same medium.
Just a few years ago, the notion of mobile job search was still considered rare, and certainly not an expectation for the majority of candidates. Surely they prefer to spend hours at home with their resume and a computer sending out resumes?
Not so fast. Today’s candidates expect the job application process to be as simple as paying with Venmo or sharing a photo with AirDrop.
In fact, 77% of Millennials, 73% of GenXers and even 57% of Baby Boomers use their mobile devices for their job search.
Mobile phones are our personal hubs. They are our calendars, our assistants, our photo albums, our communication devices and our job search headquarters. Most of us run our lives on our phones. And now, we’re running our careers there, too.
Talent today is savvy about technology, but also about the process of hiring talent. They know when employers are interested, and they have clear expectations of recruiters. They know that AI and automation technology has empowered recruiters to deliver timely, personalized communications to candidates on their preferred platforms. And they expect you to use it.
Yes, smartphones are personal and professional lifestyle devices that we check incessantly. Yes, talent today understands what technology is available to recruiters, and they expect you to use it.
But from a logistical standpoint, many contractors simply can’t be reached through traditional methods. They’re not sitting at a desk all day, checking emails or listening to voicemails.
Instead, they’re on in the field, doing great work and waiting for a recruiter to contact them about their next great gig. If you’re not texting them short, personal and meaningful messages about their next jobs, your competition is taking advantage instead.
And with redeployment rates at a standstill for so many staffing firms (our research found up to 95% of contractors only fulfill a single placement with a staffing firm), gaining a competitive advantage in contractor care can make a dramatic impact on your bottom line.
The point of this post isn’t to inspire you to go rogue and have your recruiters spend all day on a texting blitz. Rather, it’s to inspire your staffing firm to devise a strategic plan for candidate engagement and contractor care that uses texting (and other communication methods) to meet candidates where they want to be met. To deliver an exceptional experience (and measurable ROI) so that you can take your new t to the bank.
Sense makes it easy to send personal, consistent text messages to your candidates (and integrate other methods of communication into their talent journeys). Our platform integrates with the most powerful and popular ATSs to create a seamless, user-friendly experience for staffing firms.
See for yourself how Sense can transform your candidate communications. Schedule a demo today, and we’ll walk you through how Sense can save your staffing firm time and money while making a dramatic impact on ROI.
